Mertensophryne Tihen, 1960

Marques, Mariana P., Ceríaco, Luis M. P., Blackburn, David C. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840 - 2017), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-501 : 66-69

Genus Mertensophryne Tihen, 1960

Mertensophryne melanopleura (Schmidt and Inger, 1959) DARK-SIDED TOAD

Bufo melanopleura Schmidt and Inger 1959:23 , fig. 8, pl. 4, fig. 2. Holotype: IRSNB 1.265, formerly Inst. Parc. Nat. Congo Belge 807 (collector G.F. de Witte). Type locality: “Kankunda, Parc National de l’Upemba, Belgian Congo ” (Schmidt and Inger 1959:23), Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bufo melanopleura : Poynton and Broadley

(1988:481), Ruas (1996:22, 2002:142), Channing (2001:86).

Mertensophryne melanopleura : Frétey et al.

(2011:24), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN):

Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is known from the southern Democratic Republic of Congo, eastern Angola, and Zambia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 7): There is a single record from eastern Angola. Moxico:

“ Lago Cameia ” [-11.71667, 20.80000] ( Ruas

1996:22, 2002:142; Channing 2001:86).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

The species is presently known only from one published locality in Angola but presumably occurs more widely in woodlands and forests MAP 7. Distribution of Mertensophryne melanopleura in (Poynton and Broadley 1988; Ruas 1996). Angola.

Mertensophryne aff. mocquardi ( Angel, 1924) MOCQUARD’S TOAD

Bufo Mocquardi Angel 1924:270 . Syntypes: MNHP 1924.49–55 [7 specimens] (collectors Ch. Alluaud and R. Jeannel). Type locality: “mont Kinangop et des forêts inférieures du mont Kénya ” ( Angel 1924:270), [= Kinangop and Kenya Plateau], Kenya.

Bufo mocquardi : Monard (1937a:28, 1938:56, 80), Cei (1977:17).

Bufo mocquardi : Channing and Howell (2006:86).

Mertensophryne mocquardi : Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN):

Data Deficient.

Global distribution: The species is known from Kenya.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 8): There is one record of this species from “Mulondo” in

Huíla Province. Huíla: “Mulondo” [-15.63333,

15.20000] ( Monard 1937a:28, 1938:56, 80).

Undetermined Locality: “arid territories along the coast” ( Cei 1977:17). MAP 8. Distribution of Mertensophryne mocquardi in Taxonomic and distributional notes: Angola.

Monard (1937a) identified an individual examined by de Witte from “Molundo” as Bufo mocquardi ( Angel, 1924) . de Witte considered this specimen close to Bufo taitanus Peters, 1878 but believed that it represented Bufo mocquardi . Monard considered the discovery of this species in Angola to be remarkable, since the type specimen is from Kinangop on Mount Kenya. Currently the species Mertensophryne mocquardi is only recognized from its type locality (Channing and Howell 2006; Frost 2016). Further studies are needed to confirm the identity of Monard’s specimens.

Genus Poyntonophrynus Frost, Grant, Faivovich, Bain, Haas, Haddad, de Sá, Channing, Wilkinson, Donnellan, Raxworthy, Campbell, Blotto, Moler, Drewes, Nussbaum, Lynch, Green and Wheeler, 2006

Poyntonophrynus dombensis (Bocage, 1895) DOMBE TOAD

Bufo dombensis Bocage 1895b:51 . Syntypes: BMNH 1947.2.21.3–4 (formerly 96.2.28.3–4), MBL T.4-366 and T.4-367 (collector J.A. d’Anchieta), destroyed by fire 18 March 1978. Type locality: “Dombe, sur le littoral, au sud de Benguella” [= Dombe Grande, Benguela] Benguela Province, Angola.

Bufo dombensis : Bocage (1897a:206), Monard (1938:55), Inger (1959:540), Perret (1976a:16), Cei (1977:17), Frost (1985:43), Poynton and Haacke (1993:12), Ruas (1996:22), Channing (2001:65).

Poyntonophrynus dombensis : du Preez and Carruthers (2009:162), Frétey et al. (2011:24), Channing et al. (2012:150), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is known from Angola and northern Namibia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 9): The species occurs in southwestern Angola.

