Phrynobatrachus sp.

Lobón-Rovira, Javier, Lobón-Rovira, Baptista, Ninda L, Clark, Tyron, Verburgt, Luke, Jongsma, Gregory Fm, Conradie, Werner, and, Luis Veríssimo, Vaz, Pedro & Pinto, 2025, Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa, African Journal of Herpetology 74 (1), pp. 1-59 : 1-59

Phrynobatrachus sp.

Figure 7I

Material. ANGOLA – Cabinda Province • between Dinge and Chindende; –5.1208, 12.3667; 95 m a.s.l.; FKH-0157; GenBank: PQ455914. • Chilito, Mbundo; –4.7279, 12.5068; 95 m a.s.l.; P3.550 (tadpoles); GenBank: PQ455915. • Sanga Wanda entrance; –4.6304, 12.4714; 203 m a.s.l.; P3.526; GenBank: PQ455913. • Mayombe NP, Miconge; –4.4860, 12.8780; 377 m a.s.l.; FKH 1038–39 , FKH 1047 ; GenBank: PQ455910−12 .

Identification. We collected material of small-sized puddle frogs, representing two different lineages that differ among themselves by a minimum of 3.5% 16S (p -distance), that were tentatively assigned to P. mayokoensis , based on having the posterior part of the back and hind limbs dark, with a lighter cross band in the midbody ( Figure 7I ). Nevertheless, the material reported here lacks the conspicuous red spot on the hindlimbs characteristic of P. mayokoensis , and differs between 4.0–4.5% from the type material of that species (GenBank: KR 827545 ). In addition, the specimens reported here have a black gular region not reported in other similar taxa.Given the lack of morphological and molecular evidence,we cannot ascribe the material reported here to any available names, thus we regard this material as Phrynobatrachus sp. , which may represent two genetically well-distinguished candidate species. No taxonomic action can be taken until more material becomes available followed by a deep integrative taxonomic study of the group.

Biology and distribution. The material reported here represents two mitochondrial lineages. One of the lineages ( Phrynobatrachus sp. 2 ) consisted of one specimen collected on the ground at the edge of gallery forest and coastal woodland in the Littoral Peneplain (P9.053), and tadpoles collected from a temporary pool under bamboo in degraded forest near farmland in Lower Mayombe (P3.550). The other lineage ( Phrynobatrachus sp. 1 ) includes one specimen found crossing a dirt road under mature rainforest in Lower Mayombe (P3.526) and a series found in moss or among leaf litter near a waterfall in primary rainforest in Upper Mayombe ( FKH 1038–39 , FKH 1047 ) .

Pipidae

Figures

Figure 7. Species of the families Phrynobatrachidae, Pipidae, Ptychadenidae, Ranidae and Rhacophoridae recorded from from Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province, Angola. Codes in brackets represent field numbers. A. Phrynobatrachus auritus (P2.057) and B. (P2.033) from Vaku, Upper Mayombe, C. (P3.141) from Chimbete and D. (P3.191) from Sanga Wanda, Lower Mayombe. E. P. aff. parvulus (P2.115) from Caio Cacungo. F. Amplectant pair of P. aff. parvulus from Sanga Wanda, G. (P3.135) from Chimbete, and H. (P3.124) Mbundu, Lower Mayombe. I. Phrynobatrachus sp. (P2.196) from Miconge, Upper Mayombe. J. Xenopus (Xenopus) allofraseri (P3.121) and K. Xenopus (Xenopus) andrei (P3.533) from Sanga Wanda, Lower Mayombe. L. Xenopus (Silurana) mellotropicalis (P3.176), from Quissoki, Upper Mayombe. M. Hymenochirus feae (P3.544) from Mbundo, Lower Mayombe. N. Ptychadena anchietae (P3.107) from Sanga Wanda, Lower Mayombe. O. Ptychadena mascareniensis OUT 6 (P3.168), Lombe River, Vaku, Upper Mayombe. P. Ptychadena perreti (P2.214) from Miconge, Upper Mayombe Q. Ptychadena taenioscelis (P1.141) from Tando Zinze. R. Hylarana (Amnirana) albolabris (P3.154) from Quissoki and S. Hylarana (Amnirana) aff. lepus (P2.187) from Miconge, Upper Mayombe. T. Chiromantis rufescens (P9.072) from South of Dinge. Photographs by PVP (A–E, G–T), JLR (F).