species | habitat | evolution | other frogs | home

Ranitomeya uakarii Brown 2006

CALL
Distribution: Lowlands near Iquitos, Peru, type locality Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Communal Reserve which lies on the southern side of the Amazon River. Other populations with similar patterning but varying coloration are known from near the Brazilian border and as far south as Rio Pachitea near Pucallpa. View type locality in Google Maps.
Ecology: This is a relatively small species of Ranitomeya (15-16 mm SVL) that spends most of its time on the forest floor. Egg-deposition and presumably tadpole development take place in the Guzmania bromeliads that are abundant in the area.
Phylogenetic status: Member of the fantastica genetic group.
Conservation status: To our knowledge, legal exports of this species have never taken place. However, smuggling pressure seems to have been relatively low through the recent years for this species. In the wild, this frog occurs throughout many sparsely inhabited areas throughout a large range and is therefore not threatened by habitat loss.
Notes: This species was for a long time considered to be Ranitomeya duellmani, though genetic work showed it was certainly something different. In hindsight, the distinction could have easily been made through morphology. R. duellmani never has yellow coloration on the sides whereas R. uakarii always does. These two species also occupy distinct ranges, with R. duellmani occupying the northern side of the Amazon and extending into Ecuador, and R. uakarii occupying forests to the south of the Amazon and extending to the south and east.


Copyright (c) Evan Twomey and Jason Brown

Hosting donated by Corey Wickliffe of Kero Kero Designs