Kassina kuvangensis

Kassina kuvangensis is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in south-central Angola and northern and western Zambia.[1][2][3][4] Its range probably extends into the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1][2] It is also known as the Kuvangu running frog, Kuvango running frog, and Kuvangu kassina.[2]

Kassina kuvangensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hyperoliidae
Genus: Kassina
Species:
K. kuvangensis
Binomial name
Kassina kuvangensis
(Monard, 1937)
Synonyms[2]
  • Cassiniopsis kuvangensis Monard, 1937 "1936"
  • Kassina ingeri Laurent, 1963

Description

Adult males measure 41–51 mm (1.6–2.0 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is dark with indistinct darker spots, or uniformly dark. The ventrum is light, sometimes having indications of dark reticulation. The concealed parts of legs are marbled in red and grey. The gular disc is round rather than strap-like. The finger and the toe tips are not dilated.[3][4]

The males call in very large numbers from flooded grasslands.[1][3][4] The call is a very fast, somewhat irregular series of relatively unmelodic "quoicks". Females lay up to 130 eggs in a sticky clump. The tadpoles are bright yellow with darker mottling. They are large, measuring up to 102 mm (4.0 in) in length, including a very high fin.[3][4]

Habitat and conservation

Kassina kuvangensis is associated with dense swamps and flooded grasslands in wooded savanna. Breeding takes place in flooded grasslands, marshes, and slow-flowing streams in dense vegetation. It is a common species that is unlikely to face significant threats. It is likely to occur in several protected areas.[1]

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Kassina kuvangensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T56229A18385207. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T56229A18385207.en.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Kassina kuvangensis (Monard, 1937)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  3. "Kassina kuvangensis". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  4. "Kassina kuvangensis (Monard, 1937)". African Amphibians. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.