Arthroleptis palava

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Arthroleptis palava
Arthroleptis palava05.jpeg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Arthroleptidae
Genus: Arthroleptis
Species:
A. palava
Binomial name
Arthroleptis palava
Blackburn, Gvoždík, and Leaché, 2010 [2]

Arthroleptis palava, also known as the problem squeaker frog or simply problem squeaker, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the highlands of northern Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. [1] [3] [4] [5] The specific name palava is a Central/West-African pidgin word meaning "problem" and alludes to the past confusion of this species with the morphologically similar Arthroleptis poecilonotus . [2]

Contents

A specimen with a mid-dorsal stripe Arthroleptis palava04.jpeg
A specimen with a mid-dorsal stripe
Ventral view Arthroleptis palava03.jpeg
Ventral view

Description

Adult males measure 22–24 mm (0.9–0.9 in) and adult females 24–29 mm (0.9–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The body is robust and the limbs are stout. The snout is triangular in dorsal view and blunt in lateral view. The tympanum is visible but not distinct. The fingers and the toes are stout with rounded and swollen tips. No webbing is present. Skin is glandular and wrinkled in the posterior surface of the venter but otherwise just slightly tuberculate. Dorsal colouration ranges from pale to medium brown with small, dark brown to almost black markings. A pale cream mid-dorsal stripe is present in some individuals. Ventral surfaces of the throat and body are grey to white with dark brown markings. The iris is golden with black vermiculations. [2]

Habitat and conservation

Arthroleptis palava occurs in various human-modified landscapes, including eucalyptus plantations and farmland, and in grazed grasslands, at elevations of 1,000–1,900 m (3,300–6,200 ft) above sea level. Development is believed to be direct [1] (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage [6] ), as in related species. [1]

There are no threats to this species that is associated with human-altered environments and has a relatively wide distribution. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Arthroleptis</i> Genus of amphibians

Arthroleptis is a genus of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae found in tropical sub-Saharan Africa. Their common names include screeching frogs, sometimes simply squeakers.

Arthroleptis adolfifriederici is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda. Several common names have been coined for it, including Rugege Forest squeaker, Rugegewald squeaker, Adolf Friedrich's squeaker frog, and Adolf's squeaker.

Arthroleptis bivittatus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Guinea and only known from the holotype collected from the Tombo Island. It is uncertain whether this species is distinct from the common Arthroleptis poecilonotus. Common name Tumbo-Insel screeching frog has been coined for this species.

<i>Arthroleptis carquejai</i> Species of frog

Arthroleptis carquejai is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is known with certainty only from north-western Angola, but there is also a recent record from Gabon. If this is correct, its distribution might also include intervening areas in the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The specific name carquejai honours Bento Carqueja, Portuguese professor, journalist, and philanthropist. The common names Cambondo screeching frog and Carqueja's squeaker have been proposed for it.

<i>Arthroleptis francei</i> Species of frog

Arthroleptis francei is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Mount Mulanje in southern Malawi and in Mount Namuli and Mount Mabu in northern Mozambique. Records from the Zomba Massif (Malawi) require confirmation. Common names Ruo River screeching frog and France's squeaker have been coined for it.

Arthroleptis lameerei is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in northeastern Angola, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and western Burundi, though the exact range is poorly known. There is some doubt whether it is distinct from Arthroleptis xenochirus. The specific name lameerei honours Auguste Lameere, a Belgian entomologist. Common names Lameere's squeaker, Lameer's squeaker, and Katanga screeching frog have been coined for this species.

Arthroleptis nikeae, also known as Nike's squeaker, is a species of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the Mafwemiro Reserve in the Rubeho Mountains of Tanzania. It was named after conservationist Nike Doggart, who first found it. With a maximum snout–vent length of 57 mm (2.2 in), it is among the largest Arthroleptis species.

<i>Arthroleptis poecilonotus</i> Species of frog

Arthroleptis poecilonotus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. This adaptable species has a wide range within the Sub-Saharan Africa and is not considered threatened.

Arthroleptis reichei is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of eastern and southern Tanzania and northern Malawi. It has several vernacular names: Poroto screeching frog, large-toad squeaker, Poroto Mountains screeching frog, and Reiche's squeaker. The specific name reichei honours Karl Friedrich Reiche, a German botanist.

Arthroleptis schubotzi, also known as the Burundi screeching frog, Schubotz's squeaker, and Kivu dwarf litter frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the African Rift Valley in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kivu), southwestern Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, and western Uganda. There are taxonomic problems in delimiting this species.

<i>Arthroleptis tanneri</i> Species of amphibian

Arthroleptis tanneri, the Tanzania screeching frog or Tanner's squeaker, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the West Usambara Mountains in northeastern Tanzania; previous records from elsewhere refer to other species.

<i>Arthroleptis variabilis</i> Species of amphibian

Arthroleptis variabilis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the lowlands of eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Earlier records west from Nigeria refer to other species, including Arthroleptis krokosua described in 2008. Common names Buea screeching frog and variable squeaker frog have been coined for it.

Arthroleptis vercammeni, also known as the Mwana screeching frog or Vercammen's squeaker, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and is only known from its type locality at Mwana in Mwenga Territory, South Kivu province. The specific name vercammeni honours Paul-Henry Vercammen-Grandjean, entomologist and virologist from France/Belgium.

Cardioglossa elegans is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southwestern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and south to central Gabon. Common name elegant long-fingered frog has been coined for it.

Cardioglossa nigromaculata is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the south-western Cameroon and in the extreme southern Nigeria at low altitudes. Common name blackspotted long-fingered frog has been coined for it.

<i>Cardioglossa oreas</i> Species of frog

Cardioglossa oreas is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and known from the Western High Plateau between Mount Oku and the Bamboutos Mountains. Records from Mount Manengouba refer to Cardioglossa manengouba.

Cardioglossa pulchra is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the Cameroon Range in western Cameroon and in the Obudu Plateau in adjacent eastern Nigeria. Common name black long-fingered frog has been coined for it.

Cardioglossa schioetzi is a species of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. Specifically, it has been recorded from the Oshie-Obudu Range, Gotel Mountains, Mount Oku, and Mount Mbam. It is a generally poorly known species.

Arthroleptis nlonakoensis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to southwestern Cameroon and known from its type locality, the eponymous Mount Nlonako, and from two other locations in southwestern Cameroon. Common name Nlonako squeaker has been proposed for it.

Arthroleptis bioko, the Bioko squeaker frog, is a species of frog from the genus Arthroleptis. It's native to Equatorial Guinea. The species was scientifically described in 2010 by Blackburn. It's listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2013). "Arthroleptis palava". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T16577598A16577601. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T16577598A16577601.en . Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Blackburn, David C.; Gvoždík, Václav & Leaché, Adam D. (2010). "A new squeaker frog (Arthroleptidae: Arthroleptis) from the mountains of Cameroon and Nigeria". Herpetologica. 66 (3): 335–348. doi:10.1655/HERPETOLOGICA-D-10-00015.1. JSTOR   40931039. S2CID   53366613.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2022). "Arthroleptis palava Blackburn, Gvoždík, and Leaché, 2010". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001 . Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  4. "Arthroleptis palava". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  5. Channing, Allan & Rödel, Mark-Oliver (2019). Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 262. ISBN   978-1-77584-512-6.
  6. Vitt, Laurie J. & Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 166.