Nyctimystes persimilis

Nyctimystes persimilis, also known as the Milne big-eyed treefrog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae of the family Hylidae.[3][4] It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and known from Mount Dayman and Mount Simpson in the Owen Stanley Range.[3]

Nyctimystes persimilis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Nyctimystes
Species:
N. persimilis
Binomial name
Nyctimystes persimilis
Synonyms[3]
  • Litoria persimilis (Zweifel, 1958)

Description

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The type series consists of two adult males measuring 37 and 40 mm (1.5 and 1.6 in) in snout–vent length;[2] the maximum male length in a larger material is 50 mm (2.0 in).[5] The head is relatively broad and the snout short. The tympanum is distinct; supratympanic fold is present. The canthus rostralis is slightly curved. The palpebral venation consists of largely oblique lines, with only few horizontal interconnections,[2] or are partly networked.[5] The fingers are lightly webbed (basal webbing on the outer fingers), whereas the toes are more webbed, but without the webbing reaching the base of the discs. Skin is slightly roughened to rugose dorsally and coarsely granulated ventrally.[2] Colouration of living specimens is variable but usually they are light golden brown with green or brown blotches, or plain or greyish olive with bold dark spots, or entirely darker brown. The flanks are dark with white speckling.[5]

Habitat and conservation

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Nyctimystes persimilis occurs along small (about 2–5 m wide) streams at elevations of 1,300–1,500 m (4,300–4,900 ft) above sea level in both primary forest and villages largely devoid of trees. Breeding probably occurs in streams where the tadpoles develop. On Mount Simpson, it is a common species in suitable habitat. There are no known major threats to this species; it appears to tolerate the degree of habitat degradation that is typically present in its range.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Nyctimystes persimilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T55782A152547094. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T55782A152547094.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Zweifel, Richard G. (1958). "Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 78. Frogs of the Papuan hylid genus Nyctimystes". American Museum Novitates (1896): 1–51. hdl:2246/4567.
  3. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Nyctimystes persimilis Zweifel, 1958". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Hylidae". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b c Menzies, J. I. (2014). "Notes on Nyctimystes (Anura: Hylidae), tree frogs of New Guinea, with descriptions of four new species". Alytes. 30: 42–68.