Petropedetes

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Petropedetes
Petropedetes cameronensis 1874.jpg
Petropedetes cameronensis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Petropedetidae
Genus: Petropedetes
Reichenow, 1874
Species

See text

Petropedetes is a genus of frogs in the family Petropedetidae, found in sub-saharan tropical Africa. [1] In 2002, the genus absorbed all three species of the genus Arthroleptides , but they were moved back in 2014. The informally assigned common name for frogs in this genus (and for frogs in certain other genera) is torrent frogs.

Contents

The following species are recognised in the genus Petropedetes: [2]

Description

The genus Petropedetes is characterized by the following features: elongated and cordiform-shaped tongue, free and notched at the back; vomerine teeth behind the choanae, closer to each other than the choanae; unwebbed fingers; and a distinct tympanum. [4] [5] Additionally, P. nanator lack absence of tympanic papilla in breeding males. [6]

Perett (1966) has denoted the osteological characteristics as robust and straight clavicles; a hardly bifurcated omosternum; and T-shaped terminal phalanges. [7] These changes vary per species and do not apply to all.

Geographical variations [4]

The West African specie Petropedetes natator are identical with other genus members on the basis of toes and fingertips, and the presence of femoral glands in males. However, they differ by the presence of morphological features such as external voice sacs, mandibular fangs, a ridge on the tongue and conformation of the rheophilous tadpole, from the Central African species. [8] [9] [10]

The three East African species P. martiensenni, P. yakunsini, and P. dutoiti match the Central African species by the shape of finger limbs, presence of tympanic papilla and femoral glands. [6] P yakusini males also share anatomical features such as enlarged arms and spines on throat, with the Central African species. [11]

Nevertheless, all East African species are distinct from Central African on the basis of lacking vomerine teeth. [12] [13]

Habitat and Behavior

P. parkeri are found in wet, mossy rocks in the forest. They inhabit large rocks crossed by small streams and gather on humid rocky surfaces near torrent water during breeding season. Outside of breeding season these species are found on leaves. [14]

P. euskircheni reside at higher altitudes such as Mt. Kupe and Mt. Nlonako in Cameroon. They have been observed near fast-flowing rivers and on tree and palm trunks. [1] [ citation needed ]

P. perreti inhabit lowland areas of Southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon, especially the southern slopes of the Bamiléké Plateau. They lay their clutches on rock surfaces within the splash zones, along mountain streams above 1200 meters. [15]

P. cameronensis occur mainly in lowland, but also from highlands found with P. perreti. [15] This species is known from coastal Cameroonian lowland, south of Limbe. Some occurrences are also noted in Eastern Nigeria. [9] [16] Males are observed guarding clutches of eggs at night. [17]

P. juliawurstnerae is known from Mt. Kupe and Meked, adjacent to Bakossi mountains. They settle in riverine vegetation or algae-covered stones 10-20 cm above ground level, occurring in syntopy with P. euskircheni. [18] [ citation needed ]

P. palmipes populate Southern Cameroon, [7] Equatorial Guinea, [19] [20] and Gabon. [21] As per Barej et al. (2010) [4] , there is little data on the biology of this species. These have been observed in primary forests, Clutches are glued to submerged rocks, while tadpoles are located in stagnant parts of rivers beneath small rapids. [8]

P vulpiae is associated with rocky forest streams and caves Eastern Nigeria and Republic of Congo. [4] [22]

P newtonii is found near sea level to 1km above, on Bokio and coastal Cameroon. Juveniles may be found away from water. Collectively, specimens can be found near streams or low vegetations, but occasionally a few feet above waters. [23]

P johnstonii inhabits lowland and mangove forests. The species does not rely on water for reproduction. Males are seen guarding the nests and clutches which are sited slightly above ground level.

Related Research Articles

<i>Cardioglossa</i> Genus of amphibians

Cardioglossa is a genus of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae known as long-fingered frogs. They are native to western and central Africa, with the greatest species richness in Cameroon. They are found near streams in lowland and mountain forests, but also occur in other highland habitats near streams at up to 2,700 m (8,900 ft) in altitude. These are small frogs with a snout-to-vent length of 2 to 4 cm (0.8–1.6 in). Some of the more localized species are threatened.

<i>Conraua</i> Genus of amphibians

Conraua, known as slippery frogs or giant frogs is a genus of large frogs from sub-Saharan Africa. Conraua is the only genus in the family Conrauidae. Alternatively, it may be placed in the family Petropedetidae.

Cardioglossa melanogaster is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. Common name Amiet's long-fingered frog has been coined for it.

<i>Astylosternus batesi</i> Species of frog

Astylosternus batesi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Cameroon south of Sanaga River, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, southwestern Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the extreme western Democratic Republic of the Congo (Mayombe). The specific name batesi honours George Latimer Bates, an American naturalist. However, its vernacular name is Benito River night frog, apparently in reference to its type locality, Benito River in Equatorial Guinea.

