Hyperolius nimbae Laurent, 1958

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 : 86

Hyperolius nimbae Laurent, 1958

Nimba Reed Frog

Material: One female, NGK-Nimba 0070 ( Fig. 9G ), and two males, NGK-Nimba 0078 , NGK-Nimba 0079 ( Fig. 9H ).

Comments: Hyperolius nimbae is a farmbush frog, endemic to the eastern foothills of Mounts Nimba ( Schiøtz 1967). After 47 years, this species was only recently rediscovered by Kouamé et al. (2016), reporting small populations from four villages (Dagbonpleu, Danipleu, Kouan-Houlé, and Zéalé) within the formerly known range. An even more recent re-investigation in these villages failed to confirm the species, and its known habitats had been destroyed due to road expansions, development, and urbanization (Gongomin et al., unpub. data). However, during our study, we encountered a large number of H. nimbae males in the Yéalé village (07°31.928’N, 008°25.401’W; 425 m asl). The habitat was within a plantation of cocoa and coffee that edged a large and deep pond, which exceeded 100 x 70 m. There, we observed 15 males at night between broad leaved, evergreen trees of cocoa and coffee, while only one female was seen perched between the leaves of a palm tree. The males ranged from 30.0– 35.5 mm (N = 15), the female measured 34.1 mm. Males varied considerably in color and also showed some differences in pattern compared to the female. However, both sexes matched earlier descriptions by Schiøtz (1967).

Figures

Fig. 9. Hyperoliid frogs from Mount Nimba Integrated Nature Reserve: Hyperolius concolor female (A); H. concolor male (B); H. fusciventris fusciventris male (C); H. guttulatus female (D); H. lamottei female (E); H. lamottei male (F); H. nimbae female (G); H. nimbae male (H).