Phrynobatrachus francisci
| Phrynobatrachus francisci | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Phrynobatrachidae |
| Genus: | Phrynobatrachus |
| Species: | P. francisci
|
| Binomial name | |
| Phrynobatrachus francisci Boulenger, 1912
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Phrynobatrachus Monodi de Witte, 1930 | |
Phrynobatrachus francisci is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is widespread in the Guinean savanna zone of West Africa,[1][2][3] from Senegal and southern Mauritania in the west to Nigeria in the east.[2] The specific name francisci honours A. C. Francis, a colonial administrator in Nigeria and the collector of the holotype.[4] Common names Francis's puddle frog and warty river frog has been proposed for it.[2]
Description
[edit]Adult males measure 15–23 mm (0.6–0.9 in) and adult females 19–28 mm (0.7–1.1 in) in snout–vent length. The body is stocky. The snout is short and pointed. The tympanum is reduced but the supratympanic fold is distinct. The toes have some webbing. The dorsum has very prominent warts whereas the flanks have small glandular warts. The dorsal colouration is brown, with some specimens having dark, light, irregularly shaped spots. The dorsal parts of the limbs have dark and light transverse bars; the back of the thigh has light brown longitudinal bands. The throat, chest, belly, and underside of the thigh are whitish; some females and juveniles have brown spots in their throat. Males have a subgular vocal sac and are darker than females.[5]
Habitat and ecology
[edit]Phrynobatrachus francisci is a very common species that inhabits both humid and dry savanna. It also lives in altered habitats including agricultural areas and villages. Breeding takes place in a range of temporary water habitats, including small temporary ponds and puddles and ditches.[1]
Phrynobatrachus francisci are parasitized by intradermal larvae of the chigger mite Endotrombicula pillersi (family Trombiculidae). In the Comoé National Park (Ivory Coast), more than half of the Phrynobatrachus francisci individuals were infected, whereas other amphibians were not infected – except for a single Sclerophrys maculata. Only the most heavily infested frogs showed pathological effects of mites.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Phrynobatrachus francisci". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T58109A18393090. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T58109A18393090.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d Frost, Darrel R. (2024). "Phrynobatrachus francisci Boulenger, 1912". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.2. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ Channing, Allan & Rödel, Mark-Oliver (2019). Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa. Cape Town: Struik Nature. p. 288. ISBN 978-1-77584-512-6.
- ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael & Grayson, Michael (2013). The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians. Pelagic Publishing. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-907807-42-8.
- ^ Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé; Ohler, Annemarie; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Luiselli, Luca & Dubois, Alain (2024). "Amphibians of Togo: taxonomy, distribution and conservation status". Zoosystema. 46 (25): 631–670. doi:10.5252/zoosystema2024v46a25.
- ^ Spieler, M. & Linsenmair, K. E. (1999). "The larval mite Endotrombicula pillersi (Acarina: Trombiculidae) as a species-specific parasite of a West African savannah frog (Phrynobatrachus francisci)". American Midland Naturalist. 142 (1): 152–161. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(1999)142[0152:TLMEPA]2.0.CO;2.