Eleutherodactylus versicolor
Encyclopedia
Eleutherodactylus versicolor is a species of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

 in the Leptodactylidae
Leptodactylidae
Leptodactylidae is a diverse family of frogs that probably diverged from other hyloids during the Cenozoic era, or possibly at the end of the Mesozoic. There are roughly 50 genera, one of which is Eleutherodactylus, the largest vertebrate genus, with over 700 species...

 family.

Habitat and Ecology

It is found in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

 and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

s are subtropical or tropical moist montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...

s, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...

, and pastureland. Specimens are found beneath stones and logs in sparsely wooded pasture or in cloud forest and sub-páramo habitats . Peruvian specimens were collected at night on vegetation up to 2 m above the ground . It breeds by direct development , but the site of egg deposition is not known.

Geographic Range

This species occurs in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. In Ecuador it is known from: the area north of San Lucas, in Loja Province, at 3,100m asl; at Abra Zamora at 2,500-2,800m asl; and at Curintza, Romerillos and Bombuscaro, in Zamora Chinchipe Province, at 2,100m asl. In Peru it occurs in Amazonas Province on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera del Cóndor and Upper Río Comainas at elevations of 665-1,750m asl. It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest.
Biogeographic Realm(s): Neotropical
Native Ecuador; Peru

Major Threats

The main threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation due to agriculture, logging, mining, and human settlement.

Conservation Measures

The range of this species overlaps with the Santiago Comainas Reserve Zone, Peru. In Ecuador this species occurs in Parque Nacional Podocarpus.

Source

  • Rodríguez, L., Martinez, J.L., Coloma, L.A., Ron, S. & Almeida, D. 2004. * 1:http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/57039/0 Eleutherodactylus versicolor. * 2:http://www.iucnredlist.org 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 22 July 2007.
  • 3:http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/E/Eleutherodactylus_versicolor/default.asp
  • 4:http://www.globalamphibians.org/servlet/GAA?searchName=Eleutherodactylus+versicolor
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