biology

Pseudophilautus variabilis

Pseudophilautus variabilis is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pseudophilautus variabilis rather than just read about it. In short: Pseudophilautus variabilis, also known as the variable bush frog or variable bubble-nest frog, was a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. This now extinct species was endemic to Sri Lanka.

Key takeaways

Pseudophilautus variabilis belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Pseudophilautus variabilis to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Pseudophilautus variabilis from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Pseudophilautus variabilis, also known as the variable bush frog or variable bubble-nest frog, was a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. This now extinct species was endemic to Sri Lanka. Despite extensive searches in recent times, it is only known from collections prior to 1858. The reasons for its disappearance are unknown but probably involve habitat loss.

Taxonomy Pseudophilautus variabilis is only known with certainty from its lectotype. The original type series consisted of ten syntypes, probably representing collections from several locations but without more specific information on their origins than "Ceylon". Therefore, the female illustrated in the species description was chosen as the lectotype in 2001. One of the paralectotypes was in 2007 described as a new species, Pseudophilautus pardus, by Meegaskumbura and colleagues. Pseudophilautus wynaadensis from India has sometimes been mixed with this species.

Description The lectotype of Pseudophilautus variabilis is an adult female that measures 36–37 mm (1.4–1.5 in) in snout–vent length. The body is moderately elongate. The tympanum is rather indistinct while the supra-tympanic fold is distinct. The fingers and toes are moderately long; fingers have dermal fringes but no webbing whereas toes are medially webbed.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pseudophilautus variabilis

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pseudophilautus variabilis claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pseudophilautus variabilis before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pseudophilautus variabilis ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pseudophilautus variabilis

In research: Pseudophilautus variabilis appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Pseudophilautus variabilis in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Pseudophilautus variabilis is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Amphibian extinctions since 1500, Amphibians described in 1858, Endemic amphibians of Sri Lanka, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pseudophilautus variabilis outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Pseudophilautus variabilis in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pseudophilautus variabilis means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Pseudophilautus variabilis out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pseudophilautus variabilis in simple terms?

Pseudophilautus variabilis, also known as the variable bush frog or variable bubble-nest frog, was a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. This now extinct species was endemic to Sri Lanka.

Why does Pseudophilautus variabilis matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pseudophilautus variabilis?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pseudophilautus variabilis.