Cornufer gilliardi, commonly known as Gilliard's wrinkled ground frog, is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae.[1][2][3] It is endemic to the Whiteman Ranges of New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago (Papua New Guinea).[1][2] The specific name gilliardi honors Ernest Thomas Gilliard, an American ornithologist[3] who, together with Margaret Gilliard, collected the holotype .[4]

Cornufer gilliardi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ceratobatrachidae
Genus: Cornufer
Species:
C. gilliardi
Binomial name
Cornufer gilliardi
(Zweifel, 1960)
Synonyms[2]
  • Platymantis gilliardi Zweifel, 1960

Taxonomy edit

Cornufer gilliardi was originally described as Platymantis gilliardi based on holotype from New Britain and paratypes from the Admiralty Archipelago.[4] Later research has shown that the Admiralty Archipelago specimens represent other species, Platymantis latro (now Cornufer latro), and that the range of Cornufer gilliardi is restricted to New Britain.[5]

Description edit

The holotype is an adult female measuring 44 mm (1.7 in) in snout–vent length. The tympanum and the supratympanic fold are moderately distinct. The eyes are relatively large. The fingers have lateral fringes but no discs. The toes have small terminal discs. The preserved specimen is dorsally gray-brown, slightly paler between the convergent dorsal folds. The chest and abdomen are pale and nearly immaculate.[4]

Habitat and conservation edit

The ecology of Cornufer gilliardi is poorly known. It is probably a foothill species occurring in rainforest habitats.[1] The holotype was collected at 460 m (1,500 ft) above sea level.[4] Development is direct (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage[6]) and the eggs are laid on the ground.[1]

The very extensive logging taking place within its range is a possible threat.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Cornufer gilliardi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T58459A151127813. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58459A151127813.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Cornufer gilliardi (Zweifel, 1960)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  3. ^ a b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-907807-42-8.
  4. ^ a b c d Zweifel, Richard G. (1960). "Results of the 1958–1959 Gilliard New Britain Expedition. 3. Notes on the frogs of New Britain". American Museum Novitates (202): 1–27. hdl:2246/3548.
  5. ^ Richards, Stephen J.; Mack, Andrew L. & Austin, Christopher C. (2007). "Two new species of Platymantis (Anura: Ceratobatrachidae) from the Admiralty Archipelago, Papua New Guinea". Zootaxa. 1639 (1): 41–55. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1639.1.3.
  6. ^ Vitt, Laurie J. & Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 166.