Vampire Flying Frog

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.

Habitat

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

Distribution

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

Communication

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

Breeding behaviours

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.