Hyperolius occidentalis

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Hyperolius occidentalis
Bonn zoological bulletin - Hyperolius occidentalis.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Hyperolius
Species:
H. occidentalis
Binomial name
Hyperolius occidentalis
Schiøtz  [ fr ], 1967

Hyperolius occidentalis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common name is western reed frog. It is found in the coastal lowlands of westernmost West Africa in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Description

Males measure 19–29 mm (0.75–1.14 in) and females 29–34 mm (1.1–1.3 in) in snout–vent length. [4] The dorsum is green and may have a darker hourglass pattern. The toes and thighs are reddish. The pupils are horizontal. The toes and fingers have circummarginal disks. [5] The male advertisement call is a double or triple "click". [4] In the Bissagos Islands, the species was found in vegetation about half a meter above the ground, mostly on leaf surfaces or twigs of shrubs. During the heat of the day, they may assume a characteristic resting position to reduce water loss. [6]

Hyperolius occidentalis is very similar to Hyperolius picturatus and the two might even be the same species, [2] perhaps with H. occidentalis being a western subspecies of H. picturatus. [4]

Habitat and conservation

Hyperolius occidentalis lives in heavily degraded former forests (farm bush) within the forest zone, and in gallery forests within the savanna zone. It also occurs on cultivated land, such as irrigated rice fields. Breeding takes place in temporary and permanent pools. [1]

Hyperolius occidentalis is a very common species. It is adaptable, unlikely to face any significant threats, and probably occurs in several protected areas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as of "Least Concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

Hyperolius baumanni is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is known from the Akwapim-Togo Ranges along the border between Ghana and Togo and from central Ghana. Common name Baumann's reed frog has been coined for this species.

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

Hyperolius concolor, also known as the variable reed frog or Hallowell's sedge frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa.

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

Hyperolius fusciventris is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa between Sierra Leone in the west and western Cameroon in the east. Common name lime reed frog has been coined for this species.

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

Hyperolius guttulatus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa between Sierra Leone in the west and Gabon in the east/south. Common name dotted reed frog has been coined for this species.

<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 minutissimus</i> Species of frog

Hyperolius minutissimus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common names are tiny reed frog and dwarf reed frog. It is endemic to Tanzania and known from the Udzungwa Mountains and from near Njombe in the Southern Highlands.

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

Hyperolius mitchelli is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in the area between northeastern Tanzania, Malawi, and central Mozambique.

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

Hyperolius picturatus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in northern and eastern Sierra Leone, southern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana; its range might extend to Togo. Common names coined for this species are Tanzania reed frog and variable montane sedge frog.

Hyperolius pseudargus, also known as the Mette's reed frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to south-central Tanzania and occurs in the Udzungwa Mountains and south to Njombe in the Southern Highlands. Male Hyperolius pseudargus greatly resemble Hyperolius argus but have less webbing between the toes and the male advertisement call is different. The vernacular name refers to Mette Westergaard, Danish biologist who collected the holotype and is the junior describer of this species.

Hyperolius sheldricki is a species of small frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to southeast Kenya. The type locality is in the Tsavo East National Park.

Hyperolius sylvaticus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and western Cameroon, with a gap in Benin. It is also likely to occur in Liberia. Common name Bobiri reed frog has been coined for this species.

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

Hyperolius tanneri is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to the West Usambara Mountains in northeastern Tanzania. Common name Tanner's reed frog has been coined for this species.

Hyperolius torrentis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is known from the Akwapim-Togo Ranges along the border between Ghana and Togo as well as from northeastern Benin. Common name Ukami reed frog has been coined for this species.

Hyperolius wermuthi is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Ivory Coast, southern Guinea, and Liberia. The correct name for this species is likely Hyperolius soror. It is so similar to Hyperolius fusciventris that it has likely been overlooked elsewhere in West Africa. Common name Wermuth's reed frog has been coined for this species.

Kassina fusca is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. Its common name is brown running frog or pale running frog. It is found in the West African savanna zone in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger, and Nigeria. It probably occurs in Guinea-Bissau, although there are no records from there.

Savannah forest tree frog Species of amphibian

The savannah forest tree frog or ground tree frog, Leptopelis bufonides, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa. The relationship of this species with Leptopelis bocagei is not fully settled.

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

Leptopelis macrotis, sometimes called the big-eyed forest tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the rainforests of Sierra Leone, southern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and southern Ghana. Notice that similar common name "big-eyed tree frog" is sometimes used for Leptopelis vermiculatus from Tanzania and for Litoria exophthalmia from New Guinea.

The Tai forest tree frog, Leptopelis occidentalis, 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.

Aubria subsigillata, commonly known as the brown ball frog or the West African brown frog, is a species of frog belonging to the family Pyxicephalidae. It has a discontinuous distribution from southern Guinea through Liberia and Ivory Coast, and from Nigeria to southern Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea to Gabon. However, the species delimitation differs between sources, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has adopted a narrower view where this species only occurs in Cameroon and southward.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Hyperolius occidentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T56173A18380133. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56173A18380133.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Hyperolius occidentalis Schiøtz, 1967". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  3. "Hyperolius occidentalis Schiøtz, 1967". African Amphibians. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Hyperolius occidentalis". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2002. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  5. Mol, R.; Westra, S. (November 2015). "Small terrestrial mammal and amphibian survey Boé region, Guinea-Bissau" (PDF). Hoog-Keppel, the Netherlands: Silvavir Forest Consultants. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  6. Auliya, Mark; Wagner, Philipp; Böhme, Wolfgang (December 2012). "The herpetofauna of the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau (West Africa) and a first country-wide checklist" (PDF). Bonn Zoological Bulletin. 61 (2): 255–281.