''Strabomantis anomalus'' is a species of
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" '' Triadobatrachus'' is ...
s in the family
Strabomantidae
The Strabomantidae are a family of frogs native to South America. These frogs lack a free-living larval stage and hatch directly into miniature "froglets". This family includes ''Pristimantis'', the most speciose genus of any vertebrate.
System ...
. It is found in the
Chocoan rainforests from near sea level to elevations of in northwestern Ecuador and western Colombia.
Description
''Strabomantis anomalus'' are large frogs. Males measure and females in snout–vent length. Skin of
dorsum is coarsely tuberculate with many short ridges and folds, but without complete dorsolateral folds. They are dull grayish brown, yellowish brown, or brown from above, with indistinct darker blotching. Groin is variably mottled brown or black on pale yellow, yellowish tan, or pink. Rear of thigh are dark brown or black, with yellow or tan mottling or spots. Throat is suffused with brown or gray, with white spots or mottling, but sometimes darker, mottled black and white, in juveniles. Venter is dull white or yellowish white to pale yellow, or, occasionally, bright, yellow.
On one occasion, a female was found crouched on a mass of 69 eggs in a shallow depression. The nest was on a river bank, likely to be flooded at the next heavy rain, which is unusual for presumed direct-developing species.
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Habitat and conservation
Natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s of ''Strabomantis anomalus'' are lowland and submontane forests. They live mainly along clear, gravely streams flowing through swampy moist rainforest. They are commonly found along small, slow-flowing streams at night, usually on the ground or on rocks beside or in shallow water in the stream.Habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
caused by agricultural development, logging, and human settlement is probably the main threat to it. Also pollution from spraying illegal crops is a significant threat.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3022638
anomalus
Amphibians of Colombia
Amphibians of Ecuador
Amphibians described in 1898
Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot