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 truebae is a large member of the genus, attaining a SVL of 65.9 mm. It is also the most distinct member of the genus due to being the only species with ears developed (Trueb (1971) considered ear-loss a synapomorphy for the group). R. truebae is most similar to R. rostrata but is diagnosable by the following combination of characters: eight presacral vertebrae; sacrum united with coccyx by bicondylar joint; snout long, protuberant, and directed anteriorly; very low cranial ornamentation; supraorbital, postorbital, and supratympanic crests low; pretympanic crests present; low occipital crests; skin of dorsum finely spiculate with scattered warts; dorsolateral fold (made from fused tubercles) from parotoid gland to above groin; hands and feet webbed, webbing incised, digits long; subarticular tubercles indistinct; no supernumerary tubercles; no subdigital lamellar pads; males not known; anal opening extended in sheath; tympanum present, superficial.

Color comes from a preserved specimen that has faded severely: cream dorsally with brown spots and brown mottling on head. Parotoid glands are brown. Flanks reticulated with brown and some warts are darker than others. The throat and venter are cream with brown spots. Limbs are spotted and barred with brown. Head triangular in outline when viewed dorsally, as broad as body; snout acuminate in dorsal view with a bulbous tip, snout long and declining toward tip when viewed laterally. Loreal region concave, nostrils protuberant and directed laterally. Edges of frontoparietals upturned producing cranial crests medial to upper eyelids. Crests are continuous with less well-defined crests along upper border of canthus rostralis. Postocular crests low and inconspicuous. Bony tubercles present in area of occipital crests. Skin on top and side of head finely spiculate. Temporal region vertical. Tympanum superficial with round annulus most visible ventrally; situated high on side of head. Skin posteroventral to tympanum spiculate, areolate, wrinkled, and bearing some enlarged subconical warts; upper eyelid bearing one elongate wart along outer margin and an isolated median wart. No teeth. Forelimbs long, slender, lacking folds. Low warts on upper surfaces of upper arm. Hands large.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Colombia

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Only a single female specimen is known and has no locality data, but most probably from southern Departamento Antioquia, Colombia.

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 2004 Rhinella truebae <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/419> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 21, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 21 Dec 2024.

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