Leptodactylus fragilis

Leptodactylus fragilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Leptodactylidae
Subfamily: Leptodactylinae
Genus: Leptodactylus
Species: L. fragilis
Binomial name
Leptodactylus fragilis
(Brocchi, 1877)
Synonyms

Cystignathus fragilis Brocchi, 1877[2]

Leptodactylus fragilis, known under many common names such as the Mexican white-lipped frog, American white-lipped frog or simply white-lipped frog, is a species of leptodactylid frog. Its distribution ranges from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States south through Mexico and Central America to Colombia and Venezuela.[2][3] It is often—wrongly—referred to as Leptodactylus labialis (Cope, 1878) (or Leptodactylus mystaceus labialis Shreve, 1957), which is a junior synonym of Leptodactylus mystacinus.[2]

Description

Leptodactylus fragilis in Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

Mexican white-lipped frogs are grey-brown in color with brown or black mottling. They have a distinctive white stripe along their upper lip which gives them their name. They grow to 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) in length.[3]

Habitat

Mexican white-lipped frog is a widespread and common species found in a range of habitats, in savanna, grassland, semi-arid lands, and open habitats in humid and dry, lowland and montane tropical forests. It is often seen near water.[1]

Behavior and reproduction

Mexican white-lipped frogs are nocturnal and carnivorous. During the heat of the day, they bury themselves in loose soil of roadside ditches, irrigated cropland, or grasslands, and emerge to feed in the evenings.[1][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ronald Heyer; Andrés Acosta-Galvis; Abraham Mijares; Frank Solís; Roberto Ibáñez; Geoffrey Hammerson; Jay Savage; Larry David Wilson; Federico Bolaños; Gerardo Chaves; et al. (2010). "Leptodactylus fragilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Leptodactylus fragilis (Brocchi, 1877)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leptodactylus fragilis White-lipped Frog". Herps of Texas. University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 12 March 2014.

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