Eleutherodactylus gossei


Eleutherodactylus gossei is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to Jamaica where it is widespread. An introduced population existed in Bermuda but appears to have been extirpated. The specific name gossei honors Philip Henry Gosse, an English naturalist, missionary, and science writer. Its common names are Jamaican forest frog and Spaldings robber frog, the latter apparently after Spaldings, its type locality.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:Eleutherodactylus gossei gossei Dunn, 1926Eleutherodactylus gossei oligaulax Schwartz and Fowler, 1973

Description

Adult Eleutherodactylus gossei gossei males measure and females in snout–vent length. The most common pattern of the dorsum is mottled or unicolor, depending on the area. Specimens with dorsolateral stripes, middorsal hairline, or purple stripes are less frequent. The ground color is a shade of brown, ranging from rich reddish brown to tan. The venter is usually creamy to faintly yellowish, whereas the throat is highly variable. The groin and the concealed surfaces are red to orange.
Eleutherodactylus gossei oligaulax is only found in extreme eastern parts of Jamaica and is smaller than the nominotypical subspecies. Males grow to a snout–vent length of and females to. Most individual have a middorsal hairline in their dorsum or are unicolor. Individuals with dorsolateral stripes are common whereas mottled individuals are rare.

Habitat and conservation

Eleutherodactylus gossei occurs in a variety of mesic habitats, including rural gardens and former forests, at elevations below. It is widespread and can be common in suitable habitat. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by, for example, intensive agricultural practices and infrastructure development. It occurs in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and in some forest reserves.