Hemiphractus
{{Short description|Genus of amphibians}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Hemiphractus bubalus 1.jpg
| image_caption = Hemiphractus bubalus
| taxon = Hemiphractus
| authority = Wagler, 1828
| synonyms = * Cerathyla Jiménez de la Espada, 1870
| diversity = See text
}}
Hemiphractus is a genus of frogs, the horned treefrogs, in the family Hemiphractidae.{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Hemiphractidae/Hemiphractus |title=Hemiphractus Wagler, 1828 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2015 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=7 August 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.amphibiaweb.org/lists/Hemiphractidae.shtml|title=Hemiphractidae |year=2015 |work=AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application] |publisher=Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb |access-date=7 August 2015}} These overall brownish frogs have a pointed snout and a casque on the head. They are nocturnal, relatively rare and native to humid lowland and highland forests in northern South America (Amazon east as far as Tapajós, Chocó-Magdalena and northern Andes) and Panama, where typically found on the ground or at relatively low levels in vegetation.{{cite journal | author1=Hill, R.L. | author2=K.G. Martin | author3=E. Stanley | author4=J.R. Mendelson III | year=2018 | title=A taxonomic review of the genus Hemiphractus (Anura: Hemiphractidae) in Panama: Description of Two New Species, Resurrection of Hemiphractus panamensis (Stejneger, 1917), and Discussion of Hemiphractus fasciatus Peters, 1862 | journal=Zootaxa | volume=4429 | issue=3 | pages=495–512 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4429.3.3 | pmid=30313254 | doi-access= | s2cid=52976306 }}{{cite journal | author1=Carneiro de Lima Moraes, J.L.. | author2=D. Pavan | year=2018 | title=On the occurrence of Hemiphractus scutatus (Spix, 1824) (Anura: Hemiphractidae) in eastern Amazonia | journal=Amphibian & Reptile Conservation | volume=12 | issue=1 | pages=5–14 }}
Description
Hemiphractus are robust-bodied frogs.{{cite book|title=Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles |edition=4th |first1=Laurie J. |last1=Vitt |first2=Janalee P. |last2=Caldwell |publisher=Academic Press |year=2014 |page=497}} The genus is characterized by a fleshy proboscis on the tip of the snout and fleshy tubercles on the eyelids, skull that is highly casqued with prominent lateral occipital processes projecting backwards, and fang-like maxillary and premaxillary teeth.{{Cite journal | last1 = Sheil | first1 = C. A. | last2 = Mendelson III | first2 = J. R. | year = 2001 | title = A new species of Hemiphractus (Anura: Hylidae: Hemiphractinae), and a redescription of H. johnsoni. | journal = Herpetologica | volume = 57 | issue = 2 | pages = 189–202 | jstor = 3893183}} Females grow larger than males, and depending on exact species the snout–to–vent length generally is between {{circa}} {{cvt|2.5|and(-)|8|cm|in|1}}.
Behaviour
File:Hemiphractus fasciatus with babies at EVACC (4357556801).jpg
Hemiphractus are believed to be specialized predators of other frogs, and hence confined to areas with high density of frogs.{{cite web|url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/ |title=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2.
They can threaten any would-be predator by opening their mouth, exposing the bright yellow inside and tongue.Vitt and Caldwell (2014), p. 322 If this fails to scare an adversary, they willingly bite, which is relatively painful for a frog of their size.
Female frogs carry eggs openly on their back; the eggs adhere to the mother's back with gelatinous material. Eggs hatch as fully developed froglets.Vitt and Caldwell (2014), p. 166, 497 H. elioti (previously included in H. fasciatus) are bred and maintained by the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center in Panama. Although they have proven relatively difficult to keep in captivity,{{cite web | title=Individual study: The principles of rapid response for amphibian conservation, using the programmes in Panama as an example | url=https://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/4893 | publisher=conservationevidence | access-date=4 January 2020 }} keeping and breeding has been achieved at levels where its conservation through such measures is considered possible, although (as of 2015 where the total captive population was 36 individuals) additional founders are necessary.{{cite journal | author1=Gratwicke, B. | display-authors=etal | year=2016 | title=Evaluating the probability of avoiding disease-related extinctions of Panamanian amphibians through captive breeding programs | journal=Animal Conservation | volume=19 | issue=4 | pages=324–336 | doi=10.1111/acv.12249 | bibcode=2016AnCon..19..324G | s2cid=886061 }}
Species
The following species are recognized in the genus Hemiphractus .
- Hemiphractus bubalus (Jiménez de la Espada, 1871)
- Hemiphractus elioti Hill, Martin, Stanley, and Mendelson, 2018
- Hemiphractus fasciatus Peters, 1862
- Hemiphractus helioi Sheil & Mendelson, 2001
- Hemiphractus johnsoni (Noble, 1917)
- Hemiphractus kaylockae Hill, Martin, Stanley, and Mendelson, 2018
- Hemiphractu panamensis (Stejneger, 1917)
- Hemiphractus proboscideus (Jiménez de la Espada, 1871)
- Hemiphractus scutatus (Spix, 1824)
Until 2001, populations now recognized as H. helioi were typically included in H. johnsoni, and until 2018 populations now recognized as H. elioti, H. kaylockae and H. panamensis were typically included in H. fasciatus. Colombian "H. fasciatus" may represent a currently unrecognized species (thus limiting true H. fasciatus to Ecuador), and it is possible that H. scutatus is a species complex.
References
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Category:Amphibians of South America