Trinidad Thin-toed Frog, Leptodactylus nesiotis (Family Leptodactylidae)
Size: Small terrestrial frog, males 33 mm SVL, females not measured.
Identification: Dorsal skin smooth anteriorly, tubercles posteriorly; uniform grey/brown with a large dark interorbital triangular blotch, pointing backward; two small dark blotches in sacral region; white side blotches from axillary region to groin, bordered anteriorly by a dark brown stripe; upper surfaces of thighs mottled. Ventral skin smooth, white. Snout rounded from above and slightly protruding over lower jaw. Tympanum distinct, about three-quarters diameter of the eye. Fingers free of webbing; slight webbing between toes. No adhesive discs. Too few of these frogs have been described to allow comment on variability. Vocalization: Calls in chorus around the margins of pools; subtly different from L. validus, rapidly repeated ‘peenk, peenk’ at about four per second. Similar species: Very similar to L. validus, though the size may be smaller than validus. The two can be separated by the tympanic fold which stops a short distance from the tympanum in L. nesiotus, but the tympanic fold extends to the shoulder in L. validus. The Trinidad Thin-toed Frog also has a white lateral blotch bordered by a more dorsal dark stripe; this is absent in L. validus.
Distribution and habitat: L. nesiotus, a member of the melanonotus species group appears to be a Trinidad endemic. It is known from swampy areas in Icacos, southwest Trinidad. It has been recently found at scattered localities over much of southern Trinidad. Not recorded from Tobago. Biology: Diet not known. Reproduction not known, but as a member of the melanonotus species group, likely to produce floating foam nests like those of L. validus. Tadpoles: Unknown.
Conservation status: Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN; no known threats its habitat, but its extent is not established so Data Deficient might be a more appropriate assessment.
Size: Small terrestrial frog, males 33 mm SVL, females not measured.
Identification: Dorsal skin smooth anteriorly, tubercles posteriorly; uniform grey/brown with a large dark interorbital triangular blotch, pointing backward; two small dark blotches in sacral region; white side blotches from axillary region to groin, bordered anteriorly by a dark brown stripe; upper surfaces of thighs mottled. Ventral skin smooth, white. Snout rounded from above and slightly protruding over lower jaw. Tympanum distinct, about three-quarters diameter of the eye. Fingers free of webbing; slight webbing between toes. No adhesive discs. Too few of these frogs have been described to allow comment on variability. Vocalization: Calls in chorus around the margins of pools; subtly different from L. validus, rapidly repeated ‘peenk, peenk’ at about four per second. Similar species: Very similar to L. validus, though the size may be smaller than validus. The two can be separated by the tympanic fold which stops a short distance from the tympanum in L. nesiotus, but the tympanic fold extends to the shoulder in L. validus. The Trinidad Thin-toed Frog also has a white lateral blotch bordered by a more dorsal dark stripe; this is absent in L. validus.
Distribution and habitat: L. nesiotus, a member of the melanonotus species group appears to be a Trinidad endemic. It is known from swampy areas in Icacos, southwest Trinidad. It has been recently found at scattered localities over much of southern Trinidad. Not recorded from Tobago. Biology: Diet not known. Reproduction not known, but as a member of the melanonotus species group, likely to produce floating foam nests like those of L. validus. Tadpoles: Unknown.
Conservation status: Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN; no known threats its habitat, but its extent is not established so Data Deficient might be a more appropriate assessment.
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