Ananjeva Asian Treefrog – Kurixalus ananjevae – (Matsui & Orlov, 2004)

Science name: Kurixalus ananjevae – (Matsui & Orlov, 2004)

Taxonomic:  Animalia>> Chordata>> Amphibia>> Anura >> Rhacophoridae >> ananjevae

Species status: Endemic ; IUCN status: LC (Least Concern)

Description: Physical Characteristics:

Body Size: Robust, with a snout-vent length ranging from 32 to 43 mm.
Skin: The dorsum is tuberculated with small irregular white tubercles at the tip of the snout. The throat is smooth, while the abdomen and thighs are coarsely granulated.
Snout: Slightly projecting and pointed.
Eyes: Horizontal pupils.
Tympanum: Distinct, with a fold running from the eye above the tympanum to the shoulder.
Limbs: Toes are moderately webbed, and the tips of both fingers and toes are expanded into discs. Nuptial pads are cream-colored and cover the first finger from the base to the subarticular tubercle.
Coloration: The dorsum is pinkish-gray with bifurcated dark dorsal markings and dark crossbars on the limbs. The venter is grayish white.
Sexual Dimorphism:

Females have warts on the posterior margin of the vent, whereas males lack these. Female hindlimbs are proportionally shorter than those of males.

Distribution and habitat: Elevation: Found at elevations between 100 and 1,500 meters above sea level.
Geographic Range:
Kurixalus ananjevae is known from Ha Tinh, Nghe An, and Quang Nam provinces in Vietnam, as well as from Bolikhamxay Province in Lao PDR. It likely occurs in adjacent regions of both countries where similar habitats exist.
Habitat:
The species inhabits both montane and lowland tropical moist forests. It has been observed in vegetation near ponds and is likely to breed in still water bodies such as marshes and pools. Its habitat is under pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion.

Behaviour and ecology: Kurixalus ananjevae is nocturnal and has been observed in amplexus on leaves of bushes at night. The female contains mature eggs ranging from 1.3 to 1.5 mm in diameter.
Although little is known about its life history, the species is predicted to breed in forest pools.

Conservation and status: IUCN Red List Category and Criteria: Listed as Least Concern (LC), though the population is considered to be in decline due to habitat loss.

Population Trend: Decreasing, with no data available on exact population size.

Threats:

The species faces threats from deforestation, agricultural expansion, livestock grazing, and wood harvesting. These threats have likely increased following the construction of National Highway 2, which has opened up the area to further development.
Conservation Actions:

Protecting forest habitats and regulating agricultural and logging activities in the species’ range are essential for its conservation.