<i>Astylosternus perreti</i> Species of frog

Astylosternus perreti, also known as Perret's night frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to western Cameroon and known from Mount Manengouba and from parts of the Bamileke Highlands, at elevations of 1,200–1,400 m (3,900–4,600 ft) above sea level. It is one of the few species of African frogs to have claws, used on demand, when it feels threatened.

Hyperolius dintelmanni is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and found in the montane southwestern part of the country. Specifically, it has been recorded from the Bakossi Mountains, including the Edib Hills and Mount Kupe. The specific name, dintelmanni, honors Mr. Horst Dintelmann from Germany in recognition of "his support of taxonomic research and forthcoming conservation projects in Cameroon".

<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.

<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.

Arthroleptides is a small genus of frogs in the family Petropedetidae. Their common name is rocky river frogs. They are found in the mountains of East Africa. They have been considered to belong to Petropedetes, which after exclusion of Arthroleptides is restricted to Central Africa.

<i>Petropedetes cameronensis</i> Species of frog

Petropedetes cameronensis, sometimes known as the Cameroon water frog, is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is found in southeastern Nigeria, southwestern Cameroon, and on the island of Bioko. It is the type species of the genus Petropedetes.

<i>Petropedetes johnstoni</i> Species of frog

Petropedetes johnstoni is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is endemic to coastal Cameroon and known with certainty only from few localities. For a period, Petropedetes newtonii was considered a junior synonym of this species, leading to a much broader distribution. The two species are now considered distinct, but information on Petropedetes johnstonisensu stricto is limited. Common name Johnston's water frog has been coined for this species.

Petropedetes newtonii is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is found in the island of Bioko and in coastal Cameroon. It has been confused with Petropedetes vulpiae and Petropedetes johnstoni, and also considered a synonym of the latter. Because the holotype of Petropedetes newtonii is lost, a neotype was designated in 2018. Common name Newton's water frog has been coined for it.

Petropedetes palmipes is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is known from a few localities in southwestern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and western Gabon. Common name Efulen water frog has been coined for it.

Petropedetes parkeri is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is found in western Cameroon and eastern Nigeria. Records from Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are uncertain, possibly belonging to Petropedetes euskircheni. P. parkeri is named after Hampton Wildman Parker, a British zoologist and herpetologist from the Natural History Museum, London. Common names Parker's water frog and Parker's torrent frog have been proposed for it.

Petropedetes perreti is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. It is known from the southern slopes of the Bamiléké Plateau, Mount Manengouba, and Mount Nlonako. Common name Perret's water frog has been coined for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torrent frog</span> Index of animals with the same common name

Torrent frogs are a number of unrelated frogs that prefer to inhabit small rapid-flowing mountain or hill streams with a lot of torrents. They are generally smallish neobatrachians with a greyish-brown and usually darkly mottled back, giving them excellent camouflage among wet rocks overgrown with algae; their well-developed feet make them agile climbers of slippery rocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petropedetidae</span> Family of amphibians

The Petropedetidae are a family of frogs containing three genera and 12 species. They are found in sub-Saharan tropical Africa and are sometimes known under common name African torrent frogs.

Ptychadena perreti is a species of frog in the family Ptychadenidae. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, southwestern Central African Republic and northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It might occur in the Cabinda enclave of Angola and mainland Equatorial Guinea. Common name Perret's grassland frog has been coined for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Alén National Park</span> National park in Equatorial Guinea

Monte Alén National Park is located near the center of Equatorial Guinea. It was established in 1990. With an area of 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi), it is the country's largest national park. The goliath frog (Conraua goliath), one of the prominent amphibians found in the park, is the biggest frog in the world; hunting it is prohibited.

<i>Odontobatrachus</i> Genus of amphibians

Odontobatrachus is a genus of frogs comprising the family Odontobatrachidae. In a 2014 research project Barej, Rödel, Loader & Schmitz separated the genus from the established genus Petropedetes and separated the new family from the established family Petropedetidae.

