Brachycephalus pernix

Brachycephalus pernix is a small and brightly coloured species of frog in the family Brachycephalidae. It is endemic to Paraná in southeastern Brazil and only known from a single location at an altitude of 1,135–1,405 m (3,724–4,610 ft) on Serra da Baitaca in Serra da Baitaca State Park.[2] This diurnal species lives among leaf litter on the floor of Atlantic rainforest.[3]

Brachycephalus pernix
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Brachycephalidae
Genus: Brachycephalus
Species:
B. pernix
Binomial name
Brachycephalus pernix
Pombal, Wistuba & Bornschein, 1998

Its conservation status was last reviewed by the IUCN in 2004 where regarded as data deficient (insufficient information for rating it),[1] but an independent review in 2019 that used IUCN's criteria recommended that B. pernix should be recognised as vulnerable.[2]

Appearance and toxicity

Although very small with a snout–to–vent length of 12–13.3 mm (0.47–0.52 in) in adult males and 14.1–15.8 mm (0.56–0.62 in) in adult females, B. pernix is a medium-large species of Brachycephalus. It is overall bright orange with a variable amount of black mottling or spotting above, ranging from little in some individuals (largely orange above) to much in others (extensively black above with pure orange essentially restricted to top of head and mid-back).[3] The bright pattern is considered aposematic (warning colours) since its skin and organs contain tetrodotoxin and similar toxins.[4]

References
  1. Silvano, D.; Garcia, P.; Segalla, M.V. (2004). "Brachycephalus pernix". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T54455A11149530. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T54455A11149530.en. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  2. Bornschein, M.R.; M.R. Pie; L. Teixeira (2019). "Conservation Status of Brachycephalus Toadlets (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest". Diversity. 11 (9): 150. doi:10.3390/d11090150.
  3. Pombal, Jr, J.P.; E.M. Wistuba; M.R. Bornschein (1998). "A New Species of Brachycephalid (Anura) from the Atlantic Rain Forest of Brazil". Journal of Herpetology. 32 (1): 70–74. doi:10.2307/1565481. JSTOR 1565481.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Pires, Jr., O.R.; A. Sebben; E.F. Schwartz; R.A.V. Morales; C. Bloch Jr.; C.A. Schwartz (2005). "Further report of the occurrence of tetrodotoxin and new analogues in the Anuran family Brachycephalidae". Toxicon. 45 (1): 73–79. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.09.016. PMID 15581685.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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