Description
A medium-sized terrestrial microhylid; female holotype measures 36 mm. Colour in life is unknown. In preservative, they look uniformly brown. Venter whitish, with a dark throat. Skin on the back slightly granular. Tympanum distinct, tympanum/eye ratio is about 2/3. Tibiotarsal articulation reaches the insertion of the arm. Fingertips are not enlarged and finger 2 is nearly as long as finger 4. Hands and feet are both without webbing (Glaw and Vences 1994).

Similar Species: Most other Plethodontohyla have longer hindlimbs. Rhombophryne testudo has short barbels around the lower lip (Glaw and Vences 1994).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Found in Ranomafana (Ambatolahy forest, Imaloka), Ivohibe (Glaw and Vences 2007) at 900 to 1100 m asl (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
It is a terrestrial and sub-terrestrial species of rainforest, and has so far not been found in degraded habitats. Its breeding biology is unknown, though it is likely to be by larval development out of water, possibly underground, or in leaf axils, or in tree holes (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

Trends and Threats
Species is listed as endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km², all individuals are in fewer than five locations, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat around Ranomanfa National Park (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

The major threat is habitat loss due to subsistence agriculture, timber extraction, charcoal manufacture, spread of invasive eucalyptus, livestock grazing, and expanding human settlements. The habitat surrounding Parc National de Ranomafana continues to be degraded (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss
Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities
Intensified agriculture or grazing
Urbanization

Comments
Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (1994 and 2007) and Raxworthy and Glaw (2008).

References

Glaw, F. and Vences, M. (1994). Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. M. Vences and F. Glaw Verlags GbR., Köln.

Glaw, F., and Vences, M. (2007). Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Third Edition. Vences and Glaw Verlag, Köln.

Raxworthy, C., and Glaw F. (2008). Plethodontohyla brevipes. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 21 April 2009

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2010 Plethodontohyla brevipes <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/2348> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 16, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 16 Apr 2024.

AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.