Reticulated leaf frog, Reticulate leaf frog
Pithecopus ayeaye, also known as the reticulated leaf frog and reticulate leaf frog, is a species of frog in the family Phyllomedusidae. It is endemic to Brazil. P. ayeaye is found in the transition zone between cerrado (tropical woodland-savanna) and Atlantic semi-deciduous forest, laying its eggs on leaves above streams or pools so the tadpoles, when hatched, fall into the water below. This species is under threat from habitat loss resulting from mining activity and fires, and is also affected by pollution from mining and pesticides. Its restricted range is likely to make it particularly vulnerable to these threats.
P. ayeaye is a medium-sized frog that can grow between 28.7 mm to 40 mm long and weigh from 1.89 g to 7.5 g. The dorsal side is a bright green color, and the sides of its body and appendages have a distinctive network of black lines with circular reddish to orange spots. The ventral side is a black to gray color. Tadpoles have long, oval bodies with flattened sides. The end of the tail arcs upwards. Their heads, with large eyes, and bodies are longer than their tails. Their dorsal surface is dark, while their ventral surface is a light gray color.
The reticulated leaf frog is native to South America and lives in the Espinhaco, Mantiqueira, and Canastra mountain ranges located in Brazil. The topography includes mountains with rivers running between them. Streams run through the semideciduous forests, which provide water, shade, and protection.
The breeding season is from October to January. Males sit on vegetation beside a stream and call to females. Most P. ayeaye breed on nights with sufficient rainfall to increase the likelihood that fertilization will occur. The tadpoles hatch during November to December. They mature from October to May, and fully mature by June. Female P. ayeaye prefer to deposit their eggs on plants in the families Melastomataceae and Solanaceae. The leaves of those plants have trichomes on them which keep the eggs from drying out and adhering to the leaf.
P. ayeaye is currently under threat due to habitat loss. Human-related threats include mining for materials in Brazil, fires that ravage the landscape, and pollution from industries and military operations. The pollutants in the water causes a decline in the population. Ecotourism and urbanization also affect the breeding areas of this species. Non-human threats include climate change and erosion, which causes streams to be filled with sediment.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the reticulated leaf frog as critically endangered. However, the latest assessment of the species was done on January 7, 2009 and published in 2016. Since then, P. ayeaye was found in other locations in Brazil and is no longer declared critically endangered by the Brazilian List of Endangered Species in 2014.
While currently no specific conservation measures target this colourful amphibian, its occurrence in protected areas, such as the Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra in the state of Minas Gerais and Parque Estadual das Furnas do Bom Jesus in the state of São Paulo, may provide it with some level of protection.
