Pristimantis jamescameroni
Young animal
Pristimantis jamescameroni is a Froschlurch from the more than 450 species comprising the genus Pristimantis. He is one of the Pristimantis species described so far eleven that are endemic to the tepuis of Venezuela and Guyana. Reports on these inaccessible mesas inspired Arthur Conan Doyle 's novel The Lost World.
Features
From the historical record of specimens of the species Pristimantis jamescameroni was the male 22.8 mm long ( snout-vent length ), the three females from 26.3 to 27.5 millimeters.
The first finger is shorter than the second, of the toes of the hind legs, the fifth toe is longer than the third. It is not formed Tympanalmembran.
Pristimantis jamescameroni similar to the way Pristimantis imthurni from Ptari - tepui, but differs from it by the color and the grainy skin surface. The head is longer and the muzzle rather pointed than in Pristimantis imthurni.
Dissemination
Pristimantis jamescameroni has only been found on the Aprada - tepui. The tepuis are island sandstone mountains in the Pantepui region that stretches across the eastern Venezuela to Guyana and to the northern part of Brazil. The Aprada - tepui located in the Venezuelan state of Bolívar, approximately 22 km northwest of Chimantá massif. The plain of the mesa has an area of only 4.3 square kilometers. It is isolated by up to 1000 m sloping drop-offs both of the adjacent mesas and from the lying in the valleys savannah landscape. The type specimen is from a height level from 2557 to 2571 m above sea level.
Way of life
The frogs of the species Pristimantis jamescameroni daytime to find under rocks and in crevices and live active at night especially. Although there are many small water bodies in their habitat, not a tadpole in water is necessary for the development of young frogs. They develop directly from the eggs. Neotropical frogs with direct development are included in the group of Terrarana.
Systematics and Taxonomy
For the genus Pristimantis There are no synapomorphy to them clearly apart from other genres. Therefore, the decision of the describer Philippe JR Kok to provide Pristimantis jamescameroni in this genus, on genetic findings and morphological comparisons. Genetic material of Pristimantis jamescameroni had been compared to that of other Pristimantis species before the first description and confirmed the classification in this group of species. Only in 2007, the genus of S. Blair Hedges Pristimantis, William E. Duellman and Matthew P. Heinicke had been re- built for the South American species of the large genus Eleutherodactylus. The large family of Südfrösche, which included the genus after view at that time was divided into several families and 2008 species Pristimantis the family of Strabomantidae been assigned. 2011, however, the family Strabomantidae was merged with the family Craugastoridae and within the new family, the subfamily Pristimantinae built, who is also Pristimantis jamescameroni.
Designation
The scientific species name honors the jamescameroni film director and producer James Cameron pointed out in recognition of his efforts to a wide audience in his films on environmental problems and produce exciting documentaries. The describer of Pristimantis jamescameroni, Belgian biologist Philippe Kok, writes in an appreciation, Cameron live vegan and is thus a model for the youth, as the renunciation of meat consumption could make a significant contribution to environmental protection and to reduce the greenhouse effect. A slowing of climate change could preserve sensitive ecosystems such as those in the high plateaus of the tepuis from destruction.