Phrynobatrachus francisci

Last updated

Phrynobatrachus francisci
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Phrynobatrachidae
Genus: Phrynobatrachus
Species:
P. francisci
Binomial name
Phrynobatrachus francisci
Boulenger, 1912
Synonyms [2]

Phrynobatrachus Monodi de Witte, 1930

Phrynobatrachus francisci is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is widespread in the Guinean savanna zone of West Africa, [1] [2] [3] from Senegal and southern Mauritania in the west to Nigeria in the east. [2] The specific name francisci honours A. C. Francis, a colonial administrator in Nigeria and the collector of the holotype. [4] Common names Francis's puddle frog and warty river frog has been proposed for it. [2]

Contents

Description

Adult males measure 15–23 mm (0.6–0.9 in) and adult females 19–28 mm (0.7–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The body is stocky. The snout is short and pointed. The tympanum is reduced but the supratympanic fold is distinct. The toes have some webbing. The dorsum has very prominent warts whereas the flanks have small glandular warts. The dorsal colouration is brown, with some specimens having dark, light, irregularly shaped spots. The dorsal parts of the limbs have dark and light transverse bars; the back of the thigh has light brown longitudinal bands. The throat, chest, belly, and underside of the thigh are whitish; some females and juveniles have brown spots in their throat. Males have a subgular vocal sac and are darker than females. [5]

Habitat and ecology

Phrynobatrachus francisci is a very common species that inhabits both humid and dry savanna. It also lives in altered habitats including agricultural areas and villages. Breeding takes place in a range of temporary water habitats, including small temporary ponds and puddles and ditches. [1]

Phrynobatrachus francisci are parasitized by intradermal larvae of the chigger mite Endotrombicula pillersi (family Trombiculidae). In the Comoé National Park (Ivory Coast), more than half of the Phrynobatrachus francisci individuals were infected, whereas other amphibians were not infected – except for a single Sclerophrys maculata . Only the most heavily infested frogs showed pathological effects of mites. [6]

Related Research Articles

Phrynobatrachus latifrons, the Ahl's river frog or savanna puddle frog, is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found from Senegal in West Africa east to northern Cameroon and eastern Chad in western Central Africa. The IUCN Red List includes the following West African countries : Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

<i>Phrynobatrachus acridoides</i> Species of frog

Phrynobatrachus acridoides is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is widely distributed in the lowlands of eastern Africa, from Kenya and southern Somalia in the north and southward to Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe, and easternmost South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal). Its range might extend into Eswatini in the south and westward to Uganda and Zambia. This widespread species has also many vernacular names: East African puddle frog, small puddle frog, eastern puddle frog, Zanzibar puddle frog, Zanzibar river frog, Mababe toad-frog, and Cope's toad-frog. It is morphologically and genetically most similar to Phrynobatrachus pakenhami, its sister species. However, the specific name acridoides appears to refer to its superficial similarity to the North American cricket frog Acris gryllus, of no close relation.

<i>Phrynobatrachus calcaratus</i> Species of frog

Phrynobatrachus calcaratus, the Boutry river frog or Peters' puddle frog, is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is widely distributed in West Africa and Middle Africa. However, this nominal species is a species complex consisting of several species.

<i>Phrynobatrachus cricogaster</i> Species of amphibian

Phrynobatrachus cricogaster is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in the mountains of western Cameroon and southeastern Nigeria. Common name Nkongsamba river frog has been coined for it. The specific name cricogaster is derived from the Greek krikos for "ring" and gaster for "belly", in reference to the prominent ring pattern on its venter. Frogs in the family Phrynobatrachidae are also known as puddle frogs, since they are often found near puddles in sub-Saharan Africa.

Phrynobatrachus dalcqi is a species of frogs in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and only known from Fizi Territory in the South Kivu province. The specific name dalcqi honours "Professor A. Dalcq", presumably Albert Dalcq (1893–1973), a Belgian embryologist. Common names Kivu river frog and Dalcq's puddle frog have been proposed for it.

Phrynobatrachus gutturosus, the Chabanaud's river frog or guttural puddle frog, is a species of frog in the family Petropedetidae. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, possibly Benin, possibly Burkina Faso, possibly Guinea, possibly Mali, possibly Togo, and possibly Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, moist savanna, swampland, and intermittent freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Phrynobatrachus inexpectatus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to southern Ethiopia. It is known with confidence from only three localities, but it may be more widely distributed in the Ethiopian Highlands. The specific name inexpectatus refers to the unexpected discovery of this species among museum specimens assigned to Phrynobatrachus minutus. Common names unexpected puddle frog and Largen's dwarf puddle frog have been coined for it.

<i>Phrynobatrachus minutus</i> Species of frog

Phrynobatrachus minutus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to Ethiopia and occurs in the central and southern parts of the country on both sides of the Rift Valley; its range may extend south to Kenya, perhaps further. Some earlier records from Ethiopia represent Phrynobatrachus inexpectatus, described as a new species in 2001. The specific name minutus refers to the small size of this frog. Common names tiny river frog and Ethiopian dwarf puddle frog have been coined for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natal dwarf puddle frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Natal dwarf puddle frog is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly Burkina Faso, Chad, Lesotho, and Mauritania.