References

  1. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Petropedetidae Noble, 1931". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Names assigned to genus Petropedetes". Amphibian Species of the World 5.5 Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History . Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  3. ↑ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Petropedetes johnstoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T58079A3065109. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58079A3065109.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Barej, Michael; S. G. Pauwels, Olivier; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Böhme, Wolfgang (2010). "Review of the genus Petropedetes Reichenow, 1874 in Central Africa with the description of three new species (Amphibia: Anura: Petropedetidae)". Zootaxa. Magnolia Press: 4 – via ResearchGate.
  5. ↑ Reichnow, A. (1874). "Eine Sammlung Lurche und Kriechthiere von Westafrika" [A collection of amphibians and reptiles from West Africa]. Archiv für Naturgeschichte (in German): 287–298.
  6. 1 2 Klemens, M.W. (1998). "The male nuptial characteristics of Arthroleptides martiensseni Nieden, an endemic torrent frog from Tanzania's Eastern Arc Mountains". Herpetological Journal. 8: 35–40.
  7. 1 2 Perett, J.-L (1966). "Les amphibiens du Cameroun" [The Amphibians of Cameroon]. Zoologische Jahrbücher, Abt. Für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere (in German). 8: 289–464.
  8. 1 2 Lamotte, M.; Perett, J.-L; Dzieduszycka, S. (1959). "Contribution à l'étude des Batraciens de l'Ouest africain. - IX. Les formes larvaires de Petropedetes palmipes, Conraua goliath et Acanthixalus spinosus" [Contribution to the study of Amphibians of West Africa. - IX. Larval forms of Petropedetes palmipes, Conraua goliath, and Acanthixalus spinosus]. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire (in French). A (21): 726–776.
  9. 1 2 Perett, J.-L (1984). "Identification de Petropedetes obscurus Ahl, 1924 (Amphibia, Phrynobatrachinae), conservés au Muséum de Berlin" [Identification of Petropedetes obscurus Ahl, 1924 (Amphibia, hrynobatrachinae), preserved at the Museum of Berlin.]. Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences Naturelles (in French). 107: 165–170.
  10. ↑ Amiet, J.-L (1989). "Quelques aspects de la biologie des Amphibiens Anoures du Cameroun" [Some aspects of the biology of Anuran Amphibians from Cameroon]. L'Année biologique (in French). 28: 73–136.
  11. ↑ Channing, A.; Moyer, D.C.; Howell, K.M. (2002). "Description of a new torrent frog in the genus Arthroleptides from Tanzania (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae)". Alytes. 20: 13–27.
  12. ↑ Nieden, F. (1911). "Verzeichnis der bei Amani in Deutschostafrika vorkommenden Reptilien und Amphibien" [List of reptiles and amphibians occurring at Amani in German East Africa]. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin (in German): 441–452.
  13. ↑ Loveridge, A. (1935). "Scientific results of an expedition to rain forest regions in Eastern Africa I. new reptiles and amphibians from East Africa". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy. 79: 1–19.
  14. ↑ Sanderson, I.T. (1936). "The amphibians of the Mamfe Division, Cameroon. - II. Ecology of the frogs". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 106: 165–208. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1936.tb02285.x.
  15. 1 2 Amiet, J.-L (1973). "Caractères diagnostiques de Petropedetes perreti, nov. sp. et notes sur les autres espèces camerounaises du genre (Amphibiens Anoures)" [Diagnostic characters of Petropedetes perreti, nov. sp. and notes on other Cameroonian species of the genus (Anuran Amphibians)]. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire (in French). Series A (35): 462–474.
  16. ↑ Schiøtz, A. (1963). "The amphibians of Nigeria". Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk Forening I København. 125: 1–92.
  17. ↑ Amiet, J.-L (1991). "Images d'Amphibiens camerounais. IV. Les constructeurs de nids" [Images of Cameroonian Amphibians. IV. The Nest Builders.]. Alytes. 9: 71–77.
  18. ↑ Euskirchen, O.; Böhme, W. (1999). "Zur Herpetofauna einer montanen Regenwaldregion in SW-Kamerun (Mt. Kupe und Bakossi-Bergland). II. Arthroleptidae, Ranidae und Phrynobatrachidae" [On the herpetofauna of a montane rainforest region in SW Cameroon (Mt. Kupe and Bakossi Highlands). II. Arthroleptidae, Ranidae, and Phrynobatrachidae]. Herpetofauna (in German). 21: 25–34.
  19. ↑ de la Riva, I. "Anfibios anuros del Parque Nacional de Monte Alén, Río Muni, Guinea Equatorial" [Anuran amphibians of Monte Alén National Park, Río Muni, Equatorial Guinea]. Revista Española de Herpetología (in Spanish). 8: 123–139.
  20. ↑ Lasso, C.A.; Rial, A.I.; Castroviejo, J.; de la Riva, I. (2002). "Herpetofauna del Parque Nacionale de Monte Alén (Río Muni, Guinea Equatorial)" [Herpetofauna of Monte Alén National Park (Río Muni, Equatorial Guinea).]. Graellsia. 58 (2): 21–34. doi:10.3989/graellsia.2002.v58.i2.276.
  21. ↑ Lötters, S.; Gossmann, V.; Obame, F.; Böhme, W. (2001). "Zur Herpetofauna Gabuns Teil I: Einleitung, Untersuchungsgebiet und Methodik, kommentierte Artenliste der gefundenen Froschlurche" [On the Herpetofauna of Gabon Part I: Introduction, Study Area and Methodology, Annotated Species List of the Found Anurans]. Herpetofauna. 23: 19–34.
  22. ↑ S G Pauwels, Olivier; Carlino, Piero; Chirio, Laurent; Testa, Olivier; R Daversa, David; Lips, Josiane; Oslisly, Richard (2019). "Amphibians and Reptiles Found in Caves in Gabon, Western Equatorial Africa". Cave and Karst Science. 46 (1): 7.
  23. ↑ Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto; Calvo-Revuelta, Marta; Castroviejo-Fisher, Santiago; de la Riva, Ignacio (2018). "The Taxonomic Status of Petropedetes newtonii (Amphibia, Anura, Petropedetidae)". ZooKeys (765): 59–78. Bibcode:2018ZooK..765...59S. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.765.24764 . PMC   5999683 . PMID   29904270.


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