Itapotihyla
{{Short description|Genus of amphibians}}
{{Redirect|Ocellated treefrog}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Itapotihyla langsdorffii02.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| display_parents = 2
| parent_authority = Faivovich, Haddad, Garcia, Frost, Campbell, and Wheeler, 2005
| taxon = Itapotihyla langsdorffii
| authority = (Duméril & Bibron, 1841)
| synonyms = * Hyla langsdorffii Duméril and Bibron, 1841
}}
Itapotihyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Itapotihyla langsdorffii, commonly known as the ocellated treefrog.{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Hylidae/Hylinae/Itapotihyla |title=Itapotihyla Faivovich, Haddad, Garcia, Frost, Campbell, and Wheeler, 2005 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2014 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=11 May 2014}} It is found in the Atlantic Forest biome of Brazil, with an isolated population in eastern Paraguay and adjacent Brazil and northeastern Argentina.{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Hylidae/Hylinae/Itapotihyla/Itapotihyla-langsdorffii |title=Itapotihyla langsdorffii (Duméril and Bibron, 1841) |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2014 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=11 May 2014}}
Description
Itapotihyla langsdorffii are relatively large treefrogs. They show sexual dimorphism, with females (mean snout-vent length {{convert|103|mm|abbr=on}}) being larger than males ({{convert|81|mm|abbr=on}}).{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1080/00222930903015824| title = Sexual dimorphism, reproduction and diet of the casque-headed treefrog Itapotihyla langsdorffii (Hylidae: Lophiohylini)| journal = Journal of Natural History| volume = 43| issue = 35–36| pages = 2245–2256| year = 2009| last1 = Vrcibradic | first1 = D. | last2 = Teixeira | first2 = R. R. L. | last3 = Borges-Júnior | first3 = V. N. T. | s2cid = 84823586}}
Reproduction
Reproduction takes place in temporary and permanent pools inside rainforest. It is an explosive breeder with a mean brood size of over 6000 eggs. Breeding is associated with intense vocalization by males. In addition to vocalization, male–male interactions may involve grabbing and pushing and even direct physical combat. This kind of behaviour is more common in species where males are larger than females (see sexual selection in frogs).{{cite journal |author=Maffei, Fábio |author2=Ubaid, Flávio Kulaif |author3=Jim, Jorge |name-list-style=amp |year=2011 |title=Itapotihyla langsdorffii (casque-headed treefrog): Male combat |journal=Herpetological Bulletin |volume=116 |pages=35–37 |url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/664105_1bd8eb9079c715e23a49cfef3d412f46.pdf}}
Trophic interactions
Its diet mainly consists of arthropods (in particular grasshoppers and crickets), but also vertebrate remains (other frogs including Physalaemus crombiei and Scinax argyreornatus as well as unidentified bird feathers) can be found in their stomach contents. These frogs themselves may be preyed upon by Chironius bicarinatus, a colubrid snake.{{cite journal |last1=Bovo |first1=Rafael Parelli |last2=Sueiro |first2=Letícia Ruiz |year=2012 |title=Records of predation on Itapotihyla langsdorffii (Anura: Hylidae) by Chironius bicarinatus (Serpentes: Colubridae) with notes on foraging substrate |journal=Herpetology Notes |volume=5 |pages=291–292 |url=http://www.herpetologynotes.seh-herpetology.org/Volume5_PDFs/Bovo_Herpetology_Notes_Volume5_pages291-292.pdf |access-date=2014-05-11 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092300/http://www.herpetologynotes.seh-herpetology.org/Volume5_PDFs/Bovo_Herpetology_Notes_Volume5_pages291-292.pdf |url-status=dead }}
Habitat and conservation
Itapotihyla langsdorffii is an arboreal frog occurring on shrubs and trees inside rainforest. It is restricted to pristine habitats. Itapotihyla langsdorffii is locally abundant in suitable habitats in Brazil. The Paraguayan population is assumed to be in decline because of habitat loss and possibly seriously threatened; however, at the species level it is not considered threatened.
References
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Category:Amphibians described in 1841
Category:Monotypic amphibian genera
Category:Amphibians of Argentina