Congolius robustus ( Laurent, 1979 )

Badjedjea, Gabriel, Masudi, Franck M., Akaibe, Benjamin Dudu & Gvoždík, Václav, 2022, Amphibians of Kokolopori: an introduction to the amphibian fauna of the Central Congolian Lowland Forests, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 301) 16 (1), pp. 35-70 : 51

Congolius robustus ( Laurent, 1979)

Fig. 7E–F.

Area: All.

Season/survey: Wet (May 2018, Nov 2018), dry (Aug 2019, Jul 2020).

Material: CSB:Herp: RNBK 002, 009, 040, 050, 057, 061, 062, 067, 075, 081, 082, 096, 105, 111, 130, 137, 157, 215, 257, 414, 434, 445, 446, 466, 514, 519, 520, 532, 533, 543, 549, 550–552, 584, 606, 629, 679, 680, 698–700, 722, 730, 839–841; IVB-H-CD 18095, 18117– 18121, 18143, 18255, 18256, 18299, 18301–18305, 18364; NMP-P6 V 76086/1–9, 76087/1–3.

Comments: This is a little-known species, but it is quite common in Kokolopori. It is abundant in flooded primary forests or along streams, and also in disturbed semi-open habitats. It was commonly found in communities with Hyperolius phantasticus and H. cf. cinnamomeoventris , and/or H. cf. platyceps , especially in farmbush along streams at forest edges. Most specimens were found perched on vegetation 1.5– 2 m high, but some specimens were observed higher up on shrubs or trees. Most males were found during calling activity, although they were easily disturbed and stopped calling. The Robust Congo Frog is sexually dichromatic with males in yellowish to brown tones and usually dark marbling, whereas females are reddish-brown with orange distal and ventral parts of the limbs (especially tips of digits and webbings). This species was already reported from Kokolopori by Schiøtz (2006).