Hyperolius sheldricki

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Hyperolius sheldricki
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Hyperolius
Species:
H. sheldricki
Binomial name
Hyperolius sheldricki
Duff-MacKay and Schiøtz  [ fr ], 1971 [2]
Synonyms [3]

Hyperolius viridiflavus sheldricki — Laurent, 1976

Hyperolius sheldricki (common names: Sheldrick's reed frog, Aruba Dam reed frog) is a species of small frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to southeast Kenya. [1] [3] [4] The type locality is in the Tsavo East National Park. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Etymology

The specific name sheldricki honours David Sheldrick, warden of Tsavo East National Park, "in appreciation of his invaluable help and hospitality over many years on occasions when we [Duff-MacKay and Schiøtz] ... have been at Tsavo". [2]

Taxonomy

Hyperolius sheldricki belongs to the Hyperolius viridiflavus species complex, and there is debate whether it warrants a full species status. [1] [3] [4]

Description

Males measure 18–24 mm (0.71–0.94 in) in snout–vent length. The vocal sac is very large and has a large, protective flap. The toes have extensive webbing. There is a fairly conspicuous conical protuberance in the upper eyelid. Regarding the colouration, there are two phases. Males in the "female" phase have dark brown stripes on a light brown background. Scattered over the back and upper parts of the arms and legs, there are dark brown spots. The belly is white. The hands, feet, femur, and tibia a dark maroon in their undersides. For males in the "juvenile" phase, the dorsum is a more or less uniform and whitish. [2]

Habitat and conservation

This species occurs in emergent vegetation at the margins of swamps, rivers and lakes in a variety of habitats (dry savanna, shrubland, and grassland, as well as many anthropogenic habitats, including cultivated land). It spreads rapidly into new waterbodies. Breeding takes place in ponds (from very small to very large), usually temporary ones. The eggs are laid directly into the water. [1] Males have been found calling in grass bordering or in temporary ponds within few days from the first heavy rains after dry periods. [2]

The species is known with certainty from only two localities, one of them in the Tsavo East National Park, but presumably occurs more widely. The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group has assessed the species as "Data Deficient". [1]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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<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.

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.

Major David Leslie William Sheldrick, MBE was a Kenyan farmer and park warden, in memory of whom the eponymous David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) was created by his widow, Daphne in Nairobi.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2021). "Hyperolius sheldricki". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T56205A158472008. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Duff-MacKay, A.; Schiøtz, Arne (1971). "A new Hyperolius (Amphibia, Anura) from Kenya". Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum. 29: 1–3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Hyperolius sheldricki Duff-MacKay and Schiøtz, 1971". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Hyperolius sheldricki". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
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