Aphantophryne minuta

{{Short description|Species of frog}}

{{Speciesbox

| image =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2020 |title=Aphantophryne minuta |volume=2020 |page=e.T57678A149549356 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T57678A149549356.en |access-date=17 November 2021}}

| taxon = Aphantophryne minuta

| authority = Zweifel and Parker, 1989

| synonyms =

| synonyms_ref =

| range_map = {{Location map | Papua New Guinea

| relief = yes

| caption =

| alt = Type locality in Papua New Guinea

| lat_deg = -9.15

| lon_deg = 147.73

}}

| range_map_caption = Aphantophryne minuta is only known from near the Myola Guest House in eastern Papua New Guinea

}}

Aphantophryne minuta is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea and is known from its type locality near Myola Guest House in the Owen Stanley Range, Northern Province, from another locality in the same province, Mount Tafa; only a single specimen is known from each locality. The specific name minuta refers to the very small size of this species. Common name Myola Guinea frog has been coined for it.

Description

Aphantophryne minuta was described based on a single adult female, the holotype, measuring {{convert|12|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} in snout–vent length. It is very similar to Aphantophryne sabini but much smaller (mature A. sabini females measure {{convert|19|-|24|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} in snout–vent length). The snout is short and rounded. The tympanum is small and only partially visible. The fingers and toes have rounded tips and no webbing. The hind legs are short. The dorsum is warty, including the scapular folds that continue backward as rows of warts. The preserved specimen is dorsally dark brown between the wart rows and has paler brown flanks. The venter is dirty white. The specimen was carrying two ova.

Habitat and conservation

The holotype was found under a small, decayed log lying in leaf litter on a rainforested ridge at {{convert|2700|m|abbr=on}} above sea level. The Mount Tafa specimen is from {{convert|2400|m|abbr=on}}. Breeding is presumably by direct development (i.e, there is no free-living larval stage{{cite book|title=Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles |edition=4th |first1=Laurie J. |last1=Vitt |first2=Janalee P. |last2=Caldwell |name-list-style=amp |publisher=Academic Press |year=2014 |page=166}}).

This species has no known threats and occurs in an area with very little human impact.

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Microhylidae/Asterophryinae/Aphantophryne/Aphantophryne-minuta |title=Aphantophryne minuta Zweifel and Parker, 1989 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2019 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |accessdate=20 January 2019}}

{{cite journal |author=Zweifel, R.G. |author2=Parker, F. |name-list-style=amp |title= New species of microhylid frogs from the Owen Stanley Mountains of Papua New Guinea and resurrection of the genus Aphantophryne | url = http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/handle/2246/5109 |year=1989| journal=American Museum Novitates | issue=2954 | pages=1–20|hdl=2246/5109 }}

}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2241692}}

minuta

Category:Endemic fauna of New Guinea

Category:Endemic amphibian species of Papua New Guinea

Category:Amphibians of New Guinea

Category:Amphibians of Papua New Guinea

Category:Amphibians described in 1989

Category:Taxa named by Richard G. Zweifel

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot