Afrixalus lacteus

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Afrixalus lacteus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Afrixalus
Species:
A. lacteus
Binomial name
Afrixalus lacteus
Perret  [ fr ], 1976 [2]

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 (its type locality), Mount Nlonaka, and the southern Bamileke Highlands (Mount Bana, Foto, and Batie). Common name Cameroon banana frog has been coined for it. [1] [3] Prior to its description, it was confused with Afrixalus lindholmi . [2] [3]

Contents

Description

Adult males measure 22–27 mm (0.9–1.1 in) and adult females 25–29 mm (1.0–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The overall appearance is stocky. The fingers are about one-third webbed and the toes are half webbed; both finger and toe tips bear large discs. The colouration varies by the time of the day: during the daytime, the dorsum is almost completely milky white, with few brown chromatophores, whereas at night, there are numerous brown chromatophores and the dorsum may be completely brown. The canthus rostralis is always brown. The thighs, hands, and feet are lemon yellow. [2] [4] [5]

The male advertisement call is a rather quiet, high-pitched buzzing. [4] [5]

Habitat and conservation

Afrixalus lacteus is found in montane forests (including secondary forest and forest edges) and in Raffia palm swamps at elevations of 1,200–1,900 m (3,900–6,200 ft) above sea level. Males call from the canopy of trees close to streams where breeding takes place. [1]

Afrixalus lacteus is an uncommon species known from only few localities. It is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation associated with agricultural encroachment and collection of wood. On Mount Manengouba a specific threat is deforestation caused by unsustainable harvesting of Prunus africana . Afrixalus lacteus is not known from any protected area. [1]

Related Research Articles

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Sphaenorhynchus lacteus, the Orinoco lime treefrog or greater hatchet-faced treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is a widely distributed species found in the Orinoco and Amazon basins in Venezuela, the Guianas, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. It also occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.

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

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

Afrixalus clarkei is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to southwestern Ethiopia and has been recorded from near Chira, Jimma, Bonga, and Bodare. The specific name clarkei honours Mr and Mrs R. O. S. Clarke, who are acknowledged for their help and hospitality. Common name Clarke's banana frog has been coined for this species.

<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 laevis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Cameroon, northern Gabon, Bioko, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and southwestern Uganda. Its range may extend to the neighboring countries. Common names smooth spiny reed frog and Liberia banana frog have been coined 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.

Afrixalus orophilus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and southwestern Uganda. Common names Kivu banana frog, montane spiny reed frog, and two-lined leaf-gluing frog has been coined for it.

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.

<i>Alexteroon jynx</i> Species of amphibian

Alexteroon jynx is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the Rumpi Hills in southwestern Cameroon. The common name smooth egg-guarding frog has been proposed for this species.

Hyperolius bopeleti, also known as the Dizangue reed frog or Bopelet's reed frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the coastal southwestern Cameroon. The specific name bopeleti honours M. Bopelet, a Cameroonian biologist.

Hyperolius camerunensis is a species of reed frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to western and southwestern Cameroon.

Hyperolius dintelmanni is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and found in the montane southwestern part of the country. Specifically, it has been recorded from the Bakossi Mountains, including the Edib Hills and Mount Kupe. The specific name, dintelmanni, honors Mr. Horst Dintelmann from Germany in recognition of "his support of taxonomic research and forthcoming conservation projects in Cameroon".

Hyperolius discodactylus is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in the montane areas of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. It is also known as the Albertine Rift reed frog, highland reed frog, or disc-fingered reed frog.

Hyperolius kuligae is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southwestern Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea and eastward to the central Democratic Republic of the Congo; it probably occurs in northern Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic too. It is also reported from Uganda, but the status of this population is unclear. The specific name kuligae honours Paul Kuliga (1878–1948), a physician who joined an expedition to Cameroon in 1936. Common names Camp Kivu reed frog and Kuliga reed frog have been proposed for it.

Petropedetes perreti is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. It is known from the southern slopes of the Bamiléké Plateau, Mount Manengouba, and Mount Nlonako. Common name Perret's water frog has been coined for it.

<i>Phrynobatrachus cricogaster</i> Species of amphibian

Phrynobatrachus cricogaster is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and southeastern Nigeria. Common name Nkongsamba river frog has been coined for it. The specific name cricogaster is derived from the Greek krikos for "ring" and gaster for "belly", in reference to the prominent ring pattern on its venter.

Ptychadena perreti is a species of frog in the family Ptychadenidae. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, southwestern Central African Republic and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It might occur in the Cabinda enclave of Angola and mainland Equatorial Guinea. Common name Perret's grassland frog has been coined for it.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2017). "Afrixalus lacteus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T56066A16814704. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T56066A16814704.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Perret, J.-L. (1976). "Identité de quelques Afrixalus (Amphibia, Salientia, Hyperoliidae)". Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences Naturelles. 99: 19–28.
  3. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Afrixalus lacteus Perret, 1976". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Afrixalus lacteus". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Afrixalus lacteus Perret, 1976". African Amphibians. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
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