Description
Rana trankieni was recently described (Orlov et al., 2003) and is another cascade frog morph from Vietnam (the name only ecologically not phylogenetically informative). R. trankieni is differentiated by the following combination of characters: head is long and broad with a narrow snout protruding; head is slightly concave between orbits; nostril approximately half distance between anterior tip of snout and anterior extremity of eye. Supratympanic fold is well developed. Tympanum approximately 61% of eye length; tympanum separate from eye by approximately 2/3 of tympanum diameter. Relative lengths of fingers are III=I>II>IV. Relative toe lengths are IV>V>III>II>I. Toes highly webbed, with webbing reaching the proximal border of toe discs and distal tip of ultimate phalange.

Dorsal coloration is green with diffuse red-brown spots, belly is light with poorly developed spots, a dark throat and gray flanks with dark spots. Fore and hind-limbs with 3 and 12 transverse dark bands.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Viet Nam

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Only known from the type locality in the Muong Do Village, Phu Yen District, Son La Province, Vietnam. The habitat was of a small cascade forest stream with crystal clear water through a secondary forest. Two frogs were collected on the stony bank where a stream came from a 10 m waterfall to a gully 25 meters squared and 1.2 m deep, downstream taming down to 2 m width and 20-40 cm depth.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Nothing known, based on morphology it seems to have a general fast flowing cascade stream lifestyle.

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss

References

Orlov, Nikolai L, Ngat, L.N., and Cuc, H.T. (2003). ''A new species of Cascade Frog from northern Vietnam (Ranidae, Anura).'' Russian Journal of Herpetology, 10(2), 123-134.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2004 Odorrana trankieni <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/6206> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 19, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 19 Apr 2024.

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