Leptopelis macrotis

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Leptopelis macrotis
Leptopelis macrotis (10.3897-zse.90.7120) Figure 2 (cropped).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Arthroleptidae
Genus: Leptopelis
Species:
L. macrotis
Binomial name
Leptopelis macrotis
Schiøtz  [ fr ], 1967

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. [1] [2] [3] [4] Notice that similar common name "big-eyed tree frog" is sometimes used for Leptopelis vermiculatus from Tanzania [5] and for Litoria exophthalmia from New Guinea. [6]

Contents

Description

Leptopelis macrotis is a large Leptopelis species: females measure 74–84 mm (2.9–3.3 in) in snout–vent length, while males are more modest at 40–46 mm (1.6–1.8 in) SVL. The dorsum is smooth and transversely-striped in shades of brown. The tympanum is large. The feet are fully webbed. [3] [4]

Habitat and conservation

Its natural habitats are primary rainforests at elevations of 100–700 m (330–2,300 ft) above sea level. It lives arboreally along streams; [1] males can often be heard calling from branches near streams some 5–10 m above the ground. [3] [4]

Leptopelis macrotis is a relatively common species. However, because it relies on good (i.e., non-degraded) rainforest, habitat degradation caused by agricultural expansion, logging, and human settlements is a major threat. Mining and river pollution are also potential threats. It occurs in a number of protected areas, including the Gola Forest Reserve (its type locality), Taï National Park, Kambui Hills Forest Reserve, and Bobiri Forest Reserve. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being "Vulnerable"—despite its large range, the actual area of occupancy is modest (about 236 km²), and its habitat is being lost. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leptopelis</i> Genus of amphibians

Leptopelis is a genus of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae. They are found throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding Madagascar. It is placed in monotypic subfamily Leptopelinae, although this subfamily is not always recognized. They have a number of common names, including forest treefrogs, tree frogs, leaf-frogs, and big-eyed frogs.

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

Leptopelis vermiculatus, also known as the peacock tree frog, Amani forest treefrog, or vermiculated tree frog, is a species of frog found in forest areas in Tanzania. Sometimes the common name big-eyed tree frog is used, but this may also refer to another species, Leptopelis macrotis.

Ranoidea exophthalmia is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is commonly known as the big-eyed tree frog, but that name may also refer to the African species, Leptopelis vermiculatus. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and rivers.

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

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.

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>Leptopelis aubryi</i> Species of amphibian

Leptopelis aubryi, also known as the Aubry's tree frog and Gaboon forest treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, western and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.

Bocage’s tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and possibly Botswana, Central African Republic, Chad, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameroon forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Cameroon forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It is expected to occur in southwestern Central African Republic and in the Republic of the Congo, but no records have been confirmed from those countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadley's forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

Leptopelis broadleyi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae of uncertain status. The Amphibian Species of the World, the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, and the African Amphibians do not recognize it, but instead consider it synonym with Leptopelis argenteus. However, the AmphibiaWeb recognizes it as a valid species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savannah forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The savannah forest tree frog or ground tree frog 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 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.

<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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai forest tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Tai forest tree frog 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The red tree frog 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.

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.

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

Leptopelis spiritusnoctis is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in West Africa from Guinea to the Niger Delta in Nigeria, the intervening countries being Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. This species was previously known as Leptopelis hyloides, but that name is actually a junior synonym of Leptopelis viridis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2014). "Leptopelis macrotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T56263A16925323. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T56263A16925323.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Leptopelis macrotis Schiøtz, 1967". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leptopelis macrotis Schiøtz, 1967". African Amphibians. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Leptopelis macrotis". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  5. "Big-eyed tree frog (Leptopelis vermiculatus)". Wildscreen ARKive. Archived from the original on 2015-11-20. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  6. Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Ranoidea exophthalmia (Tyler, Davies, and Aplin, 1986)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 11 October 2016.