Description
Trueb (1971) originally separated members of the genus Rhamphophryne from the genus Bufo based on the presence of a “protruding snout produced by extended ossification of the anterior part of the sphenethmoid and nasal cartilages.” Rhamphophryne tenrec is a large member of this genus with males reaching 35.7-40.2 mm SVL and females reaching 54.7-60.8 mm SVL. R. tenrec is most similar to R. acrolopha but the two are distinguished by the following combination of characters: eight presacral vertebrae; sacral vertebra not fused to coccyx; snout long, protuberant, and directed anteriorly; cranial ornamentation poorly developed; low supraorbital, supraorbital, and supratympanic crests; no pretympanic crest; low occipital crests in females; few tubercles on dorsum, not conical; row of dorsolateral tubercles from supratympanic crest, across parotoid gland to above groin; hands and feet webbed, digits long; subarticular tubercles poorly developed; supernumerary tubercles poorly developed; subdigital lamellar pads evident in some specimens; cloacal sheath absent.

Head triangular in outline when viewed from above, narrower than body. Snout acuminate in dorsal view but bulbous at tip, long in profile declining toward tip which is produced into a proboscis that is broad dorsally and narrow ventrally. Canthus rostralis sharp, concave; loreal region concave and sloping abruptly to lips. Supratympanic crests low, but obvious in lateral view. Skin on top of head smooth with upper eyelid covered with low warts. Ear (tympanum, cavum tympanicum, and columella) absent. Dorsolateral ridge of parotoid gland bearing row of conical tubercles; row of conical warts from posterior end of supratympanic fold to above groin. Skin of venter and throat areolate, with opening of vent at posterior level of thigh. Upper surfaces of thighs with subconical tubercles, shank and tarsus with larger conical tubercles. Toe tips are bulbous, round. (Lynch and Renjifo 1990)

Dorsolateral row of tubercles white, edged above with pale cream and below by dark brown. Lateral sides of the head and flanks are brown with the edge of lip being cream. Brown ventral coloration with indefinite small cream spots and a pale throat. Some individuals also have pale cream lines along midventral line and/or a transverse line across breast. (Lynch and Renjifo 1990)

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Colombia

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Known from Campamento Ingeominas near Rio Amparrado, Municipio Dabeiba, Departamento Antioquia, Colombia at 805 m elevation.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Sexually dimorphic in size with females larger than males and in color (in preservative): females are pale to dark brown with little pattern, males possess a darker figure in center of back. In some males the parotoid gland and part of skin overlying suprascapula paler than rest of dorsum. Ovarian eggs are yellow and relatively large (2.5-2.7 mm in diameter). Male testes have a dark black or brown reticulation on peritoneum of testes. (Lynch and Renjifo 1990)

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss

References

Lynch, J. D. and Renjifo, J.M. (1990). ''Two new toads (Bufonidae: Rhamphophryne) from the Northern Andes of Colombia.'' Journal of Herpetology, 24(4), 364-371.

Trueb, L. (1971). ''Phylogenetic relationships of certain neotropical toads with the description of a new genus (Anura: Bufonidae).'' Los Angeles County Museum Contributions in Science, 216, 1-40.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2023 Rhinella tenrec: Antioquia Beaked Toad <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/418> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 3, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 3 Dec 2024.

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