Arthroleptis variabilis Matschie, 1893 Photo

Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto, Calvo-Revuelta, Marta, Castroviejo-Fisher, Santiago & De, Ignacio, 2020, Synopsis of the Amphibians of Equatorial Guinea based upon the Authors’ Field Work and Spanish Natural History Collections, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 66 (8), pp. 137-230 : 148

Arthroleptis variabilis Matschie, 1893 Photo figures 3G–H; 4A–E

TYPE LOCALITY.— “Buea, Barombie, Kamerun”, Cameroon .

DISTRIBUTION.— This species inhabits the lowland rainforest over the Gulf of Guinea region, extending from Nigeria to Gabon, and inward reaching Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Equatorial Guinea, it occurs both in Río Muni and Bioko. Within Río Muni, Arthroleptis variabilis had only been recorded in Monte Alén ( De la Riva 1994), while on Bioko it is known from several localities over most part of the island ( Bocage 1895a; Boulenger 1900, 1906a; Mertens 1965; Hydeman et al. 2017) ( Map 3B ).

COMMENTS.— This species has been redescribed by Blackburn et al. (2009). Old highland records from Basilé (2000 m a.s.l) ( Bocage 1895a) need confirmation since a newly described congeneric taxon ( A. bioko ) inhabits the same region at high altitudes. Mraz et al. (2018) reported a case of predation of A. variabilis by an unidentified shrew within a human-mediated trap.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.— 24 specimens. Ayene , Wele Nzas, 9 September 1985 ( EBD 21041 ) ; [ Batonós , Guinea Ec] (not found), January 1933 ( MNCN 3943 ) ; Monte Alén lake , 22 August 2001 ( MNCN 46336 ) ; Caldera de Luba , Bioko, 03°20ʹ46.54ʺN, 08°29ʹ48.20ʺE, 12 March 2007 ( MNCN 46702 , MNCN 46707 ) ; Forest close to Illadji River, Bioko, 03°19ʹ46.04ʺN, 08°40ʹ26.13ʺE, 14 November 2003 ( MNCN 48836–48839 ) ; Río San Nicolás , Belebu to Ureka along the path, Bioko, 03°24ʹ25.81ʺN, 08°33ʹ03.23ʺE, 20 November 2003 ( MNCN 48840 ) ; descending into Caldera de Luba , Bioko, 03°20ʹ05.02ʺN, 08°29ʹ14.33ʺE, 26 November 2003 ( MNCN 48841 ) ; surroundings of BBPP camp, Caldera de Luba , Bioko, 03°20ʹ47.32ʺN, 08°29ʹ48.44ʺE, 26 November 2003 ( MNCN 48842–48851 ), 27 November 2003 ( MNCN 48852–48853 ) ; Batete , path behind church, Bakelele forest, 03°26ʹ37.34ʺN, 08°30ʹ24.76ʺE, 02 December 2003 ( MNCN 48854 ) .

Figures

MAPS 3A–C. Distribution maps for Equatorial Guinean records of (A) Arthroleptis sylvaticus; (B) Arthroleptis variabilis; (C) Cardioglossa elegans.