Atelopus cruciger

Atelopus cruciger

Veragua stubfoot toad, Rancho grande harlequin frog

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SPECIES
Atelopus cruciger

Atelopus cruciger, also known as the Veragua stubfoot toad or Rancho Grande harlequin frog, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Venezuela and is known from the central Venezuelan Coastal Range. The species was already suspected to be extinct because, despite considerable effort, none had been found since 1986. However, in 2003, a small population was found, with few other locations discovered later. It is mainly threatened by chytridiomycosis. It is locally called sapito rayado.

In Culture

  • The frog appears on the reverse side of the Venezuelan 5 bolívar soberano note.

Appearance

Adult males measure 28–35 mm (1.1–1.4 in) and adult females 40–50 mm (1.6–2.0 in) in snout–vent length. The body is slender. The snout is pointed in dorsal view. No tympanum is visible, but the supratympanic crest is well developed. There are small rounded warts present on the dorsolateral surfaces, most prominently around the arm insertions and as a dorsolateral row. The fingers have basal webbing while the toes are slightly more webbed. The hind limbs are relatively long. Preserved specimens have greenish tan color that is lighter on the ventral side. The dorsal surfaces have dense brown vermiculation as well as a X-pattern behind the head.

Geography

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Diet and Nutrition

The main sources of food for these frogs are ants and other small insects.

References

1. Atelopus cruciger Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atelopus_cruciger
2. Atelopus cruciger on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54502/109528802

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