Siamese cascade frog

The Siamese cascade frog or spotted-snout frog (Wijayarana melasma) is a species of frogs in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to western and northern Thailand and known from Kanchanaburi, Prachuap Kiri Khan, and Chiang Mai Provinces.^[1][3]

Siamese cascade frog
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Ranidae
Genus:	Wijayarana
Species:	W. melasma
Binomial name
Wijayarana melasma (Stuart [fr] and Chan-ard, 2005)[2]
Synonyms[3]
Huia melasma Stuart and Chan-ard, 2005 Odorrana melasma (Che, Pang, Zhao, Wu, Zhao, and Zhang, 2007)

Taxonomy

Wijayarana melasma is sometimes placed in the genus Odorrana, but actually seems to belong neither there nor in Huia, at least if the latter genus is defined in the strict sense.^[4] In 2021, it was reclassified into the new genus Wijayarana.^[5][6]

Description

Males in the type series measure 54–55 mm (2.1–2.2 in) in snout–vent length. No females were collected but a photographed individual presumed to be female measured 69 mm (2.7 in) in snout–vent length.^[2]

The overall appearance of this species is moderately slender. The head is narrow with obtusely pointed snout. The tympanum is distinct. The fingers are unwebbed but have tips that are expanded to small discs; the toes are strongly webbed and have discs at their tips. Skin on the dorsum is shagreened; on the sides and venter skin is smooth. The dorsolateral fold is weak.^[2]

Habitat and conservation

Wijayarana melasma live near streams and waterfalls in moist lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen forestat elevations of 200–600 m (660–1,970 ft) above sea level.^[1][2] The known locations are within protected areas (including Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park and Kaeng Krachan National Park), although habitat change from agriculture, fire, tourism development, and illegal logging continues to occur.^[1]

References

1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2021). "Wijayarana melasma". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T61865A131437592. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T61865A131437592.en. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
2. Stuart, B. L. & Chan-Ard, T. (2005). "Two new Huia (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Laos and Thailand". Copeia. 2005 (2): 279–289. doi:10.1643/CH-04-137R3.
3. Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Huia melasma Stuart and Chan-ard, 2005". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
4. Stuart, B. L. (2008). "The phylogenetic problem of Huia (Amphibia: Ranidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 46 (1): 49–60. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.09.016. PMID 18042407.
5. "Wijayarana Arifin, Chan, Smart, Hertwig, Smith, Iskandar, and Haas, 2021". Amphibian Species of the World.
6. Arifin, Umilaela; Chan, Kin Onn; Smart, Utpal; Hertwig, Stefan T; Smith, Eric N; Iskandar, Djoko T; Haas, Alexander (2021-01-12). "Revisiting the phylogenetic predicament of the genus Huia (Amphibia: Ranidae) using molecular data and tadpole morphology". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 193 (2): 673–699. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa158. ISSN 0024-4082.