The genus Theloderma contains 23 described species of small cryptic arboreal frogs that live in tree hollows across Southeast Asia from Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, Indochina to southern China, Myanmar, northeastern India and Sri Lanka. In general, they have triangular heads, round digit pads, and bumpy skin, and reproduce by laying eggs in small water-filled spaces such as tree-hollows, rock clefts, or small man-made ponds. The smallest of the genus, T. Andersoni has a SVL of 20 mm, the largest, T. corticale has a SVL of 70 mm.
Though it is a diverse genus, the species are found in small numbers, and distinctions among the morphologies and natural histories of the species are not well known or characterized.Many believe the genus is be not a true (monophyletic) lineage (Li et al. 2009; Devers et al. In Press).
Three species are listed as native to Myanmar: T. andersoni, T. asperum, and T. phrynoderma (AmphibiaWeb 2014), but Jennifer Dever points out that T. phrynoderma is thought to be a synonym of T. asperum (Devers et al. In Press)
Theloderma, the bug-eyed frogs, mossy frogs or warty frogs,[1] is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae.[2] They are found from northeastern India and southern China, through Southeast Asia, to the Greater Sunda Islands; the highest species richness is in Indochina.[3] Some species, especially T. corticale, are sometimes kept in captivity.[1]
They are medium to small-sized frogs with maximum snout–vent lengths that range from 2 to 7.5 cm (0.8 to 3.0 in) depending on species, and their skin can be smooth, warty or tuberculated.[3] The genus includes species that are contrastingly marked, but most are very well-camouflaged, resembling plant material (typically bark or moss) or bird droppings.[3][4]
Little is known about their behavior, but they feed on small arthropods. In species where known, breeding takes place in a small water pool in a cavity of a tree, bamboo or karst.[1][3][4] The female places 4–20 eggs just above the water. After about one to two weeks they hatch into tadpoles that drop into the water; they metamorphose into froglets after a few months to a year.[1][3]
The sister taxon of Theloderma is Nyctixalus. The taxonomy of this genus and Nyctixalus as well as Theloderma moloch has been in flux;[2] today both AmphibiaWeb and Amphibian Species of the World recognize the two genera as valid.[2][5]
Following the Amphibian Species of the World, there are 26 recognized species in the genus Theloderma:[2]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Theloderma, the bug-eyed frogs, mossy frogs or warty frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae. They are found from northeastern India and southern China, through Southeast Asia, to the Greater Sunda Islands; the highest species richness is in Indochina. Some species, especially T. corticale, are sometimes kept in captivity.
They are medium to small-sized frogs with maximum snout–vent lengths that range from 2 to 7.5 cm (0.8 to 3.0 in) depending on species, and their skin can be smooth, warty or tuberculated. The genus includes species that are contrastingly marked, but most are very well-camouflaged, resembling plant material (typically bark or moss) or bird droppings.
Little is known about their behavior, but they feed on small arthropods. In species where known, breeding takes place in a small water pool in a cavity of a tree, bamboo or karst. The female places 4–20 eggs just above the water. After about one to two weeks they hatch into tadpoles that drop into the water; they metamorphose into froglets after a few months to a year.
