Telmatobius laticeps

Telmatobius laticeps
Conservation status
Critically endangered, possibly extinct (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Telmatobiidae
Genus:	Telmatobius
Species:	T. laticeps
Binomial name
Telmatobius laticeps Laurent, 1977

Telmatobius laticeps is a species of frog in the family Telmatobiidae. It is endemic to Argentina.

Relationship to humans

Between 1949 and 1989, scientists used this frog in laboratories to study endocrinology, karyotyping, larval development, and other things.

Habitat

This fully aquatic frog lives in streams that flow near and through bogs, grassy places, and areas with scattered trees but not deep forest. Scientists observed this frog between 1,900 and 3,100 metres (6,200 and 10,200 ft) above sea level.

Young

The female frog lays between 80 and 500 eggs per clutch.

Threats

The IUCN classifies this frog as critically endangered, with no more than 49 adult individuals alive at any given time. Introduced fish, for example trout, may have killed these frogs. People also cause habitat loss in favor of urbanization, grazing, agriculture, infrastructure, such as power cables. People also divert streams to make canals. Scientists also found what appeared to be tadpoles with chytridiomycosis-induced deformities, so they believe this species may be among the lethal fungal disease's many hosts.