dcsimg

Description

provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
Known only from lectotype, an adult female 35.7 mm in SVL. Slender body. Head and interorbital area dorsally flat. Snout angled at 110 degrees (category 8 of Manamendra-Pethiyagoda 2005), truncated in profile, with rounded canthi, concave loreal region, and concave internarial area. Tympanum discernible but weakly defined; supratympanic fold present and distinct. Pineal ocellus lacking. Vomerine teeth and lingual papilla absent. Fingers have lateral dermal fringe and rudimentary webbing. Toes are medially webbed; neither tarsal fold nor tubercle are present. Supernumerary tubercles present on both palm and sole. Head and dorsum smooth. Upper and lower flank, and upper arm, are granular. Lower arm smooth dorsally. Thigh, shank, and foot smooth. Throat, chest, belly, ventral surface of thigh, and area around vent are granular (Manamendra and Pethiyagoda 2005).Color in preservative: Head and dorsum yellow and ashy brown. Loreal and tympanic areas, inguinal region, and flanks yellow and ashy brown. Dorsal surfaces of forelimb, thigh, shank and foot are brown and ash. Lateral forelimb brown and ash. Posterior thigh white with brown splotches. Throat and chest white with light-brown patches. Throat margins white. Belly, ventral surface of thigh, and webbing are pale yellow. Limbs are not crossbarred (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda 2005).
license
cc-by-3.0
author
Krystal Gong
original
visit source
partner site
AmphibiaWeb articles

Distribution and Habitat

provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
Pseudophilautus variabilis was endemic to Sri Lanka and was only known from the general type locality "Ceylon". The exact habitat requirements for this species are not known (Stuart et al. 2008).
license
cc-by-3.0
author
Krystal Gong
original
visit source
partner site
AmphibiaWeb articles

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors

provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
This species is only known from the lectotype, described by Günther (1859). It has not been rediscovered despite extensive searches and is presumed extinct. Breeding is believed to have been through direct development, as is the case for other members of the genus Pseudophilautus (Stuart et al. 2008).
license
cc-by-3.0
author
Krystal Gong
original
visit source
partner site
AmphibiaWeb articles

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors

provided by AmphibiaWeb articles
The exact reasons for extinction are not known, but the major factor is believed to have been habitat loss (Stuart et al. 2008).
license
cc-by-3.0
author
Krystal Gong
original
visit source
partner site
AmphibiaWeb articles