Animal Species:Vampire Flying Frog

Alternative Name/s

Vampire Tree Frog, Ê´ch cây ma cà rông (Vietnamese)

Identification

Rhacophorus vampyrus is a medium-sized tree frog from southern Vietnam. The species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of: a pale tan to brick red dorsum; white throat, chest and belly; black flanks and anterior and posterior surface of thighs; grey to black webbing between fingers and toes; reduced finger webbing; and pointed projection at tibiotarsal articulation.

Size range

4-6 cm body length

Distribution

So far, the species is only known from the Langbian Plateau, in southern Vietnam.

Habitat

The Vampire Flying frog occurs in montane evergreen forest. To date, it's known from dense forest between around 1500–2000 m elevation.

Habitat type

Terrestrial Habitat: montane, tree hole, tropical
Vegetation Habitat: tall closed forest

What does this mean?

Communication

Although males almost certainly call to attract females to suitable tree-holes, their advertisement call has yet to be documented.

Mating and reproduction

Rhacophorus vampyrus is a phytotelm (tree-hole) breeder, depositing eggs in foam nests in small tree-holes. The species is named after its unusual, ‘fanged’ tadpoles.
 

Conservation Status

Given the available information, we suggest the species should be considered Data Deficient following IUCN’s Red List categories.

Conservation Status (IUCN): NOT EVALUATED (NE)

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:

vampyrus

Genus:

Rhacophorus

Family:

Rhacophoridae

Order:

Anura

Class:

Amphibia

What does this mean?

Further Reading

National Geographic News

References

Rowley, J. J. L., Le T. T. D., Tran T. A. D., Stuart, B. L., & Hoang D. H. (2010). A new tree frog of the genus Rhacophorus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from southern Vietnam. Zootaxa 2727: 45-55.

Dr Jodi Rowley , Scientific Officer, Herpetology
Last Updated: 28 October 2011