Oreobates ayacucho

Description

The female holotype measures 29 mm in snout–vent length (SVL). Two adult males measure 19 and SVL. The snout is short and rounded. The tympanic membrane is absent but the tympanic annulus is visible beneath skin, partly covered by supratympanic. Skin on the dorsum is smooth and has small, elongate tubercles, and forms discontinuous occipital and dorsolateral folds. Fingers and toes have knob-shaped terminal phalanges but no webbing. The dorsum and venter are dark brown, with the folds and some warts almost black. The iris is almost black and has some golden reticulation.

The male advertisement call consists of a group of 3–5 pulsed, amplitude-modulated notes. The call lasts less than a second, but is repeated at a rate of 2.5–2.9 calls per minute when males are motivated.

Habitat and conservation

Individuals have been found in cold puna grassland at elevations of 3411 – above sea level. Males have been heard calling by day. Individuals can hide under thick layers of moss near the ground or within piles of stones. The habitat of this species is threatened by overgrazing from cattle and construction of gas projects. Also burning and collection of the grass could be threats.

References

References

1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2018). "''Oreobates ayacucho''".
2. Frost, Darrel R.. (2022). "''Oreobates ayacucho'' (Lehr, 2007)". American Museum of Natural History.
3. (2007). "New eleutherodactyline frogs (Leptodactylidae: ''Pristimantis'', ''Phrynopus'') from Peru". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology.
4. Padial, J. M.. (2012). "A revision of species diversity in the Neotropical genus ''Oreobates'' (Anura: Strabomantidae), with the description of three new species from the Amazonian slopes of the Andes". American Museum Novitates.