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Pseudophilautus eximius

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Pseudophilautus eximius
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Genus: Pseudophilautus
Species:
P. eximius
Binomial name
Pseudophilautus eximius
(Shreve, 1940)
Synonyms[2]

Philautus eximius Shreve, 1940

Pseudophilautus eximius is an extinct species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It was endemic to Sri Lanka.[1][2][3] It is only known from the holotype collected in 1933.[1][3]

Description

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The holotype is an adult female measuring 35 mm (1.4 in) in snout–vent length. The body is stout with a flat head. The snout is bluntly angled dorsally and rounded in profile. No tympanum is visible, but the supratympanic fold is distinct. The canthal edges are sharp. Skin is smooth except for the granular chest and belly. The fingers have dermal fringes whereas the toes are medially webbed. The upper parts of the alcohol-preserved specimen are yellowish light-brown with dark-brown markings. The underside is pale yellow.[3]

This species resembles Pseudophilautus variabilis.[2][3]

Distribution and conservation

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The holotype was collected in 1933 from "Queenwood Estate, Dimbulla, Ceylon" at 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level. No other specimens are known, despite extensive field surveys, also at the type locality.[1][3] The habitat requirements of this species are unknown. The reasons for its demise are also unknown, but probably involve habitat loss.[1]

Queenwood Estate in Sri Lanka.
Queenwood Estate in Sri Lanka.
Pseudophilautus eximius is only known from Queenwood Estate, Dimbulla.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Pseudophilautus eximius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T58839A156581975. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58839A156581975.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Pseudophilautus eximius (Shreve, 1940)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e Manamendra-Arachchi, Kelum & Pethiyagoda, Rohan (2005). "The Sri Lankan shrub-frogs of the genus Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Ranidae: Rhacophorinae), with description of 27 new species" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. Suppl. 12: 163–303. (Philautus eximius: p. 202–204)