Ptychadena mascareniensis (Guibé & Lamotte, 1953)

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 : 568

Ptychadena mascareniensis (Guibé & Lamotte, 1953)

( Fig. 7C )

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 1 ♀ ( SVL 38.6 mm); Passoré province , Samba; 2.70144°N, – 2.40389°W; 290 m a.s.l.; I.1963; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1979.5118 • 3 subadults ( SVL 27.1-30.2 mm); Nasso ; close to the Kou River; 11.20955°N, – 4.43951°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 28.XI.1968; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1996.3897, 1996.3898, 1996.3899 • 1 subadult ( SVL 26.7 mm); Léraba province , Loumana; 3.XI.1970; J. J. Morère leg.; MNHNRA-1996.3947 • 2 subadults ( SVL 27.1-28.8 mm); Léraba province, north-east Ferké (close to the Ivorian border); 10.XI.1970; M. Lamotte leg.;MNHN-RA-1999.7317, 1999.7319 • 1 subadult ( SVL 26.5 mm); Houet province , on a trail linking Bobo-Dioulasso and Kofila; 1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1996.3937 • 1♀ ( SVL 39.1 mm); Houet province , Dindérésso; 11.23055°N, – 4.37329°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 31.X.1970; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1996.3916 .

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 1♀ ( SVL 37.7 mm); Deux Balés National Park , “Baignade des Eléphants”; 11.71816°N, – 2.83777°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; H. J. Ayoro leg.; on dry grasses around water body; hand capture • 1 subadult ( SVL 32.1 mm); Arly National Park ; close to Bouliabou pond; 11.5789°N, 1.46397°W; 180 m a.s.l.; 11. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on the edge of the pond; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 34.4 mm); Comoé-Léraba Forest ; Baboro swampy valley; 9.92521°N, – 4.57391°W; 230 m a.s.l.; 4.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; under grasses on a way; hand capture .

LITERATURE REPORTS. — Burkina Faso • Gourma province , Fada N’gourma; 12.06051°N, 0.34913°E; 300 m a.s.l. • Ganzourgou province , Mogtedo; 12.31844°N, – 0.83601°W; 280 m a.s.l. (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Zorgho ; 12.2483°N, – 0.6278°W; 300 m a.s.l.; I-III.2008 (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) .

DESCRIPTION. — 12 specimens examined. SVL of 34.4 mm for the single male and 38.6-39.1 mm for females and thus smaller than size given by Rödel (2000). Specimens with a pointed snout, long legs and webbing formula: I 1 - 2 II 1 - 2 III 1 - 2 IV 2 - 1 V. Supernumerary tubercles absent. On the back four pairs of continuous longitudinal folds. The median pair from between eyes to the sacrum. The second pair starting posterior to eye and ranging to lower part of the back. The third pair, shorter and between the second pair and continuous white lateral folds posterior to the eyelid to the groin. A light medio-dorsal line, from the snout to the venter and also a fine white line on the dorsal part of the leg present ( Fig. 7C ). Generally presence of a broad green or redish vertebral band in this species (see figures in Rödel & Glos 2019). Dominant colour brown, dotted with dark and whitish spots on the back and on posterior legs. COMMENT. — The taxonomy of the P. mascareniensis -complex is not yet settled. According to Rödel (2000) and Vences et al. (2004) this nomen represents a series of cryptic species. A series of distinct clades traditionally named P. mascareniensis in Africa and the populations present in Madagascar and Réunion Island (origin of name-bearing specimens) are morphologically and genetically differentiated from those of other African populations ( Vences et al. 2004; Zimkus et al. 2017). The recent phylogenetic study on P. mascareniensis ( Zimkus et al. 2017) confirmed the genetic differentiation, however, without clarifying the taxonomy of West African populations.

HABITAT. — Ptychadena mascareniensis was captured on the edge of a small pond in National Parks of Arly and Deux Balés and under grasses in water-filed depression in Comoé-Léraba Forest. The species inhabits savannah habitats in West Africa, breeding most often in paddy fields ( Rödel 2000, Segniagbeto et al. 2007). It was found near a temporary pond in a gallery forest of the Sahel savannah ( Padial & De La Riva 2004).

Figures

FIG. 7. — Photos of collection vouchers: three anuran species from Burkina Faso preserved in alcohol, dorsal view (left) and ventral view (right). A, Sclerophrys mauritanica (Schlegel, 1841); MNHN-RA-1989.4038; B, Hyperolius lamottei Laurent, 1958; MNHN-RA-1997.9889; C, Ptychadena mascareniensis (Guibé & Lamotte, 1953); MNHN-RA-1996.3916. Photos: A, C, Halamoussa Joëlle Ayoro; B, Annemarie Ohler.