Afrixalus clarkei

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Afrixalus clarkei
Afrixalus clarkei.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Afrixalus
Species:
A. clarkei
Binomial name
Afrixalus clarkei
Largen, 1974 [2]
Synonyms [3]

Afrixalus clarkeorumLargen, 1974 (unjustified emendation)

Contents

Afrixalus clarkei is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. [1] [3] [4] It is endemic to southwestern Ethiopia and has been recorded from near Chira, Jimma, Bonga, and Bodare. [3] [5] The specific name clarkei honours Mr and Mrs R. O. S. Clarke (hence emendation to plural clarkeorum, [6] but such change is nevertheless considered unjustified under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature [7] ), who are acknowledged for their help and hospitality. [2] [6] Common name Clarke's banana frog has been coined for this species. [1] [3] [8]

Description

Adult males measure 20–23 mm (0.8–0.9 in) [2] [4] and adult females 23–24 mm (0.9–0.9 in) in snout–vent length. [2] [5] The head is broad with short snout. The tympanum ranges from completely hidden to somewhat noticeable. The fingers are unwebbed or have some webbing between the fingers III and IV. The toes are moderately webbed. Dorsal skin is smooth, but chest and abdomen may be rather coarsely granular. The dorsum is yellow-green to bright green, sometimes rarely olive to dark brown, with some scattered small white flecks and larger dark brown spots. There is a pair of dorsolateral lines or rows of dark brown spots, and broad brown lateral stripe running from the tip of the snout over the eye and reaching almost the groin. Males have yellow gular flap. [2]

The male advertisement call consists of an initial creak, followed by a small number of metallic clicks. [2] [4]

Habitat and conservation

Afrixalus clarkei is found in tropical deciduous forests and forest edges as well as in some moderately modified secondary habitats such as coffee plantations [1] at elevations of 820–2,030 m (2,690–6,660 ft) above sea level. [5] It has recently been recorded also in marshes and riverine floodplains in open disturbed landscapes. [5] Afrixalus clarkei breeds in marshy pools with emergent vegetation. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by selective logging and encroachment of agriculture and human settlements. It is present in the Kafa Biosphere Reserve. [1]

Related Research Articles

The golden banana frog, golden dwarf reed frog, golden spiny reed frog, or golden leaf-folding frog is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in lowland coastal plains of eastern South Africa, Swaziland, and southern Mozambique. The AmphibiaWeb includes Afrixalus crotalus in this species as a subspecies, whereas the Amphibian Species of the World and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species treat A. crotalus as a full species.

<i>Afrixalus</i> Genus of amphibians

Afrixalus, commonly known as the banana frogs, spiny reed frogs, cat's eye reed frogs, or leaf-folding frogs, is a genus of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. They occur in the Subsaharan Africa. They lay their eggs in vegetation above water, often folding leaves around the eggs for protection—hence the common name "leaf-folding frogs".

Afrixalus crotalus is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Malawi, central Mozambique, and eastern Zimbabwe. It might be a subspecies of Afrixalus aureus, a position adopted by the AmphibiaWeb. It is sometimes known as the Zimbabwe banana frog or snoring spiny reed frog.

<i>Afrixalus delicatus</i> Species of amphibian

Afrixalus delicatus, the delicate leaf-folding frog, delicate spiny reed frog or Pickersgill's banana frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Southern and Eastern Africa, from eastern South Africa and Swaziland northward through Mozambique, the low altitude parts of Malawi and Tanzania, southeastern Kenya to southern Somalia.

Afrixalus equatorialis, also known as the Congo banana frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the central parts of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and southeastern Cameroon, and is likely to be found in the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic too. It might be conspecific with Afrixalus nigeriensis and is closely related to Afrixalus leucostictus.

Afrixalus lacteus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and known from a few mountains in the western part of the country; specifically, it has been recorded from Mount Manengouba, Mount Nlonaka, and the southern Bamileke Highlands. Common name Cameroon banana frog has been coined for it. Prior to its description, it was confused with Afrixalus lindholmi.

Afrixalus leucostictus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to eastern and central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its relationship with Afrixalus equatorialis is not fully understood. Common names Makese banana frog and speckled spiny reed frog have been proposed for it.

Afrixalus lindholmi is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and only known from the holotype collected in Bibundi, in the coastal area of Mount Cameroon. Its taxonomic validity is in question.

