Hyperolius cf. platyceps (Boulenger, 1900)

Badjedjea, Gabriel, Masudi, Franck M., Akaibe, Benjamin Dudu & Gvoždík, Václav, 2022, Amphibians of Kokolopori: an introduction to the amphibian fauna of the Central Congolian Lowland Forests, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 301) 16 (1), pp. 35-70 : 54

Hyperolius cf. platyceps (Boulenger, 1900)

Fig. 9C–E.

Area: All.

Season/survey: Wet (May 2018, Nov 2018), dry (Aug 2019, Jul 2020).

Material: CSB:Herp: RNBK 169, 170, 190, 192, 197, 214, 222, 236, 259, 261, 279, 291, 302, 318, 327, 333, 353, 365, 367, 376, 384–386, 413, 416, 433, 507, 651– 653, 668, 731–733, 805, 842; IVB-H-CD 18142, 18347– 18350, 18352, 18386, 18387.

Comments: A common, but often relatively well-hidden, species in Kokolopori occurring in disturbed habitats or at the edge of primary forest. This species is considered

a Congolian faunal element ( Amiet 2012), although we have never encountered it in northeastern DRC. The species is widespread in the western and central Congo Basin, Gabon, and northern Angola ( Frétey et al. 2011; Dewynter and Frétey 2019; Marques et al. 2018), and possibly as far as southeastern DRC ( Laurent 1952). This species has been the source of much taxonomic confusion in the past ( Marques et al. 2018; Schiøtz 1999) and is not yet well understood. As mentioned above for H. cf. cinnamomeoventris, Schiøtz (2006) described four color morphs from Kokolopori: two dark and two light. However, based on our close observations in the field and in the laboratory, we are of the opinion that the “light morphs” represent H. cf. cinnamomeoventris (with the possibility of a hybrid origin of the light hourglass morph, Schiøtz’s morph C, which remains to be genetically tested; Fig. 8C–E). All the specimens which we identified as H. cf. platyceps belonged to the two dark morphs, one with the hourglass dorsal pattern ( Fig. 9C) and the second one a rarer striped morph corresponding to the “forma pleurotaenia ” (cf. Amiet 2012; Fig. 9D). As noted by Schiøtz (2006), individuals from Kokolopori have some peculiarities in coloration that are not known in the western populations. In particular, conspicuous white and/or yellow spots are present on the flanks and part of the ventrum in both sexes (spots of both colors may be combined; see Fig. 9E for ventral view).

Several subspecies were described, including two from southeastern DRC: H. platyceps lomamiensis Laurent, 1943 (type locality in W Upemba NP, Haut-Lomami) and H. p. olbrechtsi Laurent, 1952 (type locality W of Kalemie, Tanganika). Hyperolius langi and H. major Laurent, 1957 (type locality in E Upemba NP, Haut-Katanga) were also treated as subspecies of H. platyceps at one time (e.g., Laurent 1952, 1957). However, Schiøtz (1999) stated: “Much confusion has surrounded this species, partly because of its variation, partly because several quite different species have been treated as subspecies of H. platyceps . Amiet (1978) [Note: Amiet 1979 “1978”] has clarified the matter and we follow him in regarding the forms in the “ platyceps - complex” as full species ( platyceps , langi , major ), but did not address the taxa lomamiensis and olbrechtsi. Both are presently treated as synonyms (however, they may be valid subspecies) of H. platyceps ( Frost 2021) . From the above, it is clear that a thorough revision is needed to clarify the status of these taxa and their relationships to H. langi and H. major . It is also necessary to verify whether H. p. lomamiensis is an older available name for H. major as the type localities of the two taxa are only about 70 km apart. Similarly, some other little-known taxa may be related to H. platyceps (cf. Laurent 1941, 1943, 1952, 1957), in particular H. atrigularis Laurent, 1941 described from highlands of the Marungu Plateau (Tanganika Province), H. polli Laurent, 1943 known from the type locality in Kasaï-Central and adjacent northeastern Angola ( Marques et al. 2018), and possibly Hyperolius kibarae Laurent, 1957 described from the eastern Upemba NP (Haut-Katanga Province).