Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849)

Kanga, Kouassi Philippe, Kouamé, N’Goran Germain, Zogbassé, Parfait, Gongomin, Basseu Aude-Inès, Agoh, Konan Laurent, Kouamé, Akoua Michèle, Konan, Jean Christophe B. Y. N., Adepo-Gourène, Abouo Béatrice, Gourène, Germain & Rödel, Mark-Oliver, 2021, Amphibian diversity of a West African biodiversity hotspot: an assessment and commented checklist of the batrachofauna of the Ivorian part of the Nimba Mountains, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 275) 15 (1), pp. 71-107 : 90

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.11287122

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11287346

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EEFC14-FFAC-FFD4-FCE6-82FFA6A578DD

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849)
status

 

Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849) View in CoL

Natal Puddle Frog

Material: Two males, NGK-Nimba 0032 ( Fig. 12D View Fig ), NGK-Nimba 0033 , and two females, NGK-Nimba 0035 , NGK-Nimba 0036 ( Fig. 12E View Fig ).

Comments: Phrynobatrachus natalensis as currently defined ( Channing and Rödel 2019) comprise several cryptic species widespread throughout the savannah areas of sub-Saharan Africa ( Zimkus et al. 2010). We encountered the species in the Yéalé village, near road puddles in dense vegetation (07°31.928’N, 008°25.401’W; 425 m asl). Other active males were found at night between tufts of ornamental plants around houses after heavy rainfalls. Adult males were uniform brown (26.0– 28.1 mm; N = 6) and had black throats with folds, while adult females (27.8–33.5 mm; N = 8) had white, mottled brown or greyish-black throats. One female exhibited an exceptionally conspicuous greyish-brown back with green spots and a green interorbital line; other females being uniform brown. Some frogs reproduced in a large pond within dense vegetation. Four clutches comprising, 938, 1021, 1265, and 1501 small reddish-brown eggs, were floating on the water surface. Mean egg diameter was 0.9 mm (± 0.1 mm; N = 20). Clutch sizes therefore seem to be larger in West African, compared to southern African, populations (compare values in Rödel 2000).

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