Phrynobatrachus ogoensis is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to Gabon and is known from its type locality, Lambaréné in the Moyen-Ogooué Province and from the Ramba Village in the Ogooué-Ivindo Province, in the buffer zone of the Lopé National Park.

Phrynobatrachus pakenhami is a frog species in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to Pemba Island off Tanzania. It is similar to Phrynobatrachus acridoides, its sister species, but the two species differ in ecology and male advertisement call. On the other hand, the recently described, supposed diminutive species P. nigripes was simply based on juveniles and subadults of P. pakenhami.

Phrynobatrachus parkeri is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to the west-central and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is only known from a few widely separated localities. It is similar to Phrynobatrachus acridoides(Cope, 1867), and it might be a synonym of the latter. The specific name parkeri honors Hampton Wildman Parker, an English zoologist and herpetologist. Common name Parker's river frog has been coined for it.

<i>Phrynobatrachus parvulus</i> Species of frog

Phrynobatrachus parvulus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is widely distributed in the upland areas of Central and East Africa in Angola, northern Botswana, northern Zimbabwe, Zambia, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, and Tanzania. However, many identifications are problematic, and the taxonomic status of this species with respect to Phrynobatrachus mababiensis and P. ukingensis requires clarification; in the more inclusive species delimitation applied by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, also Uganda is tentatively included in the range of this species. Common names Loanda river frog, dwarf puddle frog, and little puddle frog have been proposed for this species.

<i>Phrynobatrachus perpalmatus</i> Species of frog

Phrynobatrachus perpalmatus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in the area stretching from the central and southern Sudan southward through South Sudan and central/eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, extreme western Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi, and Zambia to northern Mozambique; its range might extend into northern Zimbabwe. Common names Lake Mwero river frog and webbed puddle frog have been proposed for it.

Phrynobatrachus phyllophilus is a species of frogs in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, southern Guinea, Liberia, and Ivory Coast. Prior to its description in 2002, it was confused with Phrynobatrachus guineensis, one of its closest relatives. The specific name phyllophilus is derived from the Greek phyllon for leaves and philein for loving. It refers to on the close association of this species with leaf litter.

Phrynobatrachus scapularis is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to the northern and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The specific name scapularis refers to shoulder blades (scapulae). Common name Buta river frog has been coined for it.

Phrynobatrachus tokba is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in West Africa from Ghana westward to Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau. Common names Tokba river frog, Tokba puddle frog, and—when referring to the formerly recognized Phrynobatrachus alticola, forest river frog—have been proposed for it.

Phrynobatrachus ukingensis is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is recorded in several places in southern and eastern Tanzania and in northern and southern Malawi ; it probably occurs more widely, at least in areas in between the known localities. Common names Ukinga puddle frog and Ukinga river frog have been coined for it.

Phrynobatrachus njiomock is a species of frogs in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to Cameroon and is only known from Mount Oku where it occurs near Lake Oku. It has not been observed after 2010 and might already be extinct. The specific name njiomock means "eleventh" in Oku language and refers to the name "Phrynobatrachus sp. 11" that Jean-Louis Amiet used in 1978 to refer to a specimen collected near Lake Oku. Common name Lake Oku puddle frog has been proposed for this species.

<i>Phrynobatrachus jimzimkusi</i> Species of amphibian

Phrynobatrachus jimzimkusi is a species of frogs in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in submontane and montane regions within the Cameroon volcanic line as well as the adjacent Obudu Plateau in the southeast of Nigeria. It is named after James (Jim) Zimkus by his wife, Breda Zimkus, the first author of the species description. Common name Jim Zimkus' puddle frog has been proposed for this species.

References

  1. 1 2 3 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Phrynobatrachus francisci". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T58109A18393090. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T58109A18393090.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel R. (2024). "Phrynobatrachus francisci Boulenger, 1912". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.2. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001 . Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. ↑ Channing, Allan & Rödel, Mark-Oliver (2019). Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 288. ISBN   978-1-77584-512-6.
  4. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 73. ISBN   978-1-907807-42-8.
  5. ↑ Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé; Ohler, Annemarie; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Luiselli, Luca & Dubois, Alain (2024). "Amphibians of Togo: taxonomy, distribution and conservation status". Zoosystema. 46 (25): 631–670. doi:10.5252/zoosystema2024v46a25.
  6. ↑ Spieler, M. & Linsenmair, K. E. (1999). "The larval mite Endotrombicula pillersi (Acarina: Trombiculidae) as a species-specific parasite of a West African savannah frog (Phrynobatrachus francisci)". American Midland Naturalist. 142 (1): 152–161. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(1999)142[0152:TLMEPA]2.0.CO;2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.