Ananjeva Asian Treefrog

Diagnosis: A combination of characters distinguishes Kurixalus ananjevae from most members of Kurixalus: coloration pattern, a robust body, a larger head and a less elongatated trunk. It differs from K. effingeri by its lack of vomerine teeth and K. idiootocus by its less pointed snout, larger body and the lack of white asperities around the anus and limbs (Matsui and Orlov 2004). Description
: K. ananjevae is a robust, warty frog and ranges from approximately 32 mm to 43 mm in snout-vent length. The skin is free from the skull. The dorsum is tuberculated irregularly with small tubercles that are white at the tip of the snout. The skin on the throat is smooth. The snout projects slightly and is pointed. The pupil is horizontal. The tympanum is distinct. A fold runs from the eye, above the tympanum and ends at the shoulder. The abdomen, and the thighs are coarsely granulated. The tips of the fingers and toes are expanded into discs and webbing on the toes is moderate. Unlike most members of the genus Chirixalus, this species lacks opposable inner and outer fingers, a trait that suggests they be placed in the genus Kurixalus. (Matsui and Orlov 2004).Coloration in preservation: K. ananjevae has a pinkish grey dorsum, with bifurcated dark dorsal markings and dark cross bars on limbs. The venter is grayish white. Limbs have dark crossbars, but the posterior of the thigh does not have any distinct markings (Matsui and Orlov 2004). The nuptial pads are cream colored and cover the first finger from the base to the subarticular tubercle (Matsui and Orlov 2004; Stuart 2006).Variation: Females have warts on the posterior margin of the vent, but not on the snout or tarsus like males. The hindlimbs of the female are proportionally shorter than those of the male. The heel of an adpressed hindlimb reaches the middle of the eye in the male and the rear corner of eye in the female (Matsui and Orlov 2004).K. ananjevae is named after Natalia Ananjeva of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who supported the study of amphibians (Matsui and Orlov 2004).

K. ananjevae is known only from the type locality in Rao Cua District, Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, where two specimens were collected in 1997 at an elevation of 1500 m (Matsui and Orlov 2004).

This species was found in amplexus, on leaves of a bush at night in mid June 1997. No calling from males was observed. The female contained many mature ova in the ovaries ranging from 1.3 to 1.5 mm (Matsui and Orlov 2004). It is predicted to breed in forest pools (Stuart 2006).

K. ananjevae is threatened by forest clearance due to development of agricultural fields, livestock grazing and wood harvest. These threats might increase after the construction of National Highway 2 (Matsui and Orlov 2004).

Gracixalus ananjevae, the Ananjeva Asian treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae.

It is endemic to Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.