About
The Mixe treefrog is endemic to Mexico, and is only found in Vita Hermosa town in north central Oaxaca.
All individuals are in a single location and the area they occupy is less than 10km². The species was previously included in the genus Hyla but has recently moved to the new genus Megastomatohyla. They are part of the Hylidae or “Treefrogs” families, which have a fossil record going back to the Palaeocene (65 to 53 million years ago), suggesting the hylid frog lineages originated either in the late Cretaceous or early in the Cenozoic period, around the time of the extinction of the dinosaurs. The Treefrogs diverged from all other amphibians around 50 million years ago, which makes them as distinct from their closest relatives as chinchillas are from porcupines. The species is at threat due to the loss of original, intact cloud forest due to smallholder agricultural activities and logging in the area. The range of this species does not include any protected areas, and the protection of remaining forested habitat in the Sierra de Juárez is urgent. This species is protected by Mexican law under the “Special Protection” category.
- Order: Anura
- Family: Hylidae
- Population: Rare
- Trend: decreasing
EDGE Score
Distribution
This species is known only from Vista Hermosa town, Sierra de Juárez, north-central Oaxaca, Mexico, at 1,800m above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology
This species inhabits cloud forest and occurs in mountain streams and rocky habitats.