Astylosternus occidentalis Parker, 1931

Kanga, Kouassi Philippe, Kouamé, N’Goran Germain, Zogbassé, Parfait, Gongomin, Basseu Aude-Inès, Agoh, Konan Laurent, Kouamé, Akoua Michèle, Konan, Jean Christophe B. Y. N., Adepo-Gourène, Abouo Béatrice, Gourène, Germain & Rödel, Mark-Oliver, 2021, Amphibian diversity of a West African biodiversity hotspot: an assessment and commented checklist of the batrachofauna of the Ivorian part of the Nimba Mountains, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 275) 15 (1), pp. 71-107 : 78-80

Astylosternus occidentalis Parker, 1931

Western Night Frog

Material: Two males, NGK-Nimba 0014, NGK-Nimba 0023, and one female, NGK-Nimba 0024 ( Fig. 6C).

Comments: While A. occidentalis was previously mostly recorded in patches of lowland forests ( Rödel and Branch 2002; Rödel and Bangoura 2002; Ernst and Rödel 2006; Hillers and Rödel 2007; Hillers et al. 2008b; Rödel and Glos 2019), on Mounts Nimba the species occurs in altitudinal forest habitats as well ( Guibé and Lamotte 1958a). During the night several active individuals were detected among leaf litter in a patch of forest (07°35.233’N, 008°25.190’W; 847 m asl), close to fast-flowing streams. Male SULs ranged from 45.0‒ 50.2 mm (N = 3), while females measured from 46.0‒61.0 mm (N = 9). The majority of specimens had a dark brown dorsum, although one female exhibited an orange color. In contrast to the general forest habitat requirements of this species we found some, presumably migrating, frogs at night, in the core rainy season near a crystal-clear stream in predominantly grassy savannah (07°35.453’N, 008°24.957’W; 843 m asl). During the day, they were hidden underneath stones.

Cardioglossa occidentalis Blackburn, Kosuch, Schmitz, Burger, Wagner, Gonwouo, Hillers, and Rödel, 2008

Western Long-fingered Frog

Material: Three males, NGK-Nimba 0025, NGK- Nimba 0026 ( Fig. 6D), NGK-Nimba 0027. Comments: Cardioglossa occidentalis is a nocturnal leaf litter frog, distributed along forest streams from Sierra Leone to Ghana (Rödel et al. 2001; Rödel and Branch 2002; Ernst and Rödel 2006; Blackburn et al. 2008; Hillers et al. 2008c). During the night, males frequently emitted insect-like calls (see Rödel et al. 2001), and were well concealed below leaf litter along forest streams. Three males were collected near a small stream running through a slightly degraded forest patch that was dominated by bamboo (07°32.993’N, 008°24.753’W; 425 m asl). Their SULs ranged from 27.0‒29.0 mm.