Dendropsophus branneri is a small hylid tree frog endemic to the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil. It feeds mainly on arthropods and is preyed upon by various invertebrates (e.g., giant aquatic bugs, spiders) and vertebrates (e.g., snakes, birds). Although currently classified by the IUCN Redlist as "least concern", D. branneri suffers rapid habitat loss due to residential development, agriculture, logging, and clearing for pastureland. Male D. branneri are noted for their fighting call, which differs significantly in frequency, duration, and pulses per call compared to their mate advertisement call. Males are also noted for their willingness to escalate physical altercations against other males, which includes kicking, pushing, and wrestling their opponent into non-dominant positions. Unlike most other frog species, D. branneri can breed in both temporary and permanent pools allowing it to inhabit a wide variety of habitats leading to its wide distribution. Description Adult D. branneri females are about 21.5mm in snout-vent length (SVL) , and males are about 18mm. Their snout is short and rounded from above. Both sexes have vomerine teeth located in two small patches between the choanae. The skin of the throat and chest is smooth and females and slightly placated in males due to their larger vocal sacs. The skin of the belly is coarsely granular. Their dorsal color ranges from a pinkish vinaceous to a fawnish color. They have a light-brown crossbar between their eyes and a black mark on their back that extends to the sacral region. Both sexes exhibit a silvery white spot under each eye, which differentiates D. branneri from a host of closely related and morphologically similar Dendrosophopus species. However, an infrequent polymorphism exists in which D. branneri individuals exhibit either no spots or a spot only under one eye. Tadpole The tadpole bodies of D. branneri are violin-shaped (elongated in top-down dorsal view, depressed in lateral view). Their body height is approximately ~50% of the body length, and body length is approximately ~25% of the total length (including tail). Nostrils are small elliptical structures located near the oral disc and are visible from both a lateral and dorsal view. Eyes are laterally oriented at a distance of ~55% of the body width. The eye diameter is ~25% of the body width. Habitat and distribution The Dendropsophus branneri are endemic to mountainous regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, between Maranhão and Rio de Janeiro. They are typically found between