Ryukyu Brown Frog
Encyclopedia
The Ryūkyū Brown Frog or Okinawa Frog is an undescribed species in the true frog
family
(Ranidae).
It is endemic to the Ryūkyū Islands
Japan
, specifically Okinawa and perhaps neighboring islands
.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, river
s, and freshwater marsh
es. It is threatened by habitat loss.
described a middle-sized brownish frog species from the Ryūkyū Islands as Rana okinavana. It was noted that the type locality was undetermined - perhaps Okinawa, but the specimens were part of a shipment from an animal dealer, not supplied from the person who originally collected them. Some time later, it was mentioned in passing that mid-sized brown frogs were definitely found on Okinawa. However, collectors seeking out the frog described by Boettger there could not find it; they instead encountered that animal on some of the Yaeyama Islands
in the southern Ryūkyū Islands.
Others believed that the brown frog of the Ryūkyūs occurred only on Okinawa, and that this consequently must be Boettger's R. okinavana. When World War II
interrupted further research, Boettger's taxon
was firmly associated with the Okinawan brown frogs, though nobody ever had bothered to travel to the Senckenberg Museum
or the Übersee-Museum in Germany
to directly compare the type specimens with frogs from Okinawa.
By the mid-20th century, it was recognized that on both Okinawa and the Yaeyama group brown frogs could be found, and R. okinavana was applied to them, without comparing actual specimens. By the 1970s, it was realized that the Okinawan frogs were not found on the Yaeyama Islands, but only a superficially similar but stouter frog with a distinctive suprabrachial gland and a fold of skin running from the shoulders to the hips. The Yaeyama frogs were at first identified as R. adenopleura
and eventually described as a new species, Rana psaltes, in 1985.
In 1999, upon examination of the lectotype
of Boettger's R. okinavana, it was realized that this animal was very similar to R. psaltes, differing from the Okinawan brown frogs just as the recently-described Yaeyama frogs did. It furthermore turned out that Boettger's brown frog specimens were included in the same batch from the same collector as his specimens of Chirixalus eiffingeri. These specimens must have been collected on the Yaeyama Islands, as the species certainly does not occur on Okinawa. And thus, the frogs formerly known as R. psaltes - which had also been found on Taiwan
in the meantime - turned out to be the same species
that Boettger had described, and hence according to ICZN
rules, it is now known as R. okinavana.
This leaves the Okinawa Frog without a scientific name, though it is expected to be described soon.
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...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Ranidae).
It is endemic to the Ryūkyū Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, specifically Okinawa and perhaps neighboring islands
Okinawa Islands
Okinawa Islands are a group of islands that belongs to Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawa Prefecture makes up a portion of the Ryukyu Islands. The prefectural capital Naha, as well as most of the population, exists on the largest island, Okinawa Island...
.
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 lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, and freshwater marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Taxonomy
This frog has a convoluted taxonomic history; despite being known since the early 20th century, it has recently turned out to be undescribed. In 1895, Oskar BoettgerOskar Boettger
Oskar Boettger was a German zoologist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was an uncle of the noted malacologist Caesar Rudolf Boettger ....
described a middle-sized brownish frog species from the Ryūkyū Islands as Rana okinavana. It was noted that the type locality was undetermined - perhaps Okinawa, but the specimens were part of a shipment from an animal dealer, not supplied from the person who originally collected them. Some time later, it was mentioned in passing that mid-sized brown frogs were definitely found on Okinawa. However, collectors seeking out the frog described by Boettger there could not find it; they instead encountered that animal on some of the Yaeyama Islands
Yaeyama Islands
The Yaeyama Islands are a group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.The isles are the remotest part of Japan from the main islands and contains Japan's most southern and most western inhabited islands.The islands form the southern part of the volcanic Nansei Islands...
in the southern Ryūkyū Islands.
Others believed that the brown frog of the Ryūkyūs occurred only on Okinawa, and that this consequently must be Boettger's R. okinavana. When World War II
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
interrupted further research, Boettger's taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
was firmly associated with the Okinawan brown frogs, though nobody ever had bothered to travel to the Senckenberg Museum
Senckenberg Museum
The Naturmuseum Senckenberg in Frankfurt is the second largest museum of natural history in Germany. It is particularly popular with children, who enjoy the extensive collection of dinosaur skeletons: Senckenberg boasts the largest exhibition of large dinosaurs in Europe. One particular treasure is...
or the Übersee-Museum in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to directly compare the type specimens with frogs from Okinawa.
By the mid-20th century, it was recognized that on both Okinawa and the Yaeyama group brown frogs could be found, and R. okinavana was applied to them, without comparing actual specimens. By the 1970s, it was realized that the Okinawan frogs were not found on the Yaeyama Islands, but only a superficially similar but stouter frog with a distinctive suprabrachial gland and a fold of skin running from the shoulders to the hips. The Yaeyama frogs were at first identified as R. adenopleura
Rana adenopleura
Babina adenopleura is a species of frog in the Ranidae family.It is found in China and Taiwan.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, freshwater...
and eventually described as a new species, Rana psaltes, in 1985.
In 1999, upon examination of the lectotype
Lectotype
In botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature, a lectotype is a kind of name-bearing type. When a species was originally described on the basis of a name-bearing type consisting of multiple specimens, one of those may be designated as the lectotype...
of Boettger's R. okinavana, it was realized that this animal was very similar to R. psaltes, differing from the Okinawan brown frogs just as the recently-described Yaeyama frogs did. It furthermore turned out that Boettger's brown frog specimens were included in the same batch from the same collector as his specimens of Chirixalus eiffingeri. These specimens must have been collected on the Yaeyama Islands, as the species certainly does not occur on Okinawa. And thus, the frogs formerly known as R. psaltes - which had also been found on Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in the meantime - turned out to be the same species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
that Boettger had described, and hence according to ICZN
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...
rules, it is now known as R. okinavana.
This leaves the Okinawa Frog without a scientific name, though it is expected to be described soon.
External links
- Mating Ryūkyū Brown Frogs photo. Retrieved 2008-FEB-02.
- Kampira Falls Frog photo. Retrieved 2008-FEB-02.
