Skunk frog

Critically endangered, possibly extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Aromobatidae
Genus: Aromobates
Species:
A. nocturnus
Binomial name
Aromobates nocturnus
Myers, Paolillo-O., and Daly, 1991

Aromobates nocturnus, the skunk frog, is a species of critically endangered[2] frog endemic to Trujillo State in Venezuela.[3] It is an extremely rare frog, and no sightings have been recorded since the original description in the early 1990s.[1]

Description

Aromobates nocturnus has a noxious but non-toxic skin secretion with skunk-like odor.[4] Unlike the related poison dart frogs, this species is fully aquatic and much larger, up to 62 millimetres (2.4 in) in length.[5] It is nocturnal and usually found swimming or sitting in water.[4]

It is commonly believed that the Aromobates nocturnus is the sister group of the Dendrobatidae due to its unique characteristics including its larger size, nocturnal and aquatic nature, and the presence of the adductor mandibulae externus superficialis muscle most often found in other Dendrobatids.

The male protects the eggs that are laid on land. After hatching, the male carries the tadpoles on his back to water where they develop further.[1]

Habitat

The natural habitats of Aromobates nocturnus are small cold-water streams in cloud forests. The species is threatened by habitat loss caused by agriculture, involving both crops and livestock. It could also potentially be affected by disease, such as chytridiomycosis.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Aromobates nocturnus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T55040A109532254. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T55040A109532254.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Skunk Frog". A Library of the Worlds Animals. LearnAnimals.com.
  3. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Aromobates nocturnus Myers, Paolillo-O., and Daly, 1991". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  4. 1 2 Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 487.
  5. ↑ F. Harvey Pough; et al. (2004). Herpetology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. p. 92. ISBN 0-13-100849-8.


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