Botsford’s Litter Frog – Leptobrachella botsfordi – (Rowley, Dau & Nguyen, 2013)

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Science name: Leptobrachella botsfordi – (Rowley, Dau & Nguyen, 2013)

Taxonomic:  Animalia>> Chordata>> Amphibia>> Anura >> Megophryidae >> botsfordi

Species status: Endemic ; IUCN status: CR (Critically Endangered Species)

Description:

Physical Characteristics:

Leptobrachella botsfordi is a small frog, with males ranging from 29.1 to 32.6 mm in snout-vent length (SVL) and females from 30.0 to 31.8 mm. The head is roughly equal in length and width, and the snout is rounded. It has vertical pupils, a somewhat indistinct tympanum, and an obvious supratympanic ridge with raised tubercles running from the eye to the axillary gland. The fingertips and toe tips are rounded, with the toes exhibiting simple webbing and narrow lateral fringes. The skin on the back is rough, while the ventral side is smooth.
Coloration:

In life, the dorsal surface of Leptobrachella botsfordi is dark brown with gold markings along the dorsolateral edge and metallic copper on the snout and supratympanic ridge. The ventral surface is reddish-brown with pale flakes, especially visible on the throat and thighs. In preserved specimens, the gold fades to pale brown, while females show a pinkish tint on the ventral side in life.
Tadpoles and Metamorphs
Tadpoles:
Tadpoles of Leptobrachella botsfordi are found under submerged rocks in pools beneath waterfalls. They are elongated, with total lengths between 28.3 and 39.7 mm. The body is depressed laterally, with rounded snouts and small dorsolateral eyes. The tail is long, roughly twice the length of the body, and the fins are low.
Metamorphs:
At stage 44, metamorphs are brown with reddish-orange tubercles, with a pale copper stripe running dorsolaterally. They retain the characteristic white spots on the glands found in adults.

Distribution and habitat:

Distribution and Habitat
Elevation: Found at elevations between 2,578 and 2,815 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest-dwelling species of Leptobrachella.
Geographic Range:
Leptobrachella botsfordi is known from the Hoang Lien National Park in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam, specifically on Mount Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina. Its range is extremely restricted, with an estimated area of occurrence of 36 km², and the species is known from just one threat-defined location.
Habitat
The species is associated with upper montane forest characterized by a cold climate (temperatures from -3°C to 20°C), heavy rainfall, and occasional snow in December. Its habitat includes rocky streams with a gravel or rocky substrate, which are essential for breeding and tadpole development.

Behaviour and ecology:

Habitat:

Leptobrachella botsfordi is primarily terrestrial, inhabiting the leaf litter near small streams in upper montane forests. It does not live in trees, instead relying on the forest floor and streamside habitats for shelter and breeding.
Breeding and Reproduction:

The species breeds in rocky streams with tadpoles developing in the pools beneath small waterfalls. Males are known to call from under leaf litter near streams during the breeding season, which begins in June and lasts until September. Females have been observed moving towards the calling males during this period.
Diet:

Like other leaf-litter frogs, it likely feeds on small invertebrates, although specific dietary studies are lacking.

Conservation and status:

IUCN Red List Category and Criteria:

Critically Endangered (B1ab(iii)) due to its extremely restricted range, declining population, and ongoing habitat degradation.
Population Trend:

Decreasing, though the exact population size is unknown.
Threats:

The primary threat to Leptobrachella botsfordi is habitat loss due to deforestation, tourism impacts, and gravel mining, which affects the species’ breeding sites. Tourism in Hoang Lien National Park is particularly problematic, as it leads to pollution and habitat disturbance, and gravel mining impacts oviposition sites. The narrow ecological niche of this species, found only in high-elevation montane cloud forests, makes it vulnerable to climate change.
Conservation Actions:

Protecting the high-elevation forests within its range and regulating tourism and gravel mining activities are crucial for the conservation of Leptobrachella botsfordi. Further surveys are needed to better understand its distribution and population dynamics.