Savannah forest tree frog

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Savannah forest tree frog
Bonn zoological bulletin - Leptopelis bufonides.jpg
Leptopelis bufonides
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Arthroleptidae
Genus: Leptopelis
Species:
L. bufonides
Binomial name
Leptopelis bufonides
Schiøtz  [ fr ], 1967

The savannah forest tree frog or ground tree frog (Leptopelis bufonides) is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It occurs in West and Middle Africa. [1] [2] [3] [4] The relationship of this species with Leptopelis bocagei is not fully settled. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Distribution

Leptopelis bufonides is known from Senegal, the Gambia, Burkina Faso, northern Ghana, Togo, northern Benin, northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, and southern Chad. [1] [2] Its range may extend to several other African countries (e.g., Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Ivory Coast and Niger), although specimens have not been confirmed elsewhere. [1]

Description

Leptopelis bufonides is a small, toad-like frog, with males measuring 29–33 mm (1.1–1.3 in) and females 37–41 mm (1.5–1.6 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is brown and shows a darker, backward-pointing, triangle-like pattern on the head, and an 'n' shaped pattern combined with a few mid-dorsal spots. Skin is warty. The legs are short, and the toes have only rudiments of webbing. [3] [4]

The male advertisement call is a "clack" that is deeper and more atonal than the calls of other West African Leptopelis. [4]

Habitat and conservation

This species lives in dry open savanna and grassland. It is probably fossorial, spending large parts of the year underground. Reproduction takes place in flooded meadows. [1] Males call from the ground, concealed in low grass or shallow water. [4] The eggs are laid in a burrow in loamy soil. [1]

Leptopelis bufonides appears to be a very uncommon species that is known only from few records across its vast mapped range. It is not known to what degree this is because of the paucity of herpetological surveys in the area, its secretive habits, or genuinely patchy distribution. It is unlikely to face any major threats. [1]

Related Research Articles

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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.

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

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

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

Leptopelis argenteus, also known as the silvery tree frog or triad tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in coastal Kenya and Tanzania and south to northern Mozambique, southern Malawi, and eastern highlands of Zimbabwe.

<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.

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 flavomaculatus</i> Species of amphibian

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<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.

<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.

Leptopelis oryi, also known as the Garamba forest treefrog and Ory's tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northwestern Uganda, and adjacent South Sudan. It is morphologically similar to Leptopelis nordequatorialis from Cameroon, and has also been considered its synonym, but is currently treated as a distinct species. The specific name oryi honours Albert Ory, warden in the Garamba National Park, the type locality of this species.

Leptopelis parbocagii, also known as Lake Upemba forest treefrog or cryptic tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is found in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. The specific name parbocagii refers to its similarity to Leptopelis bocagii.

<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.

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<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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Leptopelis bufonides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T56249A18388066. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56249A18388066.en . Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Leptopelis bufonides Schiøtz, 1967". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leptopelis bufonides Schiøtz, 1967". African Amphibians. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Leptopelis bufonides". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2016.