Seychelles palm frog

The Seychelles palm frog (Sechellophryne pipilodryas) is a species of frog that is endemic to Silhouette Island in the Seychelles.[3] It is closely related to Gardiner's frog, Sechellophryne gardineri.

Seychelles palm frog
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Sooglossidae
Genus: Sechellophryne
Species:
S. pipilodryas
Binomial name
Sechellophryne pipilodryas
(Gerlach and Willi, 2002)
Synonyms

Sooglossus pipilodryas Gerlach and Willi, 2002[2]
Leptosooglossus pipilodryas (Gerlach and Willi, 2002)

The Seychelles palm frog inhabits forests higher than 150 m (490 ft) above sea level and is closely associated with the palm Phoenicophorium borsigianum (another Seychelles endemic); most individuals are found in axils of the palm.[1] It is the most arboreal of the Sooglossidae. As a result, the palm frog is the most recent species of the family to have been discovered (in 2000).[4]

The reproductive biology of this species is unknown, but it is presumed to involve direct development, i.e. eggs that hatch directly into froglets.[1][4]

IUCN has reassessed the species in 2012 and concluded that Seychelles palm frog should be considered as "Critically Endangered" because of its small area of occupancy (about 7 km²), decline in population size, and threats to its habitat. Its earlier (2004) classification was only "Vulnerable".[1]

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Sechellophryne pipilodryas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T59048A15435789. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T59048A15435789.en.
  2. Gerlach, J.; Willi, J. (2002). "A new species of Sooglossus frog (Sooglossidae)". Amphibia-Reptilia. 23 (4): 445–498. doi:10.1163/15685380260462356.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Sechellophryne pipilodryas (Gerlach and Willi, 2003)". Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  4. Stuart, Simon N.; Michael Hoffmann; Janice S. Chanson; Neil A. Cox; Richard J. Berridge; Pavithra Ramani; Bruce E. Young, eds. (2008). Threatened Amphibians of the World. Lynx Edicions, IUCN, Conservation International.


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