Eastern Cuba Rockfrog

Eleutherodactylus pezopetrus is a small frog (but relatively large for an eleutherodactylid), with adult females reaching up to 49 mm in SVL and males up to 42 mm. The skin texture is warty, with the dorsum having prominent orange sacral warts. Digital discs are large. There is no webbing between the toes. The vomerine teeth, behind the choanae, are present in a long and arched series (Schwartz 1960; Schwartz and Henderson 1985; Schwartz and Henderson 1991). This species is tan, lightly marbled with dark gray and possessing a pair of tan sacral spots. Sometimes a pair of dorsolateral orange lines is present, expanded in the region of the sacral blotches. The interocular region is darkly mottled. A light tan loreal spot is present, preceded by a stippled arc and bounded above by a dark canthal line. Below the eye, there is another pale spot, preceded and followed by dark areas. The concealed surfaces of the hind limbs are faintly purple or flesh-colored. The venter is opalescent white, lightly stippled with brown medially, and heavily stippled laterally. The chin and the throat are heavily stippled with dark brown (Schwartz 1960; Schwartz and Henderson 1985; Schwartz and Henderson 1991).Eleutherodactylus pezopetrus is a member of the subgenus Euhyas (Heinicke et al. 2007). Etymology- Named after the petricolous (rocky) habitat of this species (Schwartz 1960).

This species is endemic to Cuba and it is known only from La Cantera in Sierra de Nipe, in eastern Cuba. It is found at 100-270 m in elevation. This is a terrestrial frog, found on the ground and climbing on rocks and cliffs in deciduous woods (Schwartz and Henderson 1991).

Males vocalize from the ground and from rocks. Calls are composed of several notes (Diaz and Fong, in preparation). Other aspects of the natural history of this frog are unknown.

Habitat modification is considered the principal threat to this species (Vales et al. 1998), mainly deforestation due to mining and agriculture (Hedges and Diaz 2004).

Eleutherodactylus pezopetrus is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae endemic to Cuba. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.