so the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". Phylogeny Close relatives The genus Lithodytes is one of three subfamilies under the family Leptodactylidae, the two other subfamilies being Leiuperinae and Paratelmatobiinae. The Leptodactylidae family contains 223 total species as of 2020. Lithodytes are a distinct genus due to differences in larvae, adult morphology, and mitochondria. There are also differentiating factors that distinguish the tadpoles of Lithodytes from other genera of the same family. This includes presence of labial tooth rows, unique papillae, differently shaped choanae, a long muscular tail, terminal oral disc position, and girthier trabeculae carneae. Distinct Features Two distinct sperm types have been observed in Leptodactylidae frogs. Type I sperm has triangle-shaped head and discrete acrosome vesicles, while type II sperm has elongated head and clear acrosome vesicles. Lithodytes lineatus have type II sperm. These sperm types likely evolved independently and are not connected to phylogeny, since some species have been observed to possess both types. It is notable that the Lineatus have the longest sperm length of all species in the Leptodactylidae family. Males of this species also have relatively larger testes than others, indicating another distinguishing feature. Ecology and Mutualism Lithodytes lineatus breeds in temporary pools, building foam nests in which the female lays 100 to 300 eggs. She then guards the developing eggs until the emerging tadpoles hatch. This frog is often found in association with the leaf-cutter ant, Atta cephalotes. Male Lithodytes lineatus has been observed calling from the interior of an active ants nest, seemingly unharmed by the ants. The ants usually kill intruders in the nest, however it was found that the frogs captured at the entrance to the nest had a noticeable aromatic odor; researchers hypothesize that it is this odor that signals and prevents attack by the ants. In one instance, four male frogs were calling synchronously from the inside of a large ant nest, the call being a series of brief whistles at the rate of about 85 per minute. Examination of another nest showed various passages and a wide vertical tunnel inside descending to the water table, with foam nests attached to roots in the wall of the tunnel and tadpoles at various stages of development in the underground pool. Ants were also moving along these tunnels. The frogs benefit from this association in that they have