Afrixalus weidholzi (Mertens, 1938)

Segniagbeto, Gabriel Hoinsoudé, Ohler, Annemarie, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Luiselli, Luca & Dubois, Alain, 2024, Amphibians of Togo: taxonomy, distribution and conservation status, Zoosystema 46 (25), pp. 631-670 : 644

Afrixalus weidholzi (Mertens, 1938)

( Fig. 5E )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Togo • 1 ♂; Kanté ; MNHN-RA-2006.2809 • 1 ♀; Guérin Kuka; Coll . GHS-W 1383 .

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. — Côte d’Ivoire • 1 ♂; Ndenou ; MNHN-RA-1999.3771, MNHN-RA-2000.2720 • 3 ♀; Lamto ; MNHN-RA-2000.4055-4057 .

DESCRIPTION. — A small (SVL 18.9-19.1 mm ♂, 17.1-18.9 mm ♀), slender frog with an oval snout. Head longer than broad (HW 21- 26% SVL; HL 28-35% SVL). Tympanum barely distinct, covered by skin (TYD 0.9 mm). Tibia short (TL 35-42% SVL). Webbing small; webbing formula: I 1 – 1 ½ II 1 – 2 ½ III 1 – 3 IV 2 ½ – 1 V. Fingers and toes terminating with disks. Smooth skin with asperities on back and flanks, slightly granular on belly.

COLOURATION. — The dorsal pattern is yellowish-brown. A distinct vertebral line is present. The upper part of the flank bears a longitudinal band from the posterior region of eye to the inguinal region. The lower part of the flank is white. The tympanic region is whitish, the dorsal surface of the hand, thigh, leg and foot is yellowish-brown. The ventral side (throat, chest, belly) is white.

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. — The male has a yellow gland on the subgular vocal sac and a higly granular zone on the side of the head behind the mouth opening.

HABITATS AND DISTRIBUTION. — The presence of this species in Togo was reported for the first time by Leaché et al. (2006) from specimens collected in the Ghana-Togo border area. Observations without vouchers were made in Akloa, Tomegbe, Assoukoko and Fazao Malfakassa National Park (Kpei Solongo). This species occurs only in savannah areas. It is often found in habitats with grasses around pools. Ecological zone I constitutes its main distribution area in Togo. Populations of this species have been recently observed along the Mono River from Tetetou to Nagbeto dam ( Segniagbeto et al. 2022). It is also present in ecological zones II and IV.

Figures

FIG. 5. — Representatives of anuran species from Togo in life: A-C, Afrixalus dorsalis (Peters, 1875): A, B, (Togbekope); C, (Akloa); D, Afrixalus vittiger (Peters, 1876) male (Kalaré); E, Afrixalus weidholzi (Mertens, 1938) (Guérin Kuka); F, Hyperolius baumanni Ahl, 1931 (Diguendue).