(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jiří Moravec
jiri.moravec@nm.cz
Pensoft Publishers
A new toad from the 'warm valleys' of Peruvian Andes
A new species of toad was discovered hiding in the leaf litter of the Peruvian Yungas. The word is used widely by the locals to describe ecoregion of montane rainforests, and translates as "warm valley" in English. The new species Rhinella yunga was baptized after its habitat preference. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Like many other toads of the family Bufonidae the new species Rhinella yunga has a cryptic body coloration resembling the decaying leaves in the forest floor ("dead-leaf pattern"), which is in combination with expanded cranial crests and bony protrusions cleverly securing perfect camouflage. The different colors and shapes within the same species group however make the traditional morphological methods of taxonomic research hard to use to identify the real species diversity within the family. Nevertheless, Rhinela yunga is distinct from all related species in absence of a tympanic membrane, a round membranous part of hearing organ being normally visible on both sides of a toad's head.
"It appears that large number of still unnamed cryptic species remains hidden under some nominal species of the Rhinella margaritifera species group", explains Dr Jiří Moravec, National Museum Prague, Czech Republic.
Among the other interesting characteristics of the true toads from the family Bufonidae are a typical warty, robust body and a pair of large poison parotoid glands on the back of their heads. The poison is excreted by the toads when stressed as a protective mechanism. Some toads, like the cane toad Rhinella marina, are more toxic than others. Male toads also possess a special organ, which after removing of testes becomes an active ovary and the toad, in effect, becomes female.
INFORMATION:
Original Source:
Moravec J, Lehr E, Cusi JC, Córdova JH, Gvoždík V (2014) A new species of the Rhinella margaritifera species group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the montane forest of the Selva Central, Peru. ZooKeys 371: 35. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.371.6580
A new toad from the 'warm valleys' of Peruvian Andes
2014-01-17
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Here comes the sun
2014-01-17
Here comes the sun
How vitamin D relaxes blood vessels
UV-B radiation in sunlight is the most important factor for the production of vitamin D, and that is why many people suffer from low levels of vitamin D during the winter months. ...
Study reveals how ecstasy acts on the brain and hints at therapeutic uses
2014-01-17
Study reveals how ecstasy acts on the brain and hints at therapeutic uses
Brain imaging experiments have revealed for the first time how ecstasy produces feelings of euphoria in users.
Results of the study at Imperial College London, parts of which were ...
Chronic neck pain common among car crash victims, but most don't sue
2014-01-17
Chronic neck pain common among car crash victims, but most don't sue
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A new study led by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers is the first large prospective study to evaluate musculoskeletal pain outcomes ...
Study finds chimps can use gestures to communicate in hunt for food
2014-01-17
Study finds chimps can use gestures to communicate in hunt for food
Chimpanzees are capable of using gestures to communicate as they pursue specific goals, such as finding a hidden piece of food, according to a new Georgia State University research study.
Researchers ...
Penn researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa
2014-01-17
Penn researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa
First large-scale project of its kind
A large-scale human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) intervention/education effort aimed at helping South African men ...
IUPUI faculty and undergrad researchers evaluate peer-led team learning in cyberspace
2014-01-17
IUPUI faculty and undergrad researchers evaluate peer-led team learning in cyberspace
INDIANAPOLIS -- Peer-Led Team Learning in undergraduate education is growing in popularity in universities across the country in courses ...
Is Europe equipped with enough medical oncologists? Horizon still unknown
2014-01-17
Is Europe equipped with enough medical oncologists? Horizon still unknown
ESMO press commentary
Colby fire near Los Angeles, California
2014-01-17
Colby fire near Los Angeles, California
A wildfire started and spread quickly in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles on January 16, 2014. The plume of ash and smoke blanketed much of the metropolitan area and prompted air quality warnings.
The Moderate Resolution ...
High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes
2014-01-17
High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes
(Boston) – A recent study led by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that "practice may make perfect" when it comes to caring for patients with severe sepsis. The ...
NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone Deliwe
2014-01-17
NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone Deliwe
The tropical depression southwest of Madagascar on January 16 developed into a tropical cyclone early on January 17 as NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured its birth.
When Aqua passed over newborn ...