Breviceps sp.

Marques, Mariana P., Ceríaco, Luis M. P., Blackburn, David C. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Diversity and Distribution of the Amphibians and Terrestrial Reptiles of Angola Atlas of Historical and Bibliographic Records (1840 - 2017), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-501 : 81-82

Breviceps sp.

Breviceps gibosus Bocage (1870:68) .

Breviceps gibbosus Bocage (1873b:227) .

Breviceps mossambicus : Bocage (1895a:182), Parker (1934:194), Monard (1937a:29, 1938:56, 81), Loveridge (1957:357), Inger (1959:532), Laurent (1964a:156), Cei (1977:17, 18), Gavetti and Andreone (1993:114), Ruas (1996:22).

Rana mossambicus : Hellmich (1957a:30).

Breviceps mossambicus / adspersus : Poynton (1982:67, 1992:68), Frost (1985:356, 2016), Channing (2001:213), du Preez and Carruthers (2009:108), Frétey et al. (2011:27).

Breviceps adspersus : Poynton and Broadley (1985a:523), Conradie et al. (2016:11).

Breviceps mossambicus-adspersus : Ruas (2002:142).

Global distribution: What appears to be a single taxon, though of uncertain identity, ranges across west-central Angola. This may belong to a more widely distributed species in southern Africa, although phylogenetic support for this is not yet available.

Ocurrences in Angola (Map 24):

Records are reported from across western and eastern Angola. Lunda Sul: “Alto Chicapa,

Lunda” [-10.88333, 19.23333] ( Laurent

1964a:156; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Riv.

Luhemba, Alto Chicapa (Rio Luemba)” ( Laurent 1964a:156; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142).

Moxico: “ Rives du lac Calundo (Lago Calundo )” [-11.80000, 20.86667] ( Laurent

1964a:156; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Calombe, Luso” [-11.83333, 16.25000] ( Ruas

1996:22; 2002:142); “Cazombo” [-11.88333,

22.91667] ( Laurent 1964a:156; Ruas 1996:22,

2002:142). Bengo: “ R. Donda, 300 miles inland from St. Paul de Loanda (Rio Donda)”

[-9.68333, 14.43333] ( Parker 1934:195; Ruas

1996:22, 2002:142). Huambo: “Bimbi

MAP 24. Distribution of Breviceps sp. in Angola.

(Bimbe)” [-11.81667, 15.83333] ( Monard

1937a:29, 1938:81; Monard 1938:56; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Galanga” [-12.06667, 15.15000] ( Monard 1938:56; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142). Benguela: “Quissange” [-12.43333, 14.05000] ( Bocage 1895a:182; Parker 1934:195; Monard 1938:56; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Quindumbo” [-12.46667, 14.93333] ( Bocage 1895a:182; Monard 1938:56; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Benguela” [-12.58333, 13.41667] ( Parker 1934:195; Gavetti and Andreone 1993:114; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Ebanga” [-12.73333, 14.73333] ( Monard 1937a:29, 1938:56, 81; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Chimbassi” [-13.18526, 14.20061] ( Hellmich 1957a:30). Huíla: “Caconda” [-13.73333, 15.06667] ( Bocage 1895a:182; Monard 1938:56; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142); “Vila-da-Ponte (Kuvangu)” [-14.46667, 16.30000] ( Monard 1937a:29, 1938:56, 81; Ruas 1996:22, 2002:142). Namibe: “Biballa (Bibala)” [-14.76667, 13.36667] ( Bocage 1895a:182; Ruas 1996:22); “Chiyaka District” [vic. -15.08333, 12.73333] ( Parker 1934:195); “Mossamedes” [-15.20000, 12.15000] ( Bocage 1873b:227). Undetermined Locality: without precise locality ( Bocage 1870:68); “areas of forest and savanna in the north and northeast of Angola ” ( Cei 1977:17); “arid territories along the coast” ( Cei 1977:18).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Identification of Angolan populations of this Breviceps species remains unclear. It may be conspecific with Breviceps adspersus Peters, 1882 or B. mossambicus Peters, 1854 . Most authors have considered the Angolan species to be the former. There is a high degree of similarity between the species, and they are easily confused. According to Poynton and Broadley (1985a) and Poynton (1992) this situation appears to be an example of “widespread sympatric hybridization” characterized by Woodruff (1973). If true, it may be difficult to be confident in the identification of preserved specimens, including those with morphological characteristics that are intermediate between the parental species. These authors suggested that Angolan populations referred to B. mossambicu s are probably an undescribed species requiring further investigation. We consider the Angolan records of Breviceps gibbosus ( Linnaeus, 1758) cited by Bocage (1870; 1873b) to refer to this species.

Breviceps poweri Parker, 1934 POWER’S RAIN FROG

Breviceps poweri Parker 1934:195 . Holotype: BMNH 1947.2.14.89 (collector C. Pitman). Type locality: “Broken Hill (i.e., Kabwe), N. Rhodesia ” ( Parker 1934:195) [= Kabwe, Zambia] fide Poynton and Broadley (1985a:525) and Frost (2016).

Breviceps poweri : Channing (2001:223), du Preez and Carruthers (2009:124), Frétey et al. (2011:27), Frost (2016).

Global conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern.

Global distribution: The species is known from Democratic Republic of Congo (former Katanga Province) and adjacent northeastern Angola, east through Zambia and the southern Tanzania south to Mozambique.

Ocurrences in Angola: The species occurs in eastern Angola (see notes below).

Taxonomic and distributional notes: Channing (2001) provided a map with Angolan records from Lunda Sul and Moxico Province, near the Zambian border, though the source of these records remains unclear. Frétey et al. (2011) and Frost (2016) cited B. poweri from northeastern regions of the country, though without specific locality data, probably on the basis of Channing (2001).