Leptopelis bocagii (Günther, 1865)

Conradie, Werner, Keates, Chad, Verburgt, Luke, Baptista, Ninda L. & Harvey, James, 2023, Contributions to the herpetofauna of the Angolan Okavango- Cuando-Zambezi river drainages. Part 3: Amphibians, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 325) 17 (1), pp. 19-56 : 25

Leptopelis bocagii (Günther, 1865)

Bocage’s Tree Frog ( Figs. 3–4 ; Map 4 )

Material (46 specimens): PEM A12701–10, Lungwebungu River camp bridge crossing, -12.58347° 18.66598°, 1,304 m asl; PEM A12742–6, Cuando River source, -13.00346° 19.12751°, 1,346 m asl; PEM A12772–4, INBAC: WC-4634, Cuanavale River side tributary source, -13.07452° 18.88345°, 1,385 m asl; PEM A12873–80, INBAC: WC-4669 and 4672, Quembo River source lake, -13.13624° 19.04591°, 1,411 m asl; PEM A14688–9, Lungwebungu River camp, massambas on left side of river, -12.58276° 18.66556°, 1,295 m asl; PEMA 14701–4, INBAC:WC-6763, Lungwebungu River camp, -12.58439° 18.66748°, 1,297 m asl; PEM A14723, PEM A14742, Quembo River bridge camp, -13.52746° 19.28060°, 1,241 m asl; PEM A14741, Quembo River bridge camp, trap 3, -13.52778° 19.27455°, 1,256 m asl; PEM A14755–6, PEM A14758–9, INBAC: WC-6994, Quembo River right side tributary (Micongo River) past village, -13.51877° 19.28487°, 1,248 m asl; PEM A14823, camp at side tributary (Luandai River) of the Luanguinga River, -13.70885° 21.26234°, 1,116 m asl; PEM A14891, Luvu River camp, -13.71200° 21.83538°, 1,082 m asl. Description: Large terrestrial tree frog; broad rounded head; large protruding eyes; tympanum clearly visible; large well-developed inner metatarsal tubercle; no webbing or expanded toe tips. Dorsum varied from green to brown, with dark horseshoe pattern on the back, and dark interorbital bar; dark facial mask from snout to eye, continuing to above arm; sides of body with scattered black spots or continuous black bar between limbs; scattered white speckles on dorsum; ventrum immaculate. Breeding males with dark throat and weakly developed pectoral glands. Adult females (n = 12) varied from 41.5–67.8 (57.9) mm (largest female: PEM A12746); adult males (n = 34) varied from 43.0–56.8 (48.6) mm (largest male: INBAC: WC-4669). Habitat and natural history notes: Collected along the sandy margins of source lakes or rivers associated with miombo woodland. Frequently encountered in the clearings of agricultural fields near water sources. Males were found calling from the ground. Comment. These are the first records from eastern Angola, bridging the distribution gap between western Angola and Zambia ( Broadley 1971; Marques et al. 2018; Baptista et al. 2019).

Figures

Map 4. Distribution of Leptopelis bocagii in Angola.

Fig. 3. Adult male Leptopelis bocagii (brown form) from Cuando River source. Photo by James Harvey.

Fig. 4. Adult male Leptopelis bocagii (green form) from Cuanavale River side tributary source. Photo by Luke Verburgt.