Afrixalus vibekensis

Afrixalus vibekensis, sometimes known as the Nimba banana frog, is a species of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is confirmed to exist in two locations in Côte d'Ivoire and one in Ghana, and it possibly occurs in Guinea and Liberia.[1][2][3] It was originally described as subspecies of Afrixalus laevis. The type locality is in Côte d'Ivoire near Mount Nimba.[2]

Afrixalus vibekensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Afrixalus
Species:
A. vibekensis
Binomial name
Afrixalus vibekensis
Schiøtz, 1967
Synonyms[2]

Afrixalus laevis vibekensis Schiøtz, 1967

Description

Adult males measure 19–23 mm (0.7–0.9 in) and adult females 23–27 mm (0.9–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is yellowish white with a darker or lighter brown pattern; the pattern does not vary between individuals (as in Afrixalus laevis). Males lack asperities.[3]

The male advertisement call consists of an inconspicuous buzzing with low intensity, which is then followed by a creaking sound.[3]

Habitat and conservation

Afrixalus vibekensis occurs in forest edge habitats such as forest road margins and tree-fall gaps. Breeding takes place in small temporary ponds and puddles. The eggs are laid either on leaves above water or directly in the water.[1][3]

This species is difficult to find and might be under-recorded. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by agricultural encroachment, expanding human settlements, and logging. It occurs in the Taï National Park and Haute Dodo Classified Forest in Côte d'Ivoire and in the Bobiri Forest Reserve and Butterfly Sanctuary in Ghana.[1]

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2019. Afrixalus vibekensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T56083A16816517. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T56083A16816517.en. Downloaded on 20 July 2019.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Afrixalus vibekensis Schiøtz, 1967". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. "Afrixalus vibekensis". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.