Tomopterna elegans

Zimkus, Breda M. & Larson, Joanna G., 2011, Examination of the molecular relationships of sand frogs (Anura: Pyxicephalidae: Tomopterna) and resurrection of two species from the Horn of Africa, Zootaxa 2933 (1), pp. 27-45 : 38

Redescription of Tomopterna elegans

Tomopterna elegans is determined to be a distinct species using the molecular and morphogical data previously presented. The following redescription is based on an adult male specimen ( CAS 190562 ; measurements in Table 4) as the type series included only juvenile specimens (Appendix 6). Additional specimens redetermined as T. elegans are cited in Appendix 1. Body shape compact and toad-like; habit stout; vomerine teeth in two oblique groups between the moderately large choanae; tongue notched with two uneven sides; median papilla on the tongue absent; head short, 1.75 times broader than long; snout rounded; canthus rostralis sharply angled; loreal region slightly concave; nostrils closer to the snout tip than the anterior margin of the eye, eye-nostril length almost two times the snout-nostril length; tympanum distinct and circular, measuring less than one-third the maximum eye diameter; interorbital distance much less than the width of the upper eyelid; subarticular tubercles single and distinct; digit tips not expanded; first finger extending beyond basal subarticular tubercle of second; fingers without webbing; relative length of fingers: IV < II <I < III; inner metatarsal tubercle prominent and shovel-shaped, longer than the first toe; small, round outer metatarsal tubercle present; tarsal tubercle absent; toes with one-third webbing, two phalanges free of webbing on the fourth toe; relative length of toes: I < II < V < III < IV. Skin on upper surface smooth, with some small, isolated warts; some tubercles surrounding the vent; discontinuous glandular ridge present below the tympanum, trailing from the back edge of mouth; nuptial pad on manual digit I; skin on throat thickened, making U-shaped gular flap .

In preservative (alcohol), orange-brown with irregular darker markings, except for symmetric pair of curly bracket-like markings encircling a paler occipital blotch; incomplete, dark interorbital bar is present; glandular ridge from the angle of the mouth to forearm is slightly lighter than the surroundings; upper and lower arm, and hand have a dark transversal bar; upper part of flanks colored like the back (darker), lower like the ventrum (lighter); ventrum cream; thighs, lower legs and feet show three, four, and two darker transversal bars, respectively; throat dark in color.