Phrynobatrachus auritus Boulenger, 1900 Photo figures 21D–G

TYPE LOCALITY.— “ Benito River ”, Río Muni, Equatorial Guinea .

DISTRIBUTION.— This species is distributed from Nigeria and Cameroon to Gabon, and eastwards to Rwanda and western Uganda. In Equatorial Guinea, it has been recorded both from Río Muni (Boulenger 1900; De la Riva 1994) and Bioko (Bocage 1895a; Boulenger 1903, 1906a; Mertens 1941, 1965; Zimkus 2009; Zimkus et al. 2010; Taboue and Fokam 2016; Hydeman et al. 2017) (Map 21C).

COMMENTS.— This species seems to be abundant throughout Equatorial Guinea. Populations from Bioko are placed within the same clade of Cameroonian populations (Zimkus et al. 2010). The taxonomic status of P. auritus has been problematic (see Lamotte and Xavier 1966) due to Boulenger’s (1903) synonimization of it with P. plicatus (Günther, 1858), which is its vicariant sister species from West Africa. The identity of P. auritus as a full species and its relationships with P. plicatus have been studied using molecular data by Zimkus et al (2010). Márquez et al. (2000) described the calls for Río Muni populations.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.— Eighty-three specimens. Miboman, Km 27 Bata-Movo (EBD 18294– 18315) ; Noayong (Evinayong-Aconibe), 16 April 1987 (EBD 25043) ; Alosa, Niefang (EBD 21032, 21042, 21036–21037, EBD 21028, 21009, 21010, 21013) ; Ctra Bata-Movo, Km 27, 1984 (EBD 18629) . Rebola, Bioko, 13 January 1933 (MNCN 3899) ; Cabo San Juan, Río Muni, 21 August (MNCN 3951–3992) ; Caldera de Luba, Bioko, 13 March 2007 (MNCN 46706, 46721) ; BBPP camp, Caldera de Luba, Bioko, 03°20ʹ47.32ʺN, 08°29ʹ48.44ʺE, 26 November 2003 (MNCN 48891–48894) ; Red swamp, Caldera de Luba, Bioko, 03°21ʹ27.99ʺN, 08°30ʹ52.11ʺE, 27 November 2003 (MNCN 48895–48899) .