Benguela: “Dombe” [-12.95000, 13.10000]

( Bocage 1895b:51; Monard 1938:55; Perret

1976a:16; Frost 1985:43, 2016; Ruas 1996:22).

Namibe: “Assunção” [-14.86667, 13.10000]

(Poynton and Haacke 1993:12; Ruas 1996:22).

Undetermined Locality: “arid territories along the coast” ( Cei 1977:17).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

Bocage (1895b) described Bufo dombensis

(Bocage, 1895) based on eighteen specimens,

the whereabouts of only some are now known.

Poynton (1964 in Poynton and Broadley 1988)

considered B. dombensis to be subspecies of

Bufo vertebralis Smith 1842 ( Frost 1985), an interpretation that was not followed in later works (Poynton and Broadley 1988). Perret MAP 9. Distribution of Poyntonophrynus dombensis in Angola.

(1976a) studied the type specimens in Museu

Bocage and found two of the syntypes, which were later destroyed in the fire in Lisbon in 1978.

Poyntonophrynus grandisonae (Poynton and Haacke, 1993) GRANDISON’S TOAD (Endemic)

Bufo grandisonae Poynton and Haacke 1993:11 . Holotype: TM 40150 (collector W. D. Haacke). Type locality: “ 5 km E of Assuncão, Mossamedes District ” (Poynton and Haacke 1993:11), [= 5 km E of Assunção, Namibe] Namibe Province, Angola.

Bufo grandisonae : Ruas (1996:22), Channing (2001:73).

Poyntonophrynus grandisonae : Frétey et al. (2011:24), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Data Deficient.

Global distribution: The species is known only from Angola.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 10): The species is known only from Namibe Province from coastal regions on granite inselbergs

(Poynton and Haacke 1993; Channing 2001;

Frost 2016). Namibe: “ 5 km E of Assunção ”

[-14.86667, 13.10000] (Poynton and Haacke

1993:11; Ruas 1996:22); “Caraculo”

[-15.01667, 12.66667] (Poynton and Haacke

1993:11; Ruas 1996:22); “Salona river, 2 km N

of Cainde” [-15.48333, 13.36667] (Poynton and Haacke 1993:11; Ruas 1996:22); “ 20 km

W of Virei ” [-15.66667, 12.76667] (Poynton and Haacke 1993:11; Ruas 1996:22) .

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

This species exhibits the features of the

Poyntonophrynus “ vertebralis group,” and while resembling P. dombensis ( Bocage,

1895a), it differs in several morphological MAP 10. Distribution of Poyntonophrynus grandisonae traits (Poynton and Haacke 1993; Channing in Angola.

2001).

Poyntonophrynus kavangensis (Poynton and Broadley, 1988) KAVANGO TOAD

Bufo kavangensis Poynton and Broadley 1988:472 , fig. 1. Holotype: NMZB 19074 (collector H.D. Jackson). Type locality: “ Khwai River , Botswana.”

Bufo kavangensis : Poynton and Haacke (1993:13), Ruas (1996:22, 2002:142), Channing (2001:80).

Poyntonophrynus kavangensis : Frétey et al. (2011:24), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN):

Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is known from southwestern Angola to northern

Namibia and adjacent Botswana and Zimbabwe. It is likely to occur in adjacent Zambia.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 11): The species occurs in southern Angola near the Namibian border, and there is one published record further north. Moxico: “Calombe, Luso” [-11.83333, 19.93333] ( Ruas

1996:22, 2002:142). Cunene: “ 23 km NW of

Pereira de Eça – Roçadas” [-16.95000,

15.56667] (Poynton and Haacke 1993:13; Ruas

1996:22).

Taxonomic and distributional notes:

When describing Bufo kavangensis, Poynton and Broadley (1988) mentioned that its distri- MAP 11. Distribution of Poyntonophrynus kavangensis in bution extends across northern Zimbabwe, Angola.

northern Botswana, northern Namibia, and neighboring southern Angola. The record by Ruas (1996) is from further north in “Calombe,” which calls into question the identification of the specimen. However, Ruas (1996) noted that this northern extension might relate to the historical distribution of the Kalahari sands. This species is known from temporary pools and flooded grasslands (Poynton and Broadley 1985a; Poynton and Haacke 1993; Channing 2001).