Philautus nephophilus

Cloud Bush Frog

          

Small species of Philautus have puzzled experts for long and only gradually the fog is clearing up. Dehling et al. (2016) have described a small Philuatus as P. nephophilus that had been lumped together with P. mjobergi for a long time. 

Philautus nephophilus is a small, stocky frog (snout-vent length in males approx. 16–19 mm, females 20–23 mm). The hind limbs are long; the tibiotarsal joint reaches beyond tip of the snout when legs are stretched forward and adpressed to body. The snout is acuminate (tapering gradually to a sharp point) viewed from above. Snout shorter than eye diameter. The heel bears small conical tubercle; nuptial pads are small but prominent. The toes are only moderately webbed. The iris is reddish in the horizontal sectors, but bright yellow in the upper and darkened to greyish brown in the lower parts.

The advertisement call consists of a series of pulsed notes, followed by one or two additional single notes afer a distinct interval. 

The developmental mode has not been documented, but the prognosis is that this species might reproduce by direct development (terrestrial eggs without free-swimming tadpoles).