Ptychadena cf. mapacha Channing, 1993

Pietersen, Darren W., Pietersen, Errol W. & Conradie, Werner, 2017, Preliminary herpetological survey of Ngonye Falls and surrounding regions in south-western Zambia, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 148) 11 (1), pp. 24-43 : 29

Ptychadena cf. mapacha Channing, 1993

Mapacha Grass Frog

Material: TM 86255

Photograph: VMUS 5990

One individual ( TM 86255) was collected at Park Headquarters after being killed by a vehicle, while a second individual ( VMUS 5990, Fig. 2b ) was photographed at the same site. Individuals are provisionally assigned to this species based on external morphology and coloration, however molecular analyses and/or call recordings are required to unequivocally confirm these iden- tifications. For many years this species was only known from the type locality, viz. Mapacha Airfield and the area surrounding Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region of Namibia ( Channing 1993; du Preez and Carruthers 2009), although expected to occur in south-western Zambia, south-eastern Angola and northern Botswana as well ( Channing 2001). Haacke (1999) collected four individuals along the Ojmatako River about 80 km east of Rundu (this record has largely been overlooked in the literature), while most recently Ceríaco et al. (2016) recorded it from Rundu District in Kavango-East Region, northern Namibia. Conradie et al. (2016) collected a series of Ptychadena at Jamba in neighboring south-eastern Angola which they provisionally assigned to P. cf. mossambica , although noting that their specimens may be referable to P. mapacha . The records reported here are the first for Zambia and the first outside Namibia. These records extend the known distribution of this Data Deficient species 120 km NNW into Zambia, and 320 km NNE into south-eastern Angola, which could have positive conservation implications ( IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, SA-FRoG 2017).

Figures

Fig. 2. Selection of amphibians and reptiles photographed in the vicinity of Ngonye Falls, south-western Zambia. (A) View of Ngonye Falls from the eastern side of the Zambezi River. (B) Mapacha Grass Frog (Ptychadena cf. mapacha, VMUS 5990), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (C) Long-tailed Worm Lizard (Dalophia longicauda), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters.(D) Zambezi Rough-scaled Lizard (Ichnotropis grandiceps, TM 86237), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (E) Barotse Blind Legless Skink (Acontias jappi, TM 86232), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (F) Eastern Black-lined Plated Lizard (Gerrhosaurus intermedius), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters.