''Eleutherodactylus eileenae'' is a species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

in the family

Eleutherodactylidae The Eleutherodactylidae are a family of direct-developing frogs native to northern South America, the Caribbean, and southernmost North America. They are sometimes known under the common name rain frogs. Formerly the subfamily Eleutherodactylina ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

and is widespread in the western and central parts of the island. Common names Eileen's robber frog and Cuban free-fingered frog have been coined for it. It is named for "Eileen", but it is unknown who the person in question actually was.

Description

''Eleutherodactylus eileenae'' grow to in snout–vent length. The head is wider than the body. The finger and toe tips bear discs. The dorsum bears granules and tubercles, usually including two prominent

suprascapular The suprascapular artery is a branch of the thyrocervical trunk on the neck. Structure At first, it passes downward and laterally across the scalenus anterior and phrenic nerve, being covered by the sternocleidomastoid muscle; it then crosses t ...

tubercles. The eyelids have prominent granules. The ventrum is granulated. Dorsal color is changeable: light brown, reddish brown, yellowish or dark brown. There are several dorsal patterns: suprascapular "W", two bands like inverted parentheses )(" large reddish area in the anterior half of the body, flanks darker than the back, and a white or yellow middorsal stripe. Most specimens have a dark inter-orbital bar. The supratympanic fold is highlighted with black. The ventrum is white, but sometimes the throat is slightly brown with a clear medial line. Males have a

vocal sac The vocal sac is the flexible Biological membrane, membrane of skin possessed by most male frogs and toads. The purpose of the vocal sac is usually as an amplification of their mating or advertisement call. The presence or development of the voca ...

Habitat and conservation

''Eleutherodactylus eileenae'' occur in various types of closed-canopy mesic forests at elevations below . They hide during the daytime in leaf litter, cracks, and holes, and become active by night. They are largely

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth, as opposed to extraterrestrial. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on o ...

, but calling males take perches on rocks and vegetation, typically above the ground, occasionally much higher. However, males guarding egg clutches may call from the ground. The eggs have direct development (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage). ''Eleutherodactylus eileenae'' is a common and widespread species. Nevertheless, agricultural development, pollution, and infrastructure development for human settlement and tourism are threats to it. It is present in several protected areas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1592888 eileenae Amphibians of Cuba Endemic fauna of Cuba Amphibians described in 1926 Taxa named by Emmett Reid Dunn Taxonomy articles created by Polbot