Hyperolius torrentis

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

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 [1] [2] [3] [4] as well as from northeastern Benin. [2] [5] Common name Ukami reed frog has been coined for this species. [2] [3]

Frog Order of amphibians

A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura. The oldest fossil "proto-frog" appeared in the early Triassic of Madagascar, but molecular clock dating suggests their origins may extend further back to the Permian, 265 million years ago. Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics to subarctic regions, but the greatest concentration of species diversity is in tropical rainforests. There are over 6,300 recorded species, accounting for around 88% of extant amphibian species. They are also one of the five most diverse vertebrate orders. Warty frog species tend to be called toads, but the distinction between frogs and toads is informal, not from taxonomy or evolutionary history.

Hyperoliidae family of amphibians

The Hyperoliidae, or sedge frogs and bush frogs, are a large family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored frogs which contains more than 250 species in 19 genera. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the monotypic genus Tachycnemis occurs on the Seychelles Islands, and the genus Heterixalus is endemic to Madagascar.

Ghana Republic in West Africa

Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located along the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean, in the subregion of West Africa. Spanning a land mass of 238,535 km2 (92,099 sq mi), Ghana is bordered by the Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, Togo in the east and the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean in the south. Ghana means "Warrior King" in the Soninke language.

Contents

Description

Hyperolius torrentis is a relatively large member of its genus, with males measuring 31–38 mm (1.2–1.5 in) and females about 41 mm (1.6 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is uniformly yellow to brown or olive. Some males portray a darker albeit diffuse hour-glass pattern. The ventrum is yellowish orange. The discs are pink. Males have a small, circular gular flap. [3] [4]

Gular skin

Gular skin, in ornithology, is an area of featherless skin on birds that joins the lower mandible of the beak to the bird's neck. Other vertebrate taxa may have a comparable anatomical structure that is referred to as either a gular sac, throat sac, vocal sac or gular fold.

The male advertisement call is an irregular series of "clicks" that have high intensity and a rather long duration; Hyperolius torrentis males sound "larger" than the sympatric H. concolor and H. baumanni . [4]

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.

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.

Habitat and conservation

Hyperolius torrentis is a forest species. Its range is an area where forests are severely degraded, but it does not occur outside forests. It is closely associated with very fast-flowing streams and waterfalls. Specifically, it has been encountered on or near vertical cliffs in forest, in gullies in open forest, and in trees and on vegetation close to streams. Breeding takes place in streams. The eggs are deposited on leaves above water. [1]

Hyperolius torrentis is uncommon and only known from few locations; [1] Hillers and colleagues, however, reported it as abundant at some Ghanaian sites, but could not find it in Togo. [5] Its forest habitat is impacted by agricultural expansion, logging, and human settlements. It occurs in the Kyabobo National Park in Ghana. In view of its small and fragmented distribution and threats to its habitat, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as "Vulnerable". [1]

Agricultural expansion describes the growth of agricultural land in the 21st century as a direct consequence of human overpopulation with an estimated 10 to 11 billion humans by end of this century and the required food and energy security. It is foreseen that most nonagricultural terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the world will be affected adversely. The intensified food and biofuel production will particularly affect tropical regions.

Logging the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto transport vehicles

Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the process of cutting trees, processing them, and moving them to a location for transport. It is the beginning of a supply chain that provides raw material for many products societies worldwide use for housing, construction, energy, and consumer paper products. Logging systems are also used to manage forests, reduce the risk of wildfires, and restore ecosystem functions.

Kyabobo National Park national park

Kyabobo National Park is a 360-square-kilometre (140 sq mi) national park in Ghana.

Related Research Articles

<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 amphibian

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 amphibian

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.

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.

<i>Hyperolius picturatus</i> species of amphibian

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 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.

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 flavomaculatus</i> species of amphibian

Leptopelis flavomaculatus is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the lowlands eastern and southern Africa, from Mozambique north of the Save River and Zimbabwe to Malawi, eastern Tanzania, and coastal Kenya. Its common names are yellow-spotted tree frog, brown-backed tree frog, brown forest treefrog, and Johnston's treefrog.

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.

Conraua derooi is a species of frog in the family Conrauidae. It is found in Togo and Ghana. Common name Togo slippery frog has been coined for this species. Even feared to be extinct, a few populations were found in surveys in 2005–2007, after the species had gone unrecorded for more than 20 years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2019. Hyperolius torrentis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T56215A16926734. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T56215A16926734.en. Downloaded on 21 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Hyperolius torrentis Schiøtz, 1967". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hyperolius torrentis Schiøtz, 1967". African Amphibians. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Hyperolius torrentis". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  5. 1 2 Hillers, Annika; Boateng, Caleb Ofori; Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé; Agyei, Alex Cudjoe; Rödel, Mark-Oliver (2009). "Assessment of the amphibians in the forests of southern Ghana and western Togo". Zoosystematics and Evolution. 85 (1): 127–141. doi:10.1002/zoos.200800019.
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