Crystal Mountains (Africa)

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Crystal Mountains
Crystal Mountains (Africa)
Naming
Native nameMonts de Cristal (French)
Geography
Location Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola

Crystal Mountains (Monts de Cristal) is a group of low mountains (or hills, as all peaks are below 1,000 metres or 3,300 feet) inland of the Atlantic coast of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola. It is the edge of the interior Woleu-Ntem Plateau against the coastal lowland which has a steep descent deeply cut by streams and waterfalls. [1]

Part of the area is preserved in Gabon as the Crystal Mountains National Park. Mont Mbilan is the highest point (about 925 metres or 3,030 feet) in the park. Seni Mont (611 metres or 2,005 feet) receives the highest rainfall in all of Gabon (350 centimetres or 140 inches per year). [2]

Fauna

Two species of frogs, Leptopelis crystallinoron and Leptodactylodon stevarti , are only known from the Crystal Mountains. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

Birougou National Park, also known as the Monts Birougou Wetlands is a national park in central Gabon. It contains extremely dense rain forest in the Chaillu Mountains and is one of the two parks where the endemic sun-tailed guenon, a monkey first described in 1988, can be found. It is named after Mount Birougou,1.83816°S 12.31702°E, 975 metres in altitude, one of the highest peaks in the country.

Leptodactylodon bueanus is a species of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon and known from the eastern slope of Mount Cameroon and from Bimbia Hill near Limbe. It was originally described as a subspecies of Leptodactylodon albiventris and is also similar to Leptodactylodon stevarti.

Leptodactylodon stevarti is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is known with certainty only from the area of its type locality, Monts de Cristal in northwestern Gabon. Only two specimens are known. However, there is an uncertain record from Equatorial Guinea that could represent this species or other, undescribed species. The specific name stevarti honours Tariq Stévart from the University of Brussels, an expert in western Central African orchids who help with the fieldwork. Common name Stévart's egg frog has been coined for the species.

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

Hyperolius ocellatus is a species of tropical West African frog in the family Hyperoliidae, that is split into the subspecies H. o. ocellatus and H. o. purpurescens. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Uganda, and possibly Rwanda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, intermittent freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, ponds, and canals and ditches.

<i>Leptopelis aubryi</i> Species of amphibian

Leptopelis aubryi, also known as the Aubry's tree frog and Gaboon forest treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, western and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.

Leptopelis boulengeri is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and western Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is expected to be found in the Central African Republic and the Cabinda Enclave of Angola. Common name Victoria forest treefrog has been coined for it, apparently in reference to its type locality, "Victoria, Kamerun", now known as Limbe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameroon forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Cameroon forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It is expected to occur in southwestern Central African Republic and in the Republic of the Congo, but no records have been confirmed from those countries.

<i>Leptopelis calcaratus</i> Species of amphibian

Leptopelis calcaratus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, the southwestern Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Common name Efulen forest treefrog has been coined for it.

Leptopelis christyi, also known as the Christy's tree frog or Christy's forest treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is known with confidence from eastern and northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, southern and western Uganda, and northwestern Tanzania. It is likely to occur in Burundi and Rwanda, possibly ranging further in East Africa. There is an isolated population in Cameroon and Gabon that might represent a distinct species.

Leptopelis crystallinoron is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Gabon and only known from the area its type locality near the Barrage de Tchimbélé in the central Monts de Cristal. Only one specimen was known until five specimens were captured in the Crystal Mountains National Park in 2009. It is probable that this species is endemic to the Monts de Cristal and that its range extends into Equatorial Guinea.

The Angola forest tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae found in an area from southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and north-western Zambia to central Angola. It is a common frog found in gallery forests, dry forests and well-wooded humid savanna.

Leptopelis modestus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. Its common names are modest forest treefrog and plain tree frog.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Tai forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Liberia, southern Ivory Coast, and Ghana. Records from Nigeria are controversial and may refer to other species, possibly Leptopelis boulengeri.

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The Kala forest tree frog, Leptopelis omissus, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria, and possibly Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Leptopelis parbocagii, also known as Lake Upemba forest treefrog or cryptic tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. The specific name parbocagii refers to its similarity to Leptopelis bocagii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The red tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeasternmost Nigeria, western Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, western Gabon, the lower Republic of the Congo, the lower Democratic Republic of the Congo, and northwestern Angola. It has been confused with several other species, in particular with the palm forest tree frog Leptopelis palmatus.

<i>Leptopelis viridis</i> Species of frog

Leptopelis viridis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is widely distributed in the West and Central African savanna zone between Senegal and the Gambia to the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Leptopelis zebra is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southern Cameroon south of Sanaga River and in Gabon.

References

  1. Leal, M.E. & Stevart, T. (2007). The biodiversity of Nkol Madouaka (PDF). Missouri Botanical Garden.
  2. "Le Parc National des Monts de Cristal | Gabon des services". gabon-services.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2014-02-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2017). "Leptodactylodon stevarti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T54438A96312311. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T54438A96312311.en .
  4. Rödel, M.-O.; Pauwels, O. & Lötters, S. (2006). "Leptopelis crystallinoron". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2006: e.T61799A12549978. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2006.RLTS.T61799A12549978.en .

0°48′18″N10°09′36″E / 0.805°N 10.16°E / 0.805; 10.16