Chaltenobatrachus Explained

Chaltenobatrachus is a monotypic genus of frogs in the family Batrachylidae. The sole species, Chaltenobatrachus grandisonae, used to be included Atelognathus, which is considered the sister taxon of Chaltenobatrachus.[1]

C. grandisonae (common name: Puerto Eden frog) is endemic to Patagonia, including both Chile and Argentina. It inhabits rainforest and wetlands of the southern fjordlands and Andes in Patagonia.[2] It is known from just few localities: its type locality, Puerto Eden, Wellington Island, Chile, and two mainland sites in Argentina.

Description

Small to medium-sized frogs, C. grandisonae adults reach a snout–vent length of about 46mm, with typical frog-like appearance and body proportions. Back of the body and limbs are rather uniformly bright green with brown to reddish warts. Tadpoles are up to 56mm in total length.[3]

Reproduction

Females of this species lay their eggs in clusters attached to branches or stones under the water in still water, mostly temporary ponds. Each cluster has a few tens of eggs. Eggs are deposited in October (middle austral spring), and development to metamorphosis takes about 10–12 weeks, to December (early summer).[4] In colder sites, development seems to take longer and tadpoles might overwinter.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chaltenobatrachus Basso, Úbeda, Bunge, and Martinazzo, 2011 . Frost, Darrel R. . 2014 . Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 . American Museum of Natural History . 22 January 2014.
  2. Web site: Chaltenobatrachus grandisonae (Lynch, 1975) . Frost, Darrel R. . 2014 . Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 . American Museum of Natural History . 22 January 2014.
  3. Basso . N. G. . C. A. Úbeda. M. M. Bunge. L. B. Martinazzo . 2011 . A new genus of neobatrachian frog from southern Patagonian forests, Argentina and Chile . Zootaxa . 3002 . 1 . 31–44 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3002.1.3 .
  4. Cisternas . J. . Correa . C. . Velásquez . N. . Penna . M. . Reproductive features of Chaltenobatrachus grandisonae (Anura: Batrachylidae) within a protected area in Patagonia, Chile . 10.4067/S0716-078X2013000300013 . Revista chilena de historia natural . 86 . 3 . 365–368. 2013 . free .