Bryophryne hanssaueri Lehr & Catenazzi 2009

A medium-sized species of Bryophryne (males up to 18.0 mm, females up to 24.6 mm) that differs from the other currently known Bryophryne species in that females have an orange (brownish or reddish orange in males) throat and orange (brownish or reddish orange in males) groin (Lehr and Catenazzi 2009b). The skin is shagreened with small scattered tubercles on the dorsum, areolate on venter. The dorsolateral folds are short, irregularly shaped and discontinuous. Tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus are absent. Males lack vocal sacs and slits as well as nuptial pads. The snout is rounded in dorsal and lateral views. The upper eyelids are narrower than the interorbital distance and lack tubercles. The dentigerous processes of vomers are absent. Finger I is shorter than Finger II. The tips of digits are rounded and fingers have lateral fringes. A tarsal tubercle is present. Toes have lateral fringes and basal webbing. Toe V is usually longer than Toe III. Toe tips are slightly pointed, about as large as those on fingers. Coloration in life: dorsum pale grayish brown with a dark brown X-shaped or triangular blotch on head, with or without a narrow middorsal tan stripe. In females, throat is orange, chest and belly are pale grayish white; in males, venter is brownish orange with grayish white flecks on chest and belly (Lehr and Catenazzi 2009b).

Endemic to southeastern Peru. Bryophryne hanssaueri is known only from the cloud forest near Abra Acjanaco (=Acanacu, Acanaco) in the upper Manu National Park, Provincia Paucartambo, Departamento Cusco, at elevations between 3266 and 3430 m (Lehr and Catenazzi 2009b).

This is a direct-developing species. Females lay and attend ~20 eggs, 4.2-4.8 mm in diameter until hatching occurs; froglets measure 4.9-5.2 mm. Males lack vocal and auditory apparatus and probably do not call. The species seems to be restricted to cloud forest habitats, where it is patchily distributed. The maximum recorded density is of 12 frogs in 0.1 ha in a 10x10 m leaf-litter quadrat plot at 3415 m near Abra Acjanaco (Lehr and Catenazzi 2009b). Bryophryne hanssaueri, B. cophites and B. nubilosus occur sympatrically in the area of Abra Acjanaco (Lehr and Catenazzi 2008, 2009b, Lynch, 1975). This species is also sympatric with Psychrophrynella usurpator, Gastrotheca excubitor, Gastrotheca marsupiata, "Hyla" antoniiochoai and Telmatobius timens (De la Riva et al. 2005). Another species occurring in the same areas (although not directly in sympatry with B. hanssaueri) is Noblella pygmaea (Lehr and Catenazzi 2009a).

The type locality of B. hanssaueri is inside Manu National Park, which forms part of the SINANPE (Sistema Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas) in Peru and is a Reserve of Biosphere and World Heritage Site. Populations of B. hanssaueri are currently threatened by anthropic disturbance (fires and grazing), climate change, and by the recent arrival of the disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.