Leptopelis fiziensis

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Leptopelis fiziensis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Arthroleptidae
Genus: Leptopelis
Species:
L. fiziensis
Binomial name
Leptopelis fiziensis
Laurent, 1973
Synonyms [2]

Leptopelis modestus fiziensisLaurent, 1973
Leptopelis fiziensis – Schiøtz, 1975

Contents

Leptopelis fiziensis, also known as the Mokanga forest tree frog or Fizi tree frog , is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is known from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania, on both sides of Lake Tanganyika, and it is likely to occur in Burundi, in between the two know areas of distribution. [1] [2] [3]

Distribution and taxonomy

Leptopelis fiziensis was first described as a subspecies of Leptopelis modestus , based on specimens from the Fizi Territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Later on it has also been recorded in western Tanzania. However, recent molecular work suggests that its closest relative is Leptopelis karissimbensis rather than Leptopelis modestus. Moreover, some of the Tanzanian records might refer to another species. [2] [4]

Description

Adult males measure 30–38 mm (1.2–1.5 in) [3] [4] and females, based on a single specimen, 46 mm (1.8 in) in snout–vent length. [4] The tympanum is small. Digital discs are large. The dorsum is red-brown to brown, with darker patterning and tiny light specks. The ventrum is greyish while the femurs are reddish. The iris is golden. Males have a greyish throat. [3]

The male advertisement call is a series of two or three clacks/pulses sounding like "quack-quack". [4]

Habitat and conservation

Leptopelis fiziensis have been found in transitional forest in the forest-savanna mosaic, near a stream at the edge of montane forest, and dense low bush at the edge of a clearing in dry forest. [1] [4] There is also a record from riverine forest within pristine miombo woodland, [1] but this might refer to another species. [4] They are typically found on shrubs and trees some 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in) above the ground. [4] The altitudinal range is 1,170–1,950 m (3,840–6,400 ft) above sea level. [1] [4]

Threats to this species are unknown. It occurs in the Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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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.

<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. The specific name christyi honours Dr. Cuthbert Christy, a British army doctor who collected the holotype.

<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 karissimbensis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the highlands of western Rwanda and southwestern Uganda and in the adjacent eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is very similar to Leptopelis kivuensis and has been confused with that species. Common names Karissimbi forest treefrog and Karissimbi tree frog have been coined for it.

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

Leptopelis kivuensis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the highlands of western Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, and in the extreme eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has been considered synonym of Leptopelis karissimbensis, and has been confused with that species. Common names Kisenyi forest treefrog and Kivu tree frog have been coined for it.

<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.

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

Leptopelis millsoni is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and northwestern Angola. Common names Niger forest treefrog and Millson's Tree Frog have been coined for it. There is a need of taxonomic revision of this taxon.

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

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.

The palm forest tree frog, Leptopelis palmatus, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae endemic to the Príncipe island, in São Tomé and Príncipe. Red tree frog Leptopelis rufus from the African mainland was for a long time included in this species, but is now considered a distinct species.

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.

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

Leptopelis parkeri is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Tanzania and known from the Eastern Arc Mountains. Specifically, it has been recorded from Uluguru, Udzungwa, East and West Usambara, Nguru, and South Pare Mountains. Common names Parker's tree frog and Parker's forest treefrog have been coined for it. It is named after Hampton Wildman Parker, a British zoologist and herpetologist from the Natural History Museum, London.

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

Leptopelis parvus, also known as the Kanole forest treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is only known from the Upemba National Park.

Red tree frog Species of amphibian

The red tree frog, Leptopelis rufus, 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2014). "Leptopelis fiziensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T56255A18387461. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T56255A18387461.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Leptopelis fiziensis Laurent, 1973". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leptopelis fiziensis". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Greenbaum, Eli; Portillo, Frank; Kusamba, Chifundera (October 2012). "Systematics of the poorly known treefrog Leptopelis fiziensis (Anura: Arthroleptidae), with a description of its call". African Journal of Herpetology. 61 (2): 113–127. doi:10.1080/21564574.2012.716083. PMC   3583300 . PMID   23567891.
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