19 results on '"Nopper, Joachim"'
Search Results
2. A structurally enriched agricultural landscape maintains high reptile diversity in sub-arid south-western Madagascar
- Author
-
Nopper, Joachim, Lauströer, Balten, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, and Ganzhorn, Jörg U.
- Published
- 2017
3. Gecko phylogeography in the Western Indian Ocean region: the oldest clade of Ebenavia inunguis lives on the youngest island
- Author
-
Hawlitschek, Oliver, Toussaint, Emmanuel F. A., Gehring, Philip-Sebastian, Ratsoavina, Fanomezana M., Cole, Nik, Crottini, Angelica, Nopper, Joachim, Lam, Athena W., Vences, Miguel, and Glaw, Frank
- Published
- 2017
4. Predicted Dermal and Dietary Exposure of Bats to Pesticides
- Author
-
Brooks, Amy C., primary, Nopper, Joachim H., additional, Blakey, Alex, additional, Ebeling, Markus, additional, Foudoulakis, Manousos, additional, and Weyers, Arnd, additional
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Investigating the role of soil mesofauna abundance and biodiversity for organic matter breakdown in arable fields
- Author
-
Pamminger, Tobias, primary, Bottoms, Melanie, additional, Cunningham, Heidi, additional, Ellis, Sian, additional, Kabouw, Patrick, additional, Kimmel, Stefan, additional, Loutseti, Stefania, additional, Marx, Michael Thomas, additional, Nopper, Joachim Harald, additional, Schimera, Agnes, additional, Schulz, Lennart, additional, Sharples, Amanda, additional, Staab, Frank, additional, and Ernst, Gregor, additional
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Investigating the role of soil mesofauna abundance and biodiversity for organic matter breakdown in arable fields.
- Author
-
Pamminger, Tobias, Bottoms, Melanie, Cunningham, Heidi, Ellis, Sian, Kabouw, Patrick, Kimmel, Stefan, Loutseti, Stefania, Marx, Michael Thomas, Nopper, Joachim Harald, Schimera, Agnes, Schulz, Lennart, Sharples, Amanda, Staab, Frank, and Ernst, Gregor
- Subjects
SOIL invertebrates ,ORGANIC compounds ,SOILS ,ENVIRONMENTAL toxicology ,ENVIRONMENTAL chemistry - Abstract
Intact soil food webs are pivotal to maintaining essential soil functions, such as carbon recycling, sequestering, and biomass production. Although the functional role of micro‐ (e.g., bacteria and fungi) and macrofauna (e.g., earthworms) is comparatively well established, the importance of the mesofauna community (e.g., abundance and diversity of Acari and Collembola) in maintaining soil functionality is less clear. We investigated this question in a six‐month field experiment in arable soil by actively manipulating mesofauna abundance and biodiversity through the application of two legacy insecticides (lindane and methamidophos) at sufficiently high doses to reduce mesofauna abundance (well above previously registered application rates; 2.5 and 7.5 kg a.s./ha for lindane, and 0.6 and 3 kg a.s./ha for methamidophos) and measure the impact on organic matter degradation. Our results demonstrate that both insecticides had reduced Collembola and Acari abundances by up to 80% over the study's six‐month duration. In addition, we observed less pronounced and more complex changes in mesofauna biodiversity over time. These included insecticide‐dependent temporal fluctuations (both reduction and increase) for different estimates (indices) of local (alpha)‐diversity over time and no lasting impact for most estimates after six months. Even at these exceptionally high field rates, Collembola and Acari diversity was observed to generally recover by six months. In contrast, considering organic matter breakdown, we found no evidence of a treatment‐related effect. These results suggest that organic matter breakdown in arable soils is likely driven by other trophic levels (e.g., microorganisms or earthworms) with only a limited influence of the mesofauna community. We discuss these findings with regard to their implications for our current understanding of soil food web function and future European soil risk assessments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1423–1433. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points: The insecticide treatments heavily reduced the Collembola and Acari abundances but showed a less pronounced effect on soil mesofauna diversity.The contribution of soil mesofauna to soil organic matter breakdown is limited in arable field soils and is mainly driven by soil microorganisms.The mini‐container test can represent a flexible supplemental tool in the risk assessment of pesticides, which could be used to directly address functional soil endpoints such as decomposition by soil microorganisms and/or mesofauna, and their interactions, if needed.There is no clear evidence that structural (single species) endpoints are reliable indicators of soil functions, which need to be protected to support ecosystem services like food production on arable fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Calculating realistic long-term PT values for wildlife risk assessment – insights from telemetry field studies
