Phrynobatrachus bullans

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Phrynobatrachus bullans
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Phrynobatrachidae
Genus: Phrynobatrachus
Species:
P. bullans
Binomial name
Phrynobatrachus bullans
Crutsinger, Pickersgill, Channing  [ fr ], and Moyer, 2004 [2]

Phrynobatrachus bullans is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in northern and central inland Tanzania, southern Ethiopia (Lake Awasa), and southwestern Kenya. [1] [3] [4] Common name bubbling puddle frog has been coined for it. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

Adult males measure 20–24 mm (0.8–0.9 in) and adult females 22–27 mm (0.9–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The snout is short and rounded. The tympanum is visible and darker than the surrounding skin; the supratympanic ridge is minimal. The finger and the toe tips are swollen but not expanded into discs. The fingers have minute webbing [2] whereas the toes are moderately to extensively webbed. [2] [4] The dorsum varies from grey or brown [4] and bears small, white asperities (more in males than in females [4] ). The legs have darker banding. The lower jaw has dark brown over white banding. The ventrum is pale to white; the gular region is darker grey with white asperities. [2]

The male advertisement call is a distinctive, long series of notes. It starts softly with increasing volume, then stops, followed by a few longer, irregular notes thereafter. [2]

Habitat and conservation

Phrynobatrachus bullans lives in savanna ecosystems, also in areas with long dry seasons. Breeding takes place in flooded grassland and in pools of water surrounded by vegetation. It can also breed in paddy fields. These frogs have been found in ditches in towns. It is a common and adaptable species that is not facing significant threats. It is present in the Ruaha, Tarangire, Serengeti and Rubobo Island National Parks in Tanzania. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Phrynobatrachus bullans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T58099A18392212. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T58099A18392212.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Crutsinger, Greg; Pickersgill, Martin; Channing, Alan & Moyer, David (2004). "A new species of Phrynobatrachus (Anura : Ranidae) from Tanzania". African Zoology. 39 (1): 19–23. hdl:10520/EJC17914.
  3. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Phrynobatrachus bullans Crutsinger, Pickersgill, Channing, and Moyer, 2004". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Zimkus, Breda (2014). "Phrynobatrachus bullans Crutsinger, Pickersgill, Channing, and Moyer, 2004". African Amphibians. Retrieved 30 July 2018.