<i>Afrixalus morerei</i> Species of frog

Afrixalus morerei is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania. It was originally described as a subspecies of Afrixalus septentrionalis, but is currently recognized as a full species. The specific name morerei honours Jean-Jacques Morère, a French herpetologist from the National Museum of Natural History, Paris. Its common names are Morère's spiny reed frog, Dabaga's leaf-folding frog, and Morere's banana frog.

Afrixalus osorioi is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, western Kenya, and Uganda. The specific name osorioi honours Balthazar Osório, a Portuguese ichthyologist. Its common names include Angola banana frog, Osorio's spiny reed frog, Congro spiny reed frog, and forest tree frog.

Afrixalus uluguruensis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common name is Uluguru banana frog. It is endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and known from the Kipengere Range, Mahenge, Udzungwa Scarp, Rubeho, North Uluguru, Nguru, Ukaguru, and Nguu Mountains.

Afrixalus upembae is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is known from the lower Katanga Province, although its true distribution might be wider; possibly reaching eastern Angola. It belongs to the taxonomically unresolved "Afrixalus quadrivittatus complex", and it is not even clear that it is a valid species.

Afrixalus vibekensis, sometimes known as the Nimba banana frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is confirmed to exist in two locations in Côte d'Ivoire and one in Ghana, and it possibly occurs in Guinea and Liberia. It was originally described as subspecies of Afrixalus laevis. The type locality is in Côte d'Ivoire near Mount Nimba.

Afrixalus weidholzi is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common name is Weidholz's banana frog or Weidholz's leaf-folding frog.

<i>Hyperolius kihangensis</i> Species of amphibian

Hyperolius kihangensis, also known as the Kihanga reed frog or volcano reed frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains in south-central Tanzania.

<i>Hyperolius nasutus</i> Species of frog

Hyperolius nasutus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Common names include long-nosed reed frog, sharp-nosed reed frog and long reed frog. It is known from northern Angola and northern Botswana, but it presumably occurs more widely. The nominal Hyperolius nasutus was partitioned in 2013 into three cryptic species, the other two being Hyperolius viridis and Hyperolius microps. All these species are members of the so-called Hyperolius nasutus species group, the "long reed frogs".

Leptopelis susanae is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to southwest Ethiopia and known from the Gughe Mountains and Saja Forest. The specific name susanae honours Susan, the wife of the describer, Malcolm Largen. Common names Susan's tree frog and Susana's [sic] forest treefrog have been coined for this species.

Leptopelis yaldeni is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia and occurs in the montane highlands in Gojjam. Its range might be limited by the deep gorges of the Blue Nile. It is named in honour of Derek Yalden, a British zoologist who collected some of the types. Common names Yalden's tree frog and grassland forest treefrog have been coined for this species.

Phrynobatrachus inexpectatus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to southern Ethiopia. It is known with confidence from only three localities, but it may be more widely distributed in the Ethiopian Highlands. The specific name inexpectatus refers to the unexpected discovery of this species among museum specimens assigned to Phrynobatrachus minutus. Common names unexpected puddle frog and Largen's dwarf puddle frog have been coined for it.

Ptychadena wadei is a species of frog in the family Ptychadenidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia and only known from a small area southeast of Lake Tana, in the upper reaches of the Blue Nile. The specific name wadei honours Edward O.Z. Wade, an English illustrator and herpetology enthusiast who drew some of the illustrations accompanying the species description. Common name Wade's grass frog has been coined for it.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, (2020). "Afrixalus clarkei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T56057A175770500. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T56057A175770500.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Largen, Malcolm J. (1974). "The status of the genus Afrixalus (Amphibia, Anura, Hyperoliidae) in Ethiopia, including descriptions of two new species". Monitore Zoologico Italiano. Nuova Serie, Supplemento. 5: 111–127. doi: 10.1080/03749444.1974.10736796 .
  3. 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Afrixalus clarkei Largen, 1974". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Afrixalus clarkei". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mertens, Jan; Jocque, Merlijn; Geeraert, Lore & De Beenhouwer, Matthias (2016). "Newly discovered populations of the Ethiopian endemic and endangered Afrixalus clarkei Largen, implications for conservation". ZooKeys (565): 141–146. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.565.7114 . PMC   4820099 . PMID   27081339.
  6. 1 2 Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 43. ISBN   978-1-907807-42-8.
  7. ↑ Dubois, Alain (2007). "Genitives of species and subspecies nomina derived from personal names should not be emended". Zootaxa. 1550 (1): 49–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1550.1.2.
  8. ↑ Afrixalus clarkei media from ARKive
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