Hymenochirus cf. boettgeri (Tornier, 1896)

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 : 59

Hymenochirus cf. boettgeri (Tornier, 1896)

Fig. 11A .

Area: Bechuchuu, Yalokole.

Season/survey: Wet (Nov 2018), dry (July 2020).

Material: CSB:Herp: RNBK 831; IVB-H-CD 18216– 18220, 18308, 18397–18401, 18402–18406, 18410– 18424, 18456–18465, 18480–18488, 18529, 18551.

Comments: This species is common in Kokolopori, usually found in syntopy with Xenopus pygmaeus in stagnant water in forests, typically in pools at the periphery of flooded forest. The general appearance resembles the type of H. boettgeri ( ZMB 11521), which was described from the Ituri Forest, northeastern DRC. Given the relatively distant type locality in a different ecoregion, we assume that this population may represent a distinct taxon.

Figures

Fig. 11. Pipids (Hymenochirus, Xenopus), ranids (Amnirana), and a rhacophorid (Chiromantis). (A) Hymenochirus cf. boettgeri (male). (B) H. cf. boulengeri (male). (C) Xenopus pygmaeus (female). (D) X. pygmaeus, tadpole. (E) Amnirana cf. albolabris (male). (F) Amnirana cf. albolabris, dark morph with contrasting color pattern (male). (G) A. lepus (male). (H) Chiromantis cf. rufescens (male).