Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849)

Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé, Ohler, Annemarie, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Luiselli, Luca & Dubois, Alain, 2024, Amphibians of Togo: taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zoosystema 46 (25), pp. 631-670 : 654

Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849)

( Fig. 11E )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Togo • 3 ♂, 2 ♀; Alédjo ; MNHN-RA-2008.0158-0162 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Aou Losso ; MNHN-RA-2008.0197, MNHN-RA-2008.0198 • 6 ♂, 2 ♀; Koui ; MNHN-RA-2008.0163-0170 • 2 ♂, 1 ♀; Klonou ; MRAC B-104266, MRAC B-104267, MRAC B-104271 • 3 ♂, 1 ♀; Séva (sur la route de Kpalimé); MRAC B-104324-B-104327 .

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. — RD Congo • 3 ♂, 2 ♀; Kaziaba ; MRAC B-71720, MRAC B-71722-71725 .

DESCRIPTION. — Frog of medium size (SVL 25.4-31.1 mm ♂, 27.6-35.5 mm ♀), with a stocky body. Snout short, oval, barely exceeding mouth slit. Head massive, as long as broad (HW 30-45% SVL; HL%30-41% SVL).Tympanum distinct (TYD 6-10% SVL). Hind leg rather long (TL 44-56% SVL). Webbing small, leaving three phalanges free; webbing formula: I 1 – 2 II 1 – 3 III 2 – 3 IV 3 – 2 V. Back with distinctly protruding warts; flanks with small glandular warts; distinct supratympanic fold, from the posterior end of the eye to the shoulder; dorsal parts of forearm, tarsus and shank shagreen, that of thigh bearing numerous glandular granules; ventral and posterior sides of the thighs shagreen; throat, chest and belly smooth.

COLOURATION. — The general colouration of the back is brown (dark brown when stored in alcohol) or grayish, more or less dark. In some specimens, spinules give the appearance of dark and light spots of irregular shape. The dorsal parts of forearm, tarsus, tibia and thigh have dark and light transverse bars. The rear side of the thigh is marbled with dark and light longitudinal bands of approximately the same size. The chest, belly and ventral side of the thigh are whitish. The throat is white with some brown spots in females and juveniles.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. — The males are smaller than the females and have a subgular vocal sac marked by longitudinal gular folds, heavily pigmented, thus showing a dark gray or black colour.

HABITATS AND DISTRIBUTION. — Phrynobatrachus natalensis is essentially a Guinean savannah species. It is also associated with dense dry forest and open forest ecosystems characteristic of ecological zone II. The species is relatively common in the Koui region and in the Alédjo forest. It is found especially near ponds, small swamps, and small rivers in savannah in the rainy season. The species has been reported in Togo by Bourgat (1979) and Segniagbeto et al. (2007, 2022).

Figures

FIG. 11. — Representatives of anuran species from Togo in life: A, Phrynobatrachus calcaratus (Peters, 1863) (Kalaré); B, Phrynobatrachus francisci Boulenger, 1912 (Mango); C, Phrynobatrachus gutturosus (Chabanaud, 1921) (Assoukoko); D, Phrynobatrachus latifrons (Ahl, 1924) (Akloa); E, Phrynobatrachus natalensis (Smith, 1849) (Koui); F, Phrynobatrachus plicatus (Günther, 1859) (Assoukoko).