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

Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849)

Natal Puddle Frog

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

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).

Figures

Fig. 12. Phrynobatrachid frogs from Mount Nimba Integrated Nature Reserve: Phrynobatrachus latifrons female (A); P. latifrons male (B); P. liberiensis male (C); P. natalensis male (D); P. natalensis female (E); P. phyllophilus male (F); P. tokba female (G); P. tokba male (H).