Ptychadena submascareniensis

Ptychadena submascareniensis (common name: Guinea grassland frog) is a species of frog in the family Ptychadenidae. This West African frog is found on the Nimba Range of Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Liberia, and on the Loma Mountains of Sierra Leone.[1][2][3][4]

Ptychadena submascareniensis

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ptychadenidae
Genus: Ptychadena
Species:
P. submascareniensis
Binomial name
Ptychadena submascareniensis
(Guibé & Lamotte, 1953)
Synonyms

Rana submascareniensis Guibé and Lamotte, 1953

Description

Ptychadena submascareniensis is a small frog species; males measure 26–29 mm (1.0–1.1 in) and females 26–33 mm (1.0–1.3 in) in snout–vent length. Males have paired, lateral vocal sacs. The dorsum has five pairs of longitudinal ridges; the skin between the ridges is slightly granulated. There are some scattered warts on the eyelids and on the flanks. The ventral skin is smooth. The head is longer than wide and with a moderately pointed snout. The tympanum is ⅔ to ¾ of the eye diameter. The legs are long and slender.[3][4] Male vocalizations are unknown.[4]

The tadpoles have a dark and ovoid body. The tail fin and axis are spotted, and the tail fin converges evenly towards the tip. Specimens 19–20 mm (0.75–0.79 in) in length have hind legs and are thus approaching metamorphosis.[4]

Habitat and conservation

The natural habitats of Ptychadena submascareniensis are savannas and grasslands. It breeds in shallow puddles.[1] On Mount Nimba, these frogs were found in shallow puddles in March–October.[4]

Because there is little recent information about this species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as "Data Deficient". Threats to it are unknown, but it probably is threatened by mining on Mount Nimba. It occurs in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve,[1] but is absent from Comoé National Park.[3][4]

gollark: Well, from my perspective people don't get anything out of it.
gollark: It's enough time to launch a reasonably small potatOS feature.
gollark: It may not be a massive amount, but it's *there*, and if possible I don't want to spend it on useless stuff, so I don't.
gollark: 1/20th of my available time awake.
gollark: It's a 20th of my available waking time. It's something, and quite a lot.

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2014). "Ptychadena submascareniensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T58526A18401896. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T58526A18401896.en. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2015). "Ptychadena submascareniensis (Guibé and Lamotte, 1953)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  3. "Ptychadena submascareniensis (Guibé and Lamotte, 1953)". African Amphibians. 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  4. "Ptychadena submascareniensis". AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
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