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Despite a relatively broad distribution in Africa, the Spotted Rubber Frog, Phrynomantis affinis, is extremely rarely encountered. Only 18 specimens from 12 localities have been collected with a few additional observations recorded. Virtually nothing of the species' natural history is known. We report or summarise new localities and range extensions of P. affinis in Namibia and Zambia and describe the call for the first time. We also compare its call to that of the sister species, P. bifasciatus, describing this call for the first time and noting a considerable range extension. The calls show several key differences, with P. affinis calls generally having a lower dominant frequency, pulse repetition rate, and number of pulses than P. bifasciatus. The calls of Namibian and Zambian P. affinis also show marked differences. These descriptions add valuable natural history information for both species and will considerably improve the field detection of the enigmatic P. affinis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of African bullfrogs are currently recognised. We describe a new species from southern Africa, which can be distinguished on the basis of morphology, advertisement call and DNA sequences. Morphologically it differs from other bullfrogs by a combination of characteristics including a tympanum that is smaller or equal in size to the eye, and smaller in diameter than the space between eye and tympanum, presence of a white dot on the tympanum, longitudinal skin ridges with speckling between dorsal mottles, pale vertebral line usually present, absence of cream coloured lateral stripes, absence of a pale interorbital-bar, upper jaw-barring absent or faint. It has been confirmed from north-eastern Namibia, southern Angola and north-western Botswana. Three further undescribed species are recognised but not formally named, pending further investigation. We confirm the genetic distinctiveness of P. angusticeps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences and morphology to re-evaluate the taxonomy of Bufo vertebralis grindleyi Poynton, 1963, currently a junior synonym of Poyntonophrynus fenoulheti (Hewitt & Methuen, 1912); and morphology and advertisement calls to re-evaluate the status of Bufo jordani Parker, 1936, currently a junior synonym of Poyntonophrynus hoeschi (Ahl, 1934). According to our results including comparisons to other congeners, we elevate both taxa to full species as Poyntonophrynus grindleyi (Poynton, 1963) and Poyntonophrynus jordani (Parker, 1936). Our new P. grindleyi record is the first record of the species for Mozambique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article probes the origin of tetraploid Tomopterna tandyi and tests the hypothesis that T. tandyi is an allotetraploid species based on the revised taxonomy and chromosomes in the African frog genus Tomopterna (Pyxicephalidae). The summary distinguished tetraploid Tomoptera from diploids by counting the chromosomes and analyzed rRNA sequences for all the Tomoptera species. It determined haplotype networks for gene fragments, divergence ages, isozymes and Tomoptera advertisement calls.

Records of biodiversity over time are important resources for assessing conservation priorities. However, such baseline data are missing for regions of key biodiversity importance. The Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania are known for their species richness and endemism, but not all mountain blocks have received the same attention. The Ukaguru Mountains, for example, have only infrequently been surveyed by herpetologists, with the first known herpetological survey in 1990. Here we compile and quantify all amphibian survey efforts in the Ukaguru Mountains in the past 30 years, publish an updated species list and comment on the health of amphibian populations and their habitat. We report on fourteen described species of amphibians, with potentially three additional species awaiting formal description. Of these seventeen lineages, seven are endemic to the Ukaguru Mountains. Although total species numbers remain low, compared with other Eastern Arc Mountains, surveys frequently recorded new species for the Ukaguru Mountains and for science. Worryingly, however, endemics, such as the monotypic bufonid Churamiti maridadi, have not been recorded in the past fifteen years. Our analyses show the region is becoming warmer and drier and is experiencing an alarming rate of deforestation. We find that over the past 30 years, dense forest cover inside the boundaries of the forest reserves has reduced by 8.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frog Arthroleptides dutoiti Loveridge, 1935, endemic to Mount Elgon, East Africa was last collected in 1962 and has not been observed since. The species is regarded as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List and is a priority species on the Zoological Society of London's EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct, Globally Endangered) project, given its Red List status and phylogenetic distinctiveness. We analyse temporal patterns of abundance (1934–2014) of A. dutoiti and the remainder of the Mount Elgon amphibian assemblage to infer the probability of re-encountering A. dutoiti and assess whether declines are species specific to A. dutoiti, or whether they are assemblage-wide phenomena. Our results show that for localities where surveys have been repeatedly conducted, A. dutoiti is likely to be locally extinct. Declines are observed in other Mount Elgon amphibians, encompassing both specialists and generalists. Causal factors for declines are unknown, but habitat change might be important, given the high degree of forest loss in the area, especially since the turn of the 20th century. Urgent sampling of preferred microhabitats of A. dutoiti at the type locality and surrounding areas beyond those included in our study are required to determine whether or not the species is extinct. Impacts on other taxonomic groups would also be useful to understand so that it can be determined how broad the changes are for the Mount Elgon biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]