Ptychadena bibroni (Hallowell, 1845)

Ayoro, Halamoussa Joëlle, Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé, Hema, Emmanuel Midibahaye, Penner, Johannes, Oueda, Adama, Dubois, Alain, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Kabré, Gustave Boureima & Ohler, Annemarie, 2020, List of amphibian species (Vertebrata, Tetrapoda) of Burkina Faso, Zoosystema 42 (28), pp. 547-582 : 566-568

Ptychadena bibroni (Hallowell, 1845)

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 4 subadults ( SVL 29.8- 33.9 mm a.s.l.); Houet province , Bobo-Dioulasso; 11.18801°N, – 4.29744°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 6.XI.1966; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1996.8731, 1996.8732, 1996.8733, 1996.8734 • 1 ♀ ( SVL 35.6 mm); Bobo-Dioulasso ; 31.X.1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1996.607 • 2 subadults ( SVL 22.3-24.4 mm); Nasso ; 11.20954°N, – 4.43953°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 17.X.1968; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1996.638, 1996.643 • 7 ♀ ( SVL 34.4-41.6 mm), 1 ♂ ( SVL 28.7 mm); Léraba province , between Loumana and Sindou; 10.62052°N, – 5.29650°W; 330 m a.s.l.; 4.XI.1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1996.8741, 1996.8742, 1996.8743, 1996.8744, 1996.8745, 1996.8746, 1996.8747, 1996.8748 • 8 subadults ( SVL 23.3-30.5 mm); Léraba province , north-east of Ferké (close to the Ivorian border); 10.XI.1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1996.8749, 1996.8751, 1996.8738, 1996.8739, 1999.7315, 1999.7316, 1999.7318, 1999.7320 • 1 ♀ ( SVL 47.3 mm); Comoé province , in Timpérada River near Yendéré; 10.20861°N, – 4.97900°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 28.X.1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1996.8737 .

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 5 juveniles ( SVL 16.1-19.8 mm); Koubri Nabazana dam; 12.20319°N, – 1.35105°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 17.VII.2017; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; under accumulated dry grasses; hand capture • 1 juvenile ( SVL 24.3 mm); Deux Balés National Park, Ouahabou bouli; 11.60767°N, – 3.06035°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; H. J. Ayoro leg.; under dead wood near water body; hand capture • 1 ♀ ( SVL 31.5 mm); downstream from Soumbou dam; 11.69872°N, – 2.79738°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; under a stone near water body; hand capture • 3♀ ( SVL 33.0- 35.5 mm), 10 subadults ( SVL 28.2-30.5 mm); “ Baignade des Eléphants ”; 11.71816°N, – 2.83777°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; on dry grasses near water body; hand capture • 1 juvenile ( SVL 23.1 mm); Kohéna pond; 11.67601°N, – 2.83577°W; 265 m a.s.l.; 9.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; around water body; hand capture • 3♀ ( SVL 37.4-38.6 mm); Tiona pond; 11.63241°N, – 2.85437°W; 265 m a.s.l.; 9.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; under dry grasses around water body; hand capture • 5 subadults ( SVL 26.7-31.5 mm); the bank of Mouhoun River ; 11.77890°N, – 2.91259°W; 245 m a.s.l.; 10.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; on mud and under grasses; hand capture • 3♀ ( SVL 33.1 -37.0 mm), 2 subadults ( SVL 30.0- 30.5 mm); W National Park , the edge of Gnifagou pond; 12.02083°N, 2.20222°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 3.II.2017; same collector as for preceding; under the dead wood near water body; hand capture • 3♀ ( SVL 31.7-38.8 mm), 1 subadult ( SVL 29.1 mm); W National Park , the edge of Soanda pond; 12.02861°N, 2.25890°E; 260 m a.s.l.; 3.II.2017; same collector as for preceding; under stones near water body; hand capture • 1 ♀ ( SVL 31.8 mm); Mékrou River (close to the Beninese border); 11.89991°N, 2.40260°E; 240 m a.s.l.; 4.II.2017; same collector as for preceding; under rocks on the bank of the river; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 38.7 mm); Kabougou River ; 11.96860°N, 2.01259°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 18. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; in paddy field; hand capture • 1 ♀; on the edge of PK-27 bouli; 11.88744°N, 2.11913°E; 265 m a.s.l.; 20.VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; around water body; hand capture • 1 juvenile ( SVL 18.5 mm); W National Park, Nangouli swampy valley; 11.89793°N, 2.00091°E; 250 m a.s.l.; 21. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on a stone near water body; hand capture • 1 ♀ ( SVL 40.3 mm), 2 subadults ( SVL 26.1-29.3 mm); the bank of Arly River ; 11.57048°N, 1.45218°E; 160 m a.s.l.; 3.III.2017; same collector as for preceding; in a crack of dry mud; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 32.3 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 32.0 mm); Bongola swampy valley; 11.53252°N, 1.48241°E; 170 m a.s.l.; 13. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; near water body; hand capture • 3 ♂ ( SVL 33.1 -36.0 mm); Arly National Park , on the floodplain; 11.57852°N, 1.46004°E; 255 m a.s.l; 16-17. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; around water body; hand capture • 3 ♀ ( SVL 44.8-49.5 mm); Comoé-Léraba Forest , Baboro swampy valley; 9.92521°N, – 4.57391°W; 230 m a.s.l.; 4.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; under a heap of dead branches and leaves in a fallow field; hand capture • 1 ♀ ( SVL 32.5 mm); Tuy province , at the backwater of Fafo; 11.33470°N, – 3.01947°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 4.XI.2018; H. J. Ayoro leg.; in a vegetable garden; hand cpature • Ioba province , Dano; 11.16600°N, – 3.08688°W; 340 m a.s.l.; J. Penner leg. • Gbagba (close to Dano); 11.18133°N, – 3.05164°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 2011; J. Penner leg.; field observation .

