Kassina cassinoides (Boulenger, 1903)

Ayoro, Halamoussa Joëlle, Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé, Hema, Emmanuel Midibahaye, Penner, Johannes, Oueda, Adama, Dubois, Alain, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Kabré, Gustave Boureima & Ohler, Annemarie, 2020, List of amphibian species (Vertebrata, Tetrapoda) of Burkina Faso, Zoosystema 42 (28), pp. 547-582 : 561

Kassina cassinoides (Boulenger, 1903)

( Fig. 4F )

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 1 ♀ ( SVL 53.4 mm), 1 ♂ ( SVL 44.3 mm); Samba ; 12.70145°N, – 2.40387°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 13.VII.1962; M. Lamotte leg.;MNHN-RA-1998.2307, 1998.2308 • 1 juvenile ( SVL 15.6 mm); Kourweogo province , Laye; 12.53084°N, – 1.77155°W; 290 m a.s.l.; VIII.1966; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1998.2309 .

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 1♂ ( SVL 44.9 mm); Pabré dam, south-west of this dam; 12.51159°N, – 1.58833°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 10.VII.2017; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; under a stone on the edge of the dam; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 42.4 mm); Arly National Park , close to the Bouliabou pond; 11.57892°N, 1.4638°E; 170 m a.s.l.; 16. VI.2018; H. J. Ayoro leg.; near a small water body; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 40.1 mm); W National Park, Koubougou River (500 m north-west of the Koubougou forest post office); 11.96860°N, 2.01259°E; 280 ma.s.l.; 18. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; in a paddy field; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 44.5 mm); Folonzo village swampy valley; 9.88803°N, – 4.61969°W; 230 m a.s.l.; 6.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; on a shrub, hand capture • 2 ♂; Loumbila dam; 12.49837°N, – 1.40313°W; 285 m a.s.l.; 15.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; in a bush near the dam; acoustic report • 1 ♂; Koubri , “Ancien barrage”; 12.22843°N, – 1.34766°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 16.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; on a tree near the dam; acoustic report • 1♂; Koubri , downstream of Nabazana dam; 12.20319°N, – 1.35105°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 17.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; in vegetable garden near the dam; acoustic report • 2 ♂; Dédougou ; 12.48972°N, – 3.43611°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 22.VIII.2017; H. J. Ayoro leg.; under shrubs near the SONATUR city; acoustic report • 1 ♂; W National Park , around PK-27 bouli; 11.88744°N, 2.11913°W; 265 m a.s.l.; 20. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; acoustic report • 1 ♂; Comoé-Léraba Forest , Sirigoué swampy valley; 9.91358°N, – 4.62686°W; 240 m a.s.l.; 2.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; on a tree; acoustic report • 3 ♂; Kou Forest , on the bank of Kou River in the savannah part of this Forest; 11.18815°N, – 4.44397°W; 375 m a.s.l.; 9.VIII.2018; same collectors as for preceding; on the trees; acoustic report • Dano dam; 11.16464°N, – 3.08633°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 2011; J. Penner leg.; field direct observation .

DESCRIPTION. — 7 specimens examined. Larger than the two other Kassina species from Burkina Faso. SVL of the five observed males 40.1-44.9 mm. The female MNHN-RA-1998.2307 with 53.4 mm SVL exceeding the known body size ( SchiØtz 1999; Rödel 2000; Amiet 2012). This species distinguished known from all other savannah frogs by a double, black vertebral line ( Fig. 4F ).

HABITAT. — Kassina cassinoides and K. fusca SchiØtz, 1967 were calling at night from holes at the base of shrubs, at the beginning of rainy season. Three of our vouchers were collected on the ground near water (in about 10-50 m distance) in June and July. One was found on a tree where it was calling (in about 100 m from the water) in August. Rödel (2000) also reported that single individuals may call from trees. It is most abundant in denser vegetated parts of dry savannah ( Rödel 2000; Nago et al. 2006). This species was not found in the Sahelian zone (Dori and Yakouta). Its distribution range covers a large part of the Sudano-Sahelian region in West Africa from Senegal to northeast Cameroon ( SchiØtz 1999; Böhme 2005; Amiet 2012).

Figures

FIG. 4. — Representatives of anuran species from Burkina Faso in life. A, Hemisus marmoratus (Peters, 1854); B, Afrixalus vittiger (Peters, 1876) C, Afrixalus weidholzi (Mertens,1938); D, Hyperolius concolor concolor (Hallowell, 1844); E, Hyperolius nitidulus Peters, 1875; F, Kassina cassinoides (Boulenger, 1903). Photos: Halamoussa Joëlle Ayoro.