- Author
-
Jan-Dieter Ludwigs, Ebeling, Markus, Manousos Foudoulakis, Fredricks, Timothy, Haaf, Sonja, Jakoby, Oliver, Murfitt, Roger, and Nopper, Joachim
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Differences in land cover – biodiversity relationships complicate the assignment of conservation values in human-used landscapes
- Author
-
Nopper, Joachim, primary, Riemann, Jana C., additional, Brinkmann, Katja, additional, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, additional, and Ganzhorn, Jörg U., additional
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. One Forest Is Not Like Another
- Author
-
Nopper, Joachim, primary, Ranaivojaona, Andriatsitohaina, additional, Riemann, Jana C., additional, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, additional, and Ganzhorn, Jörg U., additional
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Gecko phylogeography in the Western Indian Ocean region: the oldest clade of Ebenavia inunguis lives on the youngest island
- Author
-
Hawlitschek, Oliver, primary, Toussaint, Emmanuel F. A., additional, Gehring, Philip‐Sebastian, additional, Ratsoavina, Fanomezana M., additional, Cole, Nik, additional, Crottini, Angelica, additional, Nopper, Joachim, additional, Lam, Athena W., additional, Vences, Miguel, additional, and Glaw, Frank, additional
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. A structurally enriched agricultural landscape maintains high reptile diversity in sub‐arid south‐western Madagascar
- Author
-
Nopper, Joachim, primary, Lauströer, Balten, additional, Rödel, Mark‐Oliver, additional, and Ganzhorn, Jörg U., additional
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Molecular systematics and undescribed diversity of Madagascan scolecophidian snakes (Squamata: Serpentes)
- Author
-
NAGY, ZOLTÁN T., primary, MARION, ANGELA B., additional, GLAW, FRANK, additional, MIRALLES, AURÉLIEN, additional, NOPPER, JOACHIM, additional, VENCES, Miguel, additional, and HEDGES, S. BLAIR, additional
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Astylosternus laticephalus R��del, Barej, Hillers, Leach��, Kouam��, Ofori-Boateng, Assemian, Toh��, Penner, Hirschfeld, Doumbia, Gonwouo, Nopper, Brede, Diaz, Fujita, Gil & H, 2012, sp. nov
- Author
-
R��del, Mark-Oliver, Barej, Michael F., Hillers, Annika, Leach��, Adam D., Kouam��, N'Goran G, Ofori-Boateng, Caleb, Assemian, Emmanuel, Toh��, Blayda, Penner, Johannes, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Legrand Nono, Nopper, Joachim, Brede, Christian, Diaz, Raul, Fujita, Matthew K., Gil, Marlon, and H, Gabriel
- Subjects
Amphibia ,Astylosternus ,Animalia ,Astylosternus laticephalus ,Biodiversity ,Anura ,Chordata ,Arthroleptidae ,Taxonomy - Abstract
Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. R��del, Hillers, Leach��, Kouam��, Ofori-Boateng, Diaz & Sandberger Figs. 9���12 Holotype. ZMB 75449 (field and tissue #: ATE 10, female, 58.6 mm), Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, 6.23375 / - 0.56557, 14 April 2007, forest around stream next to road, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng, A. Hillers & G. Segniagbeto. Paratypes. Ivory Coast: MTD 48026 (field and tissue #: Ba04.24, female, 62.2 mm), ZMB 75454 -75458 (Ba04.26, subadult, 45.5 mm; Ba04.25, female, 62.5 mm; Ba04.21, female, 64.4 mm; Ba04.22, subadult, 43.3 mm; Ba04.23, female, 58.4 mm;), Banco National Park, 5.41667 / -4.10500, rainy season 2004, swampy forest, coll. N.E. Assemian, B. Toh�� & G. Kouam��; MNHN 1993.6073 (male, 53.8 mm), 1999.7333 (female, 54.8 mm), 1999.7334 (male, 48.7 mm), 1999.7335 (female, 59.8 mm), 1999.7736 (female, 52.6 mm), 1999.7337 (female, 51.8 mm), Banco National Park, Abidjan; Ghana: ZMB 75459 (AF 4, juvenile, 25.6 mm), ZMB 75459 -75460 (AF 3 juvenile; 26.7 mm; AF 2, tadpole), Afao Hills Forest Reserve, 6.25461 / - 2.29492, riparian forest around small stream in valley, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng & A. Hillers; ZMB 75450 -75453 (COB 90, juvenile, 34.7 mm; COB 318, subadult, 40.8 mm; COB 119, juvenile, 38.6 mm; COB 123, juvenile, 31.7 mm), Western Province, Ankasa Conservation Area, pristine forest along streams in dry season, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng; MVZ 244910 (female, 67 mm), Ankasa Conservation Area, 5.28173 / - 2.64022, 26 June 2004, wet evergreen forest area, trail adjacent to the bamboo cathedral, coll. A.D. Leach�� & R. Diaz; MVZ 244909 (juvenile, 35 mm), 28 June 2004, approximately 1 km farther from the bamboo cathedral, other data as MVZ 244909. Additional material. ZMB 77461 (field# AF 03), tadpole, Ghana, Afao Hills Forest