Hyla heinzsteinitzi

Hyla heinzsteinitzi is described only in 2007 frog species whose holotype locality is a cistern in central Jerusalem. It was named after the Israeli zoologist Prof. Dr. Heinz Steinitz (1909-1971), who founded, among others, the marine biological station at Eilat.

Features

The " Jerusalem frog " reaches a head-body length of 44 millimeters and has a flattened head, which is wider than long. The muzzle is moderately blunt shaped side profile. The nostrils are oriented vertically elliptical. The protruding eyes horizontal pupil and are larger than the eardrum behind in diameter. There is a distinct fold of skin that begins behind the eye and extends to the axillary region over the eardrum. The skin is smooth on the upper side, gekörnelt ( granulated ) at the belly and moderately smooth to gekörnelt by the throat. Webbed appear only between the second and fourth toe of the hind feet, while all fingers and toes are equipped with typical tree frog adhesive discs.

The top-side color may oscillate during the day between various greens, browns and grays; occasionally stains can appear here. Investigated specimens from the Mamilla cistern were colored turquoise, which could be as well have been a local mutation, as other samples did not show this tendency to blue colorations. During the day, a dark flank stripe is seen, which typically resolves itself into irregular points and lacking the characteristic of Hyla arborea hip sling. The occasional occurrence of green stains on stainless or golden -brown background is noted only at Hyla heinzsteinitzi. On the top side of the mouth ( " upper lip " ) is to find a sometimes indistinct and broken white stripe. The inner thighs are colored orange.

In the night there depending on the ambient temperatures have a tendency to green ( cool ) or brown (warmer) colors. The dark side stripes faded at this stage and sometimes even completely blurred.

Compared with the similar and long time no distinct small Asian tree frog ( Hyla savignyi ), the following differential features are highlighted: Hyla heinzsteinitzi ( Hh ) has a sloping snout obtuse, Hyla savignyi (Hs ) a rounded snout profile. In H.H. are a broken edge line (Hs: continuous), only a faint white upper lip line (Hs: significant ) and orange inner thighs (Hs: brown) typical. In the day phase with patchy staining are just back in Hh these patches of green on a brown background. Also, at least locally observed turquoise coloration does not occur in Hyla savignyi. Finally, the mating calls are significantly different. The males of the " Jerusalem - tree frog " produce with their throated vocal sac a reputation for its sound sequence is determined by a short rise and a subsequent long decline of the sound, while the cries of the small Asian tree frog from uniformly composed of ascending and descending tone curves.

Discovery locality

The discovery history of the species is uncommon. 1996 that Constantin Grach that in a large, open, filled by winter rains and dry in the summer cistern near the old town ( Mamilla reservoir or the pool 31 ° 46 ' 41 "N, 35 ° 13' 14" O31.7779735.220644Koordinaten: 31 ° 46 ' 41 "N, 35 ° 13' 14" E, existence from 614 AD occupied) a bluish tree frog had been observed. He collected tadpoles and pulled them on. The adult animals showed daytime a turquoise body color. The head shape was deviating and the dark Lateralband in contrast to H. savignyi interrupted.

Research revealed that E. Shy had already taken in the years 1976 and 1977 at two other places, the mating calls of tree frogs, which he held for some unusual small Asian tree frogs. He had also collected copies. When comparing with the new Fund and with new tape recordings, as well as material from Kleinasiatischem and the European tree frog ( H. arborea ) showed that Shys finds with the new form are identical, and this represents a previously unknown type.

To date, Hyla heinzsteinitzi is known only from these three localities in the Judean hill country, which are only 13 miles apart in an east-west direction and located at altitudes 730-895 meters. The two western localities lie in the city or on its northwestern border, and thus in the Mediterranean region (annual average temperature of 17-19 ° C, mean annual precipitation 500-700 mm). The easternmost occurrence is already in a warmer and precipitation poorer area on the edge of the Judean Desert (annual average temperature 19-21 ° C, mean annual precipitation about 300 mm).

The species lives not only in the area of ​​distribution of Hyla savignyi, but the two species can apparently also syntopically occur in the same habitat.

Endangering

The laboratory -bred population of H. heinzsteinitzi has apparently been destroyed by the Israeli Nature Protection Authority, and the current stock situation in nature is not known. It may be assumed, however, that the way because of their - is extremely small distribution area in the middle of a big city (or in its immediate vicinity ) to high-risk and because of their presumably tiny population or already extinct, especially pest control measures and vegetation changes the cistern and - as far as known so far have affected their environment. On the part of IUCN since 2008 is now a risk assessment before; then the species as " critically endangered " ( critically endangered ) substance.

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