Afrixalus vittiger (Peters, 1876)

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 : 558

Afrixalus vittiger (Peters, 1876)

( Fig. 4B )

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 2♀ ( SVL 21.6-27.4 mm), 1 subadult ( SVL 18 mm); Passoré province , Samba; 12.70144°N, – 2.40390°W; 290 m a.s.l.; VII.1962; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHNRA-1979.4741, 1979.4742, 1979.4743 .

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 8 ♂ ( SVL 24.5 -27.0 mm); Pabré dam, downstream of the dam; 12.51679°N, – 1.59693°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 11.VII.2017; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; on flooded grasses; hand capture • 2 ♂ ( SVL 23.7-24.5 mm); same locality; 12.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; on grasses in irrigation ditch; hand capture • 3 ♂ ( SVL 24.3-25.2 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 26.7 mm); Loumbila dam; 12.49844°N, – 1.40311°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 14.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; in a plantain plantation downstream from the dam; hand capture • 8 ♂ ( SVL 24.3-26.7 mm); same locality; 15.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; on small plants around vegetable gardens; hand capture • 4 ♂ ( SVL 23.4- 25.2 mm); Koubri , “Ancien barrage”; 12.20322°N, – 1.35100°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 16.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; in a maize field; hand capture • 2 ♂ ( SVL 22.8-24.3 mm); Koubri , downstream from the Nabazana dam; 12.20322°N, – 1.35101°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 17.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; on the edge of a paddy field; hand capture • 2 ♀ ( SVL 23.4-27.3 mm); Koubri , downstream from Arzoumbaongo dam; 12.22064°N, – 1.29590°W; 270 m a.s.l.; 18.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; on shrubs near water body; hand capture • 1 subadult ( SVL 17.1 mm); Deux Balés National Park , downstream from the Soumbou dam; 11.69830°N, – 2.79711°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; H. J. Ayoro leg.; on dry grasses near the water body; hand capture • 3 subadults; Deux Balés National Park , edge of Kohéna pond; 11.67661°N, – 2.83614°W; 270 m a.s.l.; 9.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; on the mud near water body; direct observation in field • 2 ♀ ( SVL 21.0- 21.7 mm); Arly National Park , a floodplain; 11.57855°N, 1.46001°E; 260 m a.s.l.; 16-17. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on stones near the water body; hand capture • 4 ♂ ( SVL 21.9-24.8 mm), 2 ♀ ( SVL 21.3-23.1 mm); W National Park, Kabougou River (500 m north-west of the Kabougou forest post office); 11.97060°N, 2.01622°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 18. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on grasses; hand capture • 11 ♂ ( SVL 20.9-23.6 mm), 4 ♀ ( SVL 23.8-24.8 mm); the protected part of Kabougou River (500 m north-east of the Kabougou forest post office); 11.96865°N, 2.0125°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 19. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on grasses • 2 ♂ ( SVL 21.3 -22.0 mm); the edge of PK-27 bouli; 11.88744°N, 2.11913°E; 265 m a.s.l.; 20. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on grasses; hand capture • 4♂ ( SVL 22.7-24.1 mm), 1♀ ( SVL 25.2 mm); Comoé-Léraba Forest , Sirigoué swampy valley; 9.88811°N, – 4.61950°W; 230 m a.s.l.; 2.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; on shrubs and grasses; hand capture • 2 ♂ ( SVL 22.7-23.5 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 25.9 mm); Kotokoi swampy valley; 9.82802°N, – 4.62727°W; 230 m a.s.l.; 3.VIII.2018; same collectors as for preceding; on grasses; hand capture • Kou Forest , bank of Kou River; 11.18720°N, – 4.44185°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 8.VIII.2018; same collectors as for preceding; on shrubs around the river bank; acoustic report • Ioba province , Gbagba (near Dano); 11.18133°N, – 3.05165°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 2011; J. Penner leg.; direct observation in field .

LITERATURE REPORTS. — Burkina Faso • Ouagadougou; 12.38009°N, – 1.51100°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 30.VII.1992 ( Böhme et al. 1996) • Yako ; 12.96740°N, – 2.26151°W; 330 m a.s.l.; 18.VIII.1961 ( SchiØtz 1967) .

DESCRIPTION. — 71 specimens examined. Some of these specimens slightly larger than others. Male’s body size between 20.9-27.3 mm while female’s size 21.3-26.7 mm. Agreeing with Pickersgill (2007), indicating males body size from 21-26 mm and 22-28 mm for females. Skin asperities, typical for the genus, present on dorsum but also on belly, prominent on tarsus and feet in males. On back of all specimens, seven vertical distinct bands, four brown separated by three whitish ( Fig. 4B ). Ventral skin colour whitish.

HABITAT. — We observed A. vittiger in floodplains and swampy valleys. The species is present in protected areas such as Arly National Park, W National Park, Comoé-Léraba Forest and Deux Balés National Park. In Koubri, Pabré and Loumbila, the species was found in paddy fields, around ponds on grasses and plants surfacing water ( Fig. 2C, D, F ). It is a common savannah species which has a large distribution range in West Africa ( Rödel 2000; Leaché et al. 2006; Nago et al. 2006; Segniagbeto et al. 2007). This species has often been confused with its congener A. fulvovittatus . The two species partly overlap in the forest-savannah ecotone of West Africa. However, Afrixalus fulvovittatus occurs in heavily degraded forest areas whereas A. vittiger mostly lives in savannah areas ( Pickersgill 2007; Rödel & Glos 2019).

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.

FIG. 2. — Various habitats of amphibian species from Burkina Faso. A, banks of ponds in dry season from W National Park; B, stones on the bank of the Mékrou River in dry season (W National Park);C, shrubby savannah habitats at rainy season from Koubri; D, rainy season shrubby savannah habitats from Comoé-Léraba Forest; E, gallery forest from Kou Forest at Nasso; F, Sahelian swampy valley habitat from Dori (in rainy season). Photos: Halamoussa Joëlle Ayoro.