Reserve, 6.25461 / - 2.29492, riparian forest around small stream in valley, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng & A. Hillers; ATE 7 (tissue only), juvenile, 25.8 mm; ATE 8 (tissue only), juvenile, 28.6 mm; ATE 27 (tissue only), male, 45.6 mm, Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, 6.23375 / - 0.56557, 15 April 2007, swampy area next to small stream, in valley in forest, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng, A. Hillers & G. Segniagbeto; COB 2202 (collection Ofori-Boateng, Kumasi, Ghana), Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng; three adult specimens without number (amphibian reference collection at University Abobo-Adjam��, Ivory Coast), male (51.0 mm), females (60.0, 67.0 mm), Ivory Coast, Banco National Park, 5.41667 / -4.10500, 5 May 2004, forest close to Banco River, coll. N.E. Assemian, N.G. Kouam�� & B. Toh��. Diagnosis. Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. has the typical body shape of frogs of the genus Astylosternus, however, with exceptionally broad heads, i.e. broader than in A. occidentalis; males of the new species without spines on throat and belly (always present in A. occidentalis males); males without nuptial black skin layer in pectoral region (present in male A. occidentalis from western Guinea); back brownish to brownish red, always with distinct red dots (red dots only rarely present in A. occidentalis); bicoloured iris, grey with a reddish upper third (A. occidentalis always with uniform grey iris). A. laticephalus sp. nov. differs from A. occidentalis by a mean of 3.2 % (range 2.9-3.7 %) in the investigated part of the 16 S rRNA gene. Genetic divergence to the morphologically most similar Central African species, A. diadematus, was 11.9 %. Description of the holotype [measures in mm]. The holotype is an adult female with a snout-vent length of 58.6; head width 22.7; head as long as broad; interorbital distance narrower than length of upper eyelid; snout rounded in dorsal view, obtuse in lateral view, longer than eye diameter; eyes large (7.9) and protuberant directed anterolaterally; interorbital distance 7.2; pupil vertically elliptical; eye diameter larger than tympanum diameter, 5.3; tympanum vertically elliptical; supratympanal fold from posterior vertical midpoint of orbit to meet with dorsal border of tympanic annulus, where descent is sharp and terminates at half the vertical diameter of the tympanic annulus dorsally to the axilla; nares closer to snout-tip (2.7) than to eye (5.5), nostrils oriented posterolaterally; internarial distance 4.4; canthus rostralis rounded and straight; loreal region slightly concave and gradually sloping laterally; single, small, tooth-like process at lower jaw symphysis, with corresponding socket in between premaxillae; upper premaxillae and maxillae with numerous teeth; vomerine teeth in form of two hemispherical odontophores, perpendicular to body axis, almost being in contact to each other medially, each with row of teeth like tips (5 left, 6 right); distance from odontophores to elliptical choanae slightly larger than maximum length of odontophores; choanae almost equal in size to odontophores; tongue broadly heart shaped, deeply notched anteriorly, densely beset with small papillae, extends over entire length of lower jaw; posterior 2 / 3 of tongue free. Forelimbs robust, fingers slender and long; prepollex absent; first finger 10.3, almost double the length of second finger (5.1); relative finger lengths I>III>II>IV; finger tips broadened without forming discs; subarticular tubercles large, subconical, protruding distally; thenar and palmar tubercles large and elliptical; supernumerary tubercles absent; number of subarticular tubercles on digits I-IV: 1, 1, 2, 2; no digital webbing; hind limbs short and robust; femur length 28.3, almost equal to tibia 28.4; tibia-fibula with longest toe 38.4; relative toe lengths IV>III>V>II>I; shortest toe (4.2) almost double the length of inner metatarsal tubercle (2.3); inner metatarsal tubercle large, elliptical; toe tips broadened without forming discs; number of subconical subarticular tubercles on toes I-V: 1, 1, 2, 3, 2; supernumerary tubercles absent; traces of webbing between toe bases; no skin fringes along toes. Tip of toe IV on left foot missing. Skin on head, back, belly and throat predominantly smooth; small whitish spines scattered on back, dorsal parts of extremities and eyelids; white warts posterior to angle of mouth, ventral from tympanum; posterior region of thighs areolate; irregularly spread narrow low tubercles along flanks; no tubercles or warts on forearms or interocular region; head with white scratches (scars). Base colour of dorsum in preservation is a light brown to reddish brown; back with irregularly arranged and shaped light beige