Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838

Marques, Mariana P., Ceríaco, Luis M. P., Blackburn, David C. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840 - 2017), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-501 : 152-153

Genus Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838

Pyxicephalus edulis Peters, 1854 EDIBLE BULLFROG

P yxicephalus edulis Peters 1854:626 . Lectotype: ZMB 50301 (formerly part of ZMB 10056) (collector: W.C.H. Peters) designated by Scott et al. (2013:201). Type locality: restricted to “ Tete,” Mozambique by Loveridge (1953:375). The original syntype series included ZMB 3349, 3350 [4 specimens from Mozambique], 10056 [2 specimens (Tete)], and 10057 [2 specimens (Sena)]. Bauer et al. (1995:49) mentioned ZMB 10058 (not located), 50260, 50290, and 50301–02, formerly included under the earlier numbers, one of these may be the BMNH specimen from “Mossambique” mentioned by Boulenger (1882:34) as “typical of P. edulis ” and received from W. Peters. Original type locality: “Mosambique, Boror, Tette” ( Peters 1854:626), [= Mozambique Island and adjacent mainland, Boror, Tete]

Rana adspersa : Bocage (1895a:157), Inger (1959:541).

Rana (Pyxicephalus) adspersus : Monard (1937a:46, 1938:103), Frade (1963:254).

Pyxicephalus adspersus : Cei (1977:17), Frost (1985:477), Channing (2001:346), du Preez and Caruthers (2009:414), Channing et al. (2012:123).

Pyxicephalus adspersus edulis : Loveridge (1950:255, 1953a:375), Parry (1982:286), Poynton and Broadley (1895b:123), Poynton and Haacke (1993:13), Ruas (1996:23).

Pyxicephalus edulis : Channing et al. (1994:154), Frétey et al. (2011:42), Scott et al. (2013:201), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is broadly distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, extending from Senegal to Kenya, and south through Mozambique, Malawi, Angola, into easternmost Namibia and northeastern South Africa.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 99): The species is known from southern Angola. Cunene: “Humbe” [-16.68333, 14.90000] ( Bocage 1895a:157; Ruas 1996:23); “ 23 km NW of Pereira de Eça (Roçadas)” [-16.95000, 15.56667] ( Parry 1982:286; Poynton and Haacke 1993:13; Ruas 1996:23); “Pereira de Eça” [-17.06667, 15.73333] (Poynton and Haacke 1993:13; Ruas 1996:23); “Mupanda” [-17.13333, 15.76667] ( Monard 1937a:46, 1938:103; Ruas 1996:23).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: There has been on-going confusion about the taxonomy of Pyxicephalus edulis Peters 1854 and P. adspersus Tschudi 1838 . The former was recognized as a subspecies of the latter by Boulenger (1882) and many subsequent authors ( Loveridge 1950,

1953a; Parry 1982; Poynton and Broadley

1895b; Poynton and Haacke 1993; Ruas 1996),

though Channing et al. (1994) elevated

P. edulis based on differences in the calls and breeding biology, as well as some morphological differences ( Scott et al. 2013). Channing et al. (1994) also suggested that much of the literature regarding Pyxicephalus adspersus should instead apply to P. edulis . Several authors including Channing (2001), du Preez and

Caruthers (2009), and Channing et al. (2012)

considered that P. edulis does not occur in

Angola, whereas Frétey et al. (2011) considered it present there. Ceríaco et al. (in prep.)

recently examined Monard’s (1937 a, 1938)

specimens from “Mupanda” identified as Rana

(Pyxicephalus) adspersus in the Musée d’histoire naturelle de La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzer- MAP 99. Distribution of Pyxicephalus edulis in Angola.

land and considered that these should be referred to P. edulis based on distinctive morphological characters.