Red tree frog

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Red tree frog
Leptopelis rufus02.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Arthroleptidae
Genus: Leptopelis
Species:
L. rufus
Binomial name
Leptopelis rufus
Reichenow, 1874
Synonyms [2]

Hylambates rufus(Reichenow, 1874)

The red tree frog (Leptopelis rufus) is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. [2] [3] [4] 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 . [2]

Contents

Description

Adult males measure 45–55 mm (1.8–2.2 in) and females 74–87 mm (2.9–3.4 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is brown with darker irregular transverse bars. The tibia have 3–4 bars. The feet are fully webbed. The iris is golden. The tympanum is a rather small, a characteristic that separates it from similar species like Leptopelis palmatus and Leptopelis macrotis . [3] [4]

The male advertisement call is a series (about ten) long "yiin" cries. A male approaching a female may emit a different, quiet call, sounding like the meow of a young cat. [3] [4]

Habitat and conservation

This arboreal species' inhabits humid lowland rainforests. It also occurs in secondary forests. [1] The males call from branches in the forest or from Raphia palms, typically above small streams. A pair in copula was found in the low vegetation near a small stream. [3] [4] Presumably, the eggs are laid in nests on land close to the water. [1]

Leptopelis rufus is a reasonably common species, but it is affected by habitat loss caused by expanding human settlements and agriculture as well as harvesting of wood. It occurs in a number of protected areas, including the Korup National Park (Cameroon) and Monte Alén National Park (Equatorial Guinea). [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 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.

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">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.

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.

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.

<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 common forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae found in Angola, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, and possibly the Central African Republic. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, rivers, intermittent freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forests.

<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.

The ocellated forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon, and possibly Angola and the Central African Republic. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, swamps, and heavily degraded former forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The Kala forest tree frog, Leptopelis omissus, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Nigeria, and possibly Angola, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

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

The palm forest tree frog is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae which is endemic to 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.

<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.

<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.

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.

Phrynobatrachus africanus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is found in Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, southwestern Central African Republic, western Republic of the Congo, and north-central Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its range might extend into Nigeria. The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, however, considers the limits of its range unknown and does not include the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the range.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Arne Schiøtz, Jean-Louis Amiet, Marius Burger, Thierry Fretey (2004). "Leptopelis rufus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T56280A11439867. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T56280A11439867.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Leptopelis rufus Reichenow, 1874". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Leptopelis rufus Reichenow, 1874". African Amphibians. Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Leptopelis rufus". amphibiaweb.org. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 29 February 2020.