spots; upper eyelids greyish; head laterally with two darker bars, the posterior one below eye; upper and lower lips white; supratympanic fold anteriorly rimmed thin black; warts on flanks beige; forelimbs dorsally light brown, slightly mottled beige, first two fingers almost uniform white; hind limb colour as forelimbs, dark bordered cross bars indicated in thighs (4) and lower legs (5-6); throat, belly, ventral parts of fore- and hind limbs uniform white or creamish; only ventral part of feet reddish brown, metatarsal tubercle and subarticular tubercles creamish white. Variation. Females seem to be larger (up to 67.0 mm; MVZ 244910) than males (53.8 mm), although the small sample size of the latter (N = 2) does not allow for generalization. The tympanum shape varies between vertically elliptical (most vouchers) to round; the supratympanic fold is sometimes thin to absent; sometimes tympanic membrane prominent within faint tympanic annulus. Other measures and indices identical between the two sexes; values are summarized in Tabs. 1 and 2. Dorsal and lateral skin texture can consist of many irregularly spaced small roundish warts, not arranged in rows, sometimes fused to small ridge like structures (Fig. 11). Males have paired subgular vocal sacs, visible in preserved frogs as slightly loose, granular black skin near the angles of the mouth; males with large brown nuptial pads on the external side of the thumb. Canthus rostralis in males more prominent bulging and rounded; males with more massive forearms than females. In contrast to other western West African Astylosternus, A. laticephalus sp. nov. males in breeding condition, lack spines on throat and belly. The dorsal base colouration in life consists of a light grey, brown, reddish brown or almost black; all specimens exhibit a more or less dense pattern of smaller to larger, irregularly shaped red spots on back; smaller black or brown spots may be present, in particular in juveniles; iris greyish, upper third reddish to orange; the anterior part of the eyelids bright yellow to red blotches, connected by a very conspicuous interorbital stripe of the same colour; snout tip and area posterior to interorbital stripe, including posterior part of eyelid, darker than rest of back, this pattern sometimes consisting of a symmetrical pair of triangular shaped black spots (Fig. 11); frenal area dark as snout tip; loreal area distinctly lighter coloured than snout tip; light infraorbital batch; supratympanal ridge usually bordered by thin black line; fore and hind limbs with or without distinct black cross bars; lateral colour gradually fainting from back colour to whitish venter, with irregularly scattered black points; ventral coloration (throat and abdomen) creamish-white; ventral surface of thighs and arms creamish-yellow with reddish brown mottling around lateral margins of limbs. In preservative all patterns and coloration almost as in life, but faded; the red dorsal spots remain as light beige spots. Tadpole [measures in mm; description based on ZMB 75460]. Exotrophic, lentic tadpole; Gosner stage 39; total length 62.1; body broad almost as long as wide, slightly elliptical in dorsal, slightly depressed in lateral view (possibly a preservation artefact); body length 23.8; body width 24.2; sides of body slightly concave, snout in dorsal view broadly rounded, a bit more pointed in lateral view; large lateral sacs originating posterior to eyes run along flanks; small eyes, positioned dorsolaterally, pupil round; nares small, positioned dorsolaterally, closer to snout trip than to eyes; oral apparatus in anteroventral position; dorsal lip wide and smooth, with large anterior gap between marginal papillae; lateral papillae ventral lip with large, uni- or biserial marginal papillae; upper jaw sheath massif, broad U-shaped, strongly serrated margin, most central ���tooth��� most prominent; lower jaw sheath massif, V-shaped, margin strongly serrated; labial tooth-row formula 1: 1 + 1 / 3; all keratodont rows on skin sheaths; labial keratodonts unidenticulate, connected by a hyaline skin; vent tube dextral; spiracle sinistral (almost invisible); very long tail axis (> 2.5 times body length); tail axis height largely exceeding height of dorsal and ventral fin, both fins very narrow; dorsal fin originates slightly posterior to tail body junction; dorsal fin almost parallel to tail axis up to rounded tip; no pores (neuromast canals) visible (possibly due to poor preservation or advanced developmental stage); body more or less beige, mottled with dark brown, tail fin brown to almost black in last third of tail. Newly metamorphosed froglets measured 25.6���28.7 mm (N = 2). Natural history. Not much is known about the biology of the new species. Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. lives in lowland rainforