Megaelosia

Megaelosia goeldii, also known as the Rio big-tooth frog, is a species of frog in the family Hylodidae. It is the only member of the genus Megaelosia.[2] It is endemic to Southeast Brazil and occurs in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states.[1][3] It is named after Émil Goeldi, a Swiss zoologist who worked in Brazil.[4]

Rio big-tooth frog
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylodidae
Genus: Megaelosia
Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923
Species:
M. goeldii
Binomial name
Megaelosia goeldii
(Baumann, 1912)
Synonyms

Hylodes goeldii Baumann, 1912

Taxonomy

The genus Megaelosia formerly contained several other species, but all of these were reclassified in a new genus, Phantasmarana, in 2021 based on a phylogenetic study, leaving M. goeldii as the only remaining member of Megaelosia.[5][6][7]

Description

Males measure 82–95 mm (3.2–3.7 in) and females 85–97 mm (3.3–3.8 in) in snout–vent length (based on 2 males and 3 females only). The dorsolateral skin is granular. The snout is subacuminate in dorsal view and protruding in profile. The canthus rostralis is evident and straight. Males have neither vocal sacs nor vocal slits.[8]

Diet

Stomach contents have been found to contain insects (cockroaches, Coleoptera, lepidopteran caterpillars), earthworms, and plant material. In experiments, Megaelosia goeldii have consumed other frogs.[8]

Habitat and conservation

Its natural habitats are rivers in primary forest. During the day, they can be found on emergent rocks in shallow places. Tadpoles have been collected under large rocks in a moderate-sized forest stream.[1]

Megaelosia goeldii is a common species, but very difficult to catch. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by forest clearance and infrastructure development, and by pollution.[1]

References
  1. Sergio Potsch de Carvalho-e-Silva, Ana Maria Telles (2004). "Megaelosia goeldii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T57182A11581805. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T57182A11581805.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. "Megaelosia Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923". Amphibian Species of the World. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Megaelosia goeldii (Baumann, 1912)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  4. Bo Beolens; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson (22 April 2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-907807-42-8.
  5. "Megaelosia Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923". Amphibian Species of the World. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  6. "Phantasmarana Vittorazzi, Augusto-Alves, Neves-da-Silva, Carvalho-e-Silva, Recco-Pimentel, Toledo, Lourenço, and Bruschi, 2021". Amphibian Species of the World. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  7. Vittorazzi, S. E.; G. Augusto-Alves; D. Neves-da-Silva; A. M. P. T. de Carvalho-e-Silva; S. M. Recco-Pimentel; L. F. Toledo; L. B. Lourenço; D. P. Bruschi (2021). "Paraphyly in the giant torrent-frogs (Anura: Hylodidae: Megaelosia) and the description of a new genus". www.salamandra-journal.com. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
  8. Giaretta, Ariovaldo A.; Bokermann, Werner C. A.; Haddad, Celio F. B. (1993). "A review of the genus Megaelosia (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with a description of a new species". Journal of Herpetology. 27 (3): 276–285. doi:10.2307/1565148. JSTOR 1565148.
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