LITERATURE REPORTS. — Burkina Faso • Passoré province , 80 km north-west Ouagadougou; 12.96744°N, – 2.26155°W; 330 m a.s.l.; 30.VII.1992 ( Böhme et al. 1996) • Yatenga province , Roba near Zamioro; 13.66675°N, – 2.50001°W; 350 m a.s.l. ( Lamotte & Ohler 1997) • Gourma province , Fada N’gourma; 12.06051°N, 0.34913°E; 300 m a.s.l. (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Ganzourgou province , Mogtedo; 12.31844°N, – 0.83601°W; 280 m a.s.l. (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Zorgho ; 12.2483°N, – 0.6278°W; 300 m a.s.l.; I-III.2008 (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) .

DESCRIPTION. — 76 specimens examined. Newly collected females 31.7-49.5 mm SVL, males 33.2-38.7 mm SVL. Smaller than Lamotte & Ohler (1997) vouchers: males 38-51 mm and females 40- 61 mm. Specimens with a pointed snout, distinct and long limbs. Webbing formula: I 1 - 2 II 1 - 2 ½ III 1 - 3 IV 2 ½ - 1 V. Presence of supernumerary tubercles on the toes III and IV. Three pairs of dorsal ridges, including a pair of sacral ridges, a pair of ridges visible on the head between the eyes and ending in the lower part of the back, a second pair of ridges from behind the eyes to the same level as the median ridges and a third pair of ridges visible approximately above the tympanum, near the eye to the level of the other two pairs. The second and third pairs of ridges discontinuous in some specimens. A lateral ridge usually absent or only present as a short row of discontinuous light warts. For further detailed descriptions see Lamotte & Ohler (1997) and Rödel (2000).

Dorsum a grey to pale brown with numerous tiny dark brown to black spots, restricted to the longitudinal ridges. Light reddish or yellow vertebral lines may be present or absent.

HABITAT. — We encountered this species under grasses at the edges of ponds and on river banks. It was also found in paddy fields. In the dry season, we collected P. bibroni under rocks, deadwood and accumulated dry grass around ponds. The species was found in dry and wet savannah habitats, intermittent freshwater wetlands, rural gardens, heavily degraded forests (agricultural areas), channels and ditches ( Rödel 2000). It is a common species, widely distributed in West Africa ( Lamotte & Ohler 1997; Nago et al. 2006; Segniagbeto et al. 2007; Mohneke et al. 2011; Onadeko 2016; Sánchez-Vialas et al. 2017).