Telmatobius chusmisensis
Telmatobius chusmisensis is a frog in the Telmatobiidae family. It is endemic to northern Chile and is only known from several sites in the Tarapacá Region. The specific name chusmisensis refers to its type locality, Chusmisa.
Description
- Males are about 50–53 mm and females about 57–63 mm in snout–vent length.
- The head is slightly narrower than the body; forelimbs are moderately robust and hind limbs are long with webbed toes.
- Dorsum is light brown or greenish-brown with many small black spots. The belly is white or light yellow. The thighs have light brown undersides. There are irregular apricot-colored spots on the back and thighs.
- The skin on the dorsal surface, sides, and limbs has small spicules.
- Tadpoles are large, ranging from 38 to 99 mm in total length (Gosner stages 28–39), with at least one tadpole near metamorphosis (about 33 mm SVL).
Habitat and distribution
- This species lives at elevations of 1,800–4,500 meters above sea level.
- At the type locality, it was found in a small, slow-moving stream in a semi-desert area. Adults were found under stones and tadpoles under aquatic plants along the stream banks.
- Its distribution is naturally fragmented due to the arid environment, and it depends on aquatic habitats. Water extraction threatens its survival.
- Telmatobius chusmisensis is not known from any protected areas.
Conservation status
- The IUCN lists Telmatobius chusmisensis as Endangered (IUCN Red List 3.1), based on assessments up to 2021.
Taxonomy
- Binomial name: Telmatobius chusmisensis
- Described in 2006 by Formas, Cuevas, and Nuñez.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 21:41 (CET).