Leptopelis viridis (Günther, 1869)

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 : 552-554

Leptopelis viridis (Günther, 1869)

( Fig. 3D )

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 2♀ ( SVL 38.7-41.7 mm); Kadiogo province , Pabré; 12.51602°N, – 1.59691°W; 300 m a.s.l.; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1999.7060, 1999.7061 .

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 10 ♂ ( SVL 30.5-37.9 mm); Kadiogo province , Pabré dam; 12.51605°N, – 1.59689°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 12.VII.2017; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; bank of Pabré dam; hand capture • 3 ♂ ( SVL 36.1-38.7 mm); Oubritenga province, Loumbila dam; 12.49829°N, – 1.40310°W; 275 m a.s.l.; 14.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; around a plantain field downstream from the Loumbila dam; hand capture • 5 ♂ ( SVL 32.9-36.1 mm); Koubri , “Ancien barrage”; 12.22883°N, – 1.34522°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 16.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; in a maize field on the bank of “Ancien barrage” • 1 ♀ ( SVL 54.5 mm); Koubri, the inn’s court of Monastery ; 12.21685°N, – 1.35041°W; 285 m a.s.l.; 17.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; under shrubs; hand capture • 1 ♂; Kadiogo province, town hall of Saaba ; 12.37209°N, – 1.40374°W; 305 m a.s.l.; 30.VII.2018; H. J. Ayoro leg.; on shrubs near habitations; acoustic recording • 2 ♂ ( SVL 33.9-36.5 mm); Arly National Park, Bouliabou pond; 11.57890°N, 1.46393°E; 170 m a.s.l.; 12. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on a shrub; hand capture • 6 ♂ ( SVL 32.2- 33.8 mm); Arly National Park, Bongola swampy valley; 11.53255°N, 1.48244°E; 170 m a.s.l.; 13. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on a shrub; hand capture • 3 ♀ ( SVL 39.3-42.3 mm); Arly National Park, a floodplain (500 m north of Bouliabou pond); 11.57852°N, 1.46000°E; 170 m a.s.l.; 16. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on the edge of a small water body; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 33.8 mm), 2 ♀ ( SVL 45.3-45.7 mm); W National Park, Kabougou River (500 m north-west of Kabougou forest post office); 11.97062°N, 2.01624°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 18. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on the edge of a pond; hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 34.4 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 39.8 mm); W National Park, Nangouli swampy valley; 11.93663°N, 1.99461°E; 310 m a.s.l.; 21. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; around a small pond; hand capture • 1 ♂; Deux Balés National Park, downstream from the Soumbou dam; 11.69831°N, – 2.79705°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; hand capture • 2 ♂ ( SVL 30. 8-31.2 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 40.1 mm); Tuy province, Koti ; 11.38783°N, – 3.06404°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 23.VIII.2018; same collector as for preceding; near a maize field; hand capture • 12 ♂ ( SVL 31.3-36.4 mm), 2 ♀ ( SVL 43.1-43.6 mm); Comoé-Léraba Forest, Baboro swampy valley; 9.92523°N, – 4.57562°W; 240 m a.s.l.; 4.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; on shrubs; hand capture • 3 ♂ ( SVL 29.5-33.5 mm); Comoé province, bank of Folonzo village pond; 9.95775°N, – 4.67451°W; 240 m a.s.l.; 6.VIII.2018; same collectors as for preceding; on grasses, hand capture • 1 ♂ ( SVL 35.6 mm), 1 ♀ ( SVL 48.7 mm); Nasso, Kou Forest ; 11.18812°N, – 4.44390°W; 320 m a.s.l.; 9.VIII.2018; same collectors as for preceding; near a small water body; hand capture • Ioba province, Bontioli reserve ; 10.93685°N, – 3.13801°W; 260 m a.s.l.; 2011; J. Penner leg.; field direct observation .

LITERATURE REPORTS. — Burkina Faso • Passoré province, Yako ; 12.96740°N, – 2.26151°W; 330 m a.s.l.; 1961 ( SchiØtz 1967; Böhme et al. 1996) • Gourma province, Fada N’gourma ; 12.06051°N, 0.34913°E; 300 m a.s.l. (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Ganzourgou province, Zorgho ; 12.2483°N, – 0.6278°W; 300 m a.s.l.; I-III.2008 (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) .

DESCRIPTION. — 58 specimens examined. Size of this species 33- 35 mm for males and 42-48 mm for females, according to SchiØtz (1967; 1999) and Rödel (2000). Size slightly larger in our voucher specimens. Leptopelis with smoother skin, longer extremities and larger discs on toes and fingers ( Fig. 3C, D ). Dorsal colouration brownish or reddish brown with darker spots forming a mark of the shape of a reversed “V”. Venter whitish. juveniles colour mostly green. For detailed descriptions, see Lamotte & Xavier (1981), SchiØtz (1967, 1999), Rödel (2000) and Amiet (2012).

HABITAT. — The species was fossorial during the day and arboreal at night. Leptopelis viridis was found in herbaceous and wooded savannahs ( Fig. 2C, E ). Males were caught on trees and shrubs around ponds and rivers at heights varying between 0.5- 3 m. In contrast to males, females were collected on the ground of the same habitats.

Figures

FIG. 3. — Representatives of anuran species from Burkina Faso in life. A-B, Arthroleptis poecilonotus Peters,1863; C, Leptopelis bufonides Schiøtz,1967; D, Leptopelis viridi (Günther, 1869); E, Sclerophrys maculata (Hallowell, 1854); F, Sclerophrys pentoni (Anderson, 1893). 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.