A new small Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from southern Cameroon

Abstract

We describe a new small Phrynobatrachus species from southern Cameroon. The new species exhibits a combination ofunique morphological characters and a distinctive colour pattern consisting of a black lateral face mask, a black throat inmales, a white throat with uniform black lower mandibles in females and a white belly in both sexes. Morphologically itis characterized by small size, absence of an eyelid cornicle, presence of black spines on anterior part of vocal sac in males,spines on flanks, presence of discs on toe and finger tips, distinct webbing, absence of nuptial pads on male thumbs andscapular ridges converging in a straight line. Analysis of mitochondrial 16S rRNA revealed that the new species differsfrom 34 other West and Central African species of the genus by a minimum distance of 4.5% and is most similar to severalPhrynobatrachus species which are almost all endemic to the Cameroon volcanic line or parts of it, i.e. P. chukuchuku(4.9%), P. werneri (5.1%), P. steindachneri (5.2%), P. schioetzi (5.6%), P. batesii (5.9%), P. cricogaster (5.5%), P. danko(6.1%), and P. manengoubensis (6.1%), respectively. The new species is most similar to P. batesii, which was describedfrom forests close to the type locality of the new species. Morphologically the new species differs from P. batesii by muchsmaller size (< 20 mm vs. 25-31 mm), shape of scapular ridges, belly colour, shorter shanks, absence of nuptial pads and presence of gular spines in breeding males.

Sky Islands of the Cameroon Volcanic Line: a diversification hot spot for puddle frogs (Phrynobatrachidae: Phrynobatrachus)

“…; Rödel et al . ). A number of species from this region are considerably smaller in size when compared with P. jimzimkusi , including P. calcaratus (15.3–25.0 mm, n = 3 mm) , P. chukuchuku (15.7–18.9 mm, n = 5) , P. cornutus (14.0–19.1 mm, n = 4), P. danko (19.6–21.2 mm, n = 5) , P. hylaios (14.8–22.0 mm, n = 3), P. latifrons (18.3–20.5 mm, n = 4), P. manengoubensis (14.2–17.3 mm, n = 5) , P. ruthbeateae (13.8–19.5 mm, n = 9), P. sandersoni (21.2–23.0, n = 3), P. schioetzi (20.6–27.7, n = 15; Blackburn & Rödel ) and P. werneri (16.1–18.0, n = 2 mm).…”

“…Phrynobatrachus manengoubensis , a montane species, has only rudimentary webbing, and the posterior portion of the abdomen and undersides of hind limbs are uniformly yellowish or with fine reddish‐brown spots (Angel ; Perret ; Blackburn ; Blackburn & Rödel ; Rödel et al . ). Phrynobatrachus ruthbeateae , a lowland species, exhibits a distinctive colour pattern with a black lateral facemask, a white belly, and either a black throat in males or a white throat with uniform black lower mandibles in females.…”

“…In males of P. werneri , which is distributed in submontane and montane forest and savannah within the CVL, the throat and pectoral region is blackish with the remaining ventral surfaces yellowish (Nieden ; Perret ; Blackburn & Rödel ; Rödel et al . ).…”

“…Phrynobatrachus auritus (30.9–35.6, n = 5) and P. batesii (22.6–31.0, n = 6) both have a black lateral facemask, as well as elongate and distinct dorsal ridges; the former also exhibits a blue band along the interior half of the ventral shanks (Lamotte & Xavier ; Perret ; Rödel et al . ). Phrynobatrachus cricogaster (19.8–23.8, n = 3; 20–32 mm, n = 54; Perret ) , a submontane species, can be identified by its distinct bulls‐eye ventral pattern, as well as four to five additional tarsal tubercles, one of which forms a small spur with the heel (Perret , ).…”