Robert Friedrich Wilhelm Mertens was a German herpetologist. Several taxa of reptiles are named after him. He postulated Mertensian mimicry.
Kassina is a genus of hyperoliid frogs, commonly referred to as running frogs or kassinas. They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are characterized by preferring a distinctive "walking" with the back legs instead of the more traditional frog-hopping.
Leptodactylodon mertensi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the mountains of western Cameroon and occurs on the southern slopes of the Bamileke Plateau, Mount Nlonako, and Mount Manengouba. The specific name mertensi honours Robert Mertens, a German zoologist and herpetologist. Common name Mertens' egg frog has been coined for it.
Caecilia mertensi is a species of caecilian in the family Caeciliidae from South America. The type locality is imprecise: the holotype was purportedly collected in "Seychelle Isle", but most likely originates from South America. However, more recently, several specimens have been collected from Mato Grosso, Brazil. The specific name mertensi honors Robert Mertens, a German zoologist and herpetologist. Common name Mertens' caecilian has been coined for this species.
Colostethus mertensi is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae, currently threatened by habitat loss. Endemic to Colombia, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, and intermittent freshwater marshes.
Kassina cassinoides, also known as large running frog or silver running frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Cameroon and—disjunctly—in West Africa, specifically in in Senegal, the Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. It might occur more broadly, and presumably occurs in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Nigeria, and Mauritania.
Kassina cochranae, sometimes known as the Cochran's running frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southern Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, western Ivory Coast, and at least tentatively, southern Ghana. Kassina arboricola was for a period treated as a subspecies Kassina cochranae arboricola, but it is now considered a valid 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.
Kassina kuvangensis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in south-central Angola and northern and western Zambia. Its range probably extends into the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also known as the Kuvangu running frog, Kuvango running frog, and Kuvangu kassina.
Phlyctimantis maculatus is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. They are silvery greyish-brown with dark brown to black spots, and derive their name from bright red coloring on the ventral side of their hind legs. Adult body length is typically 6 to 7.5 centimeters. These frogs have vertical pupils. Common names include red-legged running frog, brown-spotted tree frog, red-legged Kassina, red-legged pan frog, spotted running frog, tiger leg running frog, and vlei frog.
Kassina maculosa is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and possibly also in northern Republic of the Congo. Its natural habitats are lowland secondary forests and savanna, and montane forests and grasslands. It tolerates habitat modification and is also found in farm bush. Breeding takes place in standing water, possibly also in streams at high altitudes.
The decorated running frog is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon where it is known from the Bamiléké highlands and from Mount Manengouba. There is uncertainty whether it is a valid species, and it has been also considered synonym of Kassina maculosa.
Kassina schioetzi is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Ivory Coast and extreme southeastern Guinea. Its range probably extends into northwestern Ghana.
Kassina somalica, sometimes known as the Somali running frog, is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Eritrea, southern and eastern Ethiopia as well as the Rift Valley, Somalia, eastern Kenya, and northern Tanzania. Its natural habitats are arid savannas. It probably breeds in both permanent and temporary bodies of water. It could be threatened by the expanding human population and the associated increases in the populations of domestic livestock. It occurs in a number of protected areas, including the Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks.
Paracassina obscura is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Ethiopian highlands west of the Rift Valley. Its natural habitats are montane grasslands, less commonly forest margins. It is also known from a few clearings in tropical deciduous forest, rural gardens, and urban areas. It could be threatened by habitat loss.
Callulops kopsteini is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to Sanana Island, Indonesia. The specific name kopsteini honours Felix Kopstein, Austrian physician and naturalist who collected the type series in 1924. Common name Kopstein's callulops frog has been coined for this species.
Oreophryne rookmaakeri is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to the island of Flores, Indonesia. The specific name rookmaakeri honours Hendrik Roelof Rookmaaker, a Dutch colonial administrator who was resident on Flores. Common name Flores cross frog has been coined for this species.
Mertens' water monitor, also called commonly Mertens's water monitor, and often misspelled Mertin's water monitor, is a species of lizard in the family Varanidae. The species is endemic to northern Australia, and is a wide-ranging, actively foraging, opportunistic predator of aquatic and riparian habitats. It is named after German herpetologist Robert Mertens.
Kassina jozani is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Tanzania and only known from the Jozani Forest on the Unguja Island (Zanzibar).
