Pseudophilautus semiruber (Annandale, 1913)
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Pseudophilautus semiruber, known as Annandale's shrub frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae that is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Pseudophilautus semiruber is one of the smallest frog species in Sri Lanka and it is also one of the world's smallest frogs, measuring less than 15 mm in snout-to-vent length (diminutive species). A single specimen of this species was first discovered in 1911 and described by Annandale in 1913, referring to it as Ixalus semiruber. For the next 95 years since 1913, this species was not again seen alive, and the type specimen on which the original description was made, was confirmed to be lost from a Museum collection by 2001.
Extensive field research conducted by Madhava Meegaskumbura in 2005, targeting molecular characterization of the Sri Lankan shrub frog species, lead to the re-discovery of this species from near a small forest reserve (Agra-Bopath) close to the Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka.
Wikipedia contributors, Pseudophilautus semiruber; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T18:18:07.368617+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Pseudophilautus semiruber (Annandale, 1913)
- Name authority
- (Annandale, 1913)
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Anura
- Family
- Rhacophoridae
- Genus
- Pseudophilautus
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAmphibia
- orderAnura
- familyRhacophoridae Hoffman, 1932
- subfamilyRhacophorinae Hoffman, 1932
- genusPseudophilautus Laurent, 1943
- speciesPseudophilautus semiruber (Annandale, 1913)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Pseudophilautus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Ixalus semirubra (Annandale, 1913) (Annandale, 1913) | synonym |
| Philautus semiruber (Annandale, 1913) (Annandale, 1913) | synonym |
| Rhacophorus semiruber (Annandale, 1913) (Annandale, 1913) | synonym |
| Ixalus semiruber Annandale, 1913 Annandale, 1913 | synonym |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1101209 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4P74M. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.