Ranwella's spined tree frog
Polypedates ranwellai, also known as the Ranwella's spined tree frog, Ranwella's horned tree frog, or Ranwella's tree frog, is a species of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka and only known from its type locality, Gilimale forest near Ratnapura, the Sabaragamuwa Province.
The specific name ranwellai honours Sanjeewa Ranwella for his contributions towards conserving the Gilimale forest reserve.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Jumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
No
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
P
starts withAdult males measure 41–49 mm (1.6–1.9 in) and females, based on one measured specimen, 65 mm (2.6 in) in snout–vent length. The body is elongated and the head long. The snout is truncate in dorsal aspect and rounded in lateral and ventral aspects. There are four dorsal spines. The canthus rostralis is rounded. The tympanum is distinct. The fingers are basally webbed while the toes are half-webbed. The body colour is variable, from white to green, with yellow more frequent. There are very small, scattered black spots on the body. The throat, vocal sacs, chest and belly are all white. They can also change their colour to brown, providing them camouflage on the forest floor.
After heavy rains, males congregate in areas with small, temporary water holes. Males have three types of advertisement calls: a long, pulsated, duck-like "qua", a short pulsed note, and a short "tok" note; the latter two are emitted when other calling males are present.
A pair in axillary amplexus has been recorded on a branch 1.5 m above the ground. The pair moved down to the ground and after a still period, the female started burrow into the leaf litter. However, at this point the pair was disturbed by a shrew, and could not be relocated. It remains unknown whether the species is a foam nester or a direct developer.
