Description
Paratelmatobius cardosoi was first collected by Cardoso and Haddad (1990) and thought to have been P. gaigeae. This is a relatively small frog (males reach 17-17.9 mm) with a robust body, head wider than long. Snout rounded when viewed dorsally and laterally. Nostrils are slightly protuberant and dorsolaterally placed on snout. Canthus rostralis is weakly distinct and loreal region is concave. The dorsum is pale gray with black spots and bars, and a yellow vertebral line. There are two orange spots near the articulation of the mandibulae with the maxillae. Throat and ventral surface of thihgs gray with yellow dots and large orange spots of irregular shape. There is also a large orange spot ventrally between arm and forearm. The tympanum is about half the diameter of the eye with a weakly developed supratympanic fold. There is a single, small tooth-like process in front of the lower jaw with a socket between premaxillae. Numerous teeth on maxilla. Relative length of fingers are 2<1<4<3; relative length of toes 1<2<5<3<4. Only third finger has a pointed tip; hand has presence of large metacarpal tubercles. Belly and dorsal skin texture are nearly smoothwhereas the ventral surfaces of legs and sides of body are rugose. Above taken from Pombal Jr. and Haddad (1999) .

Tadpole. - Tadpole information described from Cardoso and Haddad (1990) in Pombal Jr. and Haddad (1999). Described tadpole in Gosner (1960) stage 37. Total length 26.4 mm, body length 10.3 mm with an oval body when viewed dorsally and laterally. Nostrils closer to eyes than tip of snout. Spiracle small, sinistral, and occuring at the posterior half of the body. See fig. 6 of Cardoso and Haddad (1990) . Tooth row formula 2(2)/3(1).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Brazil

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (6 records).

Only known from the pathway to Pedra Lisa waterfall, Paranapiacaba, Municipio de Santo Andre, Estado de Sao Paulo and Boraceia, Salesopolis, Sao Paulo State.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Lots of data has been collected on the vocalization of this species, including male-male vocal interactions. Isolated males have a short call that lasts .07 sec and is composed of two parts: (1) pulses of lower frequencies between 1.6 and 2.7 kHz, (2) pulses of higher frequencies between 2.4 and 3.5 kHz (Sonograms in Cardoso and Haddad, 1990; fig. 8a). When males interact with one another, the advertisements lengthen to .13 sec and frequencies between 3.0 and 4.0 kHz. One of the males emits notes with ascending frequencies and the other emits notes with descending frequencies (fig. 8b-c in Cardoso and Haddad, 1990; discussed in Pombal Jr. and Haddad, 1999). Males call at night near muddy ponds in forests, forest clearings, or forest edges. Amplexus is axillary. Females lay 20 eggs scattered along the bottom or in clumps of 10. An unken reflex is given when startled, males may flip over vent upward and expose the contrasting colors on the belly.

References

Cardoso, A. J., and Haddad, C. F. B. (1990). ''Redescricao e biologia de Paratelmatobius gaigeae (Anura, Leptodactylidae).'' Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo), 37, 125-132.

Gosner, K. L. (1960). ''A simplified table for staging anuran embryos and larvae with notes on identification.'' Herpetologica, 16(3), 183-190.

Pombal Jr., J. P. and Haddad, C. F. B. (1999). ''Frogs of the genus Paratelmatobius (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with descriptions of two new species.'' Copeia, 1999(4), 1014-1026.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2004 Paratelmatobius cardosoi <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/5484> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Nov 5, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 5 Nov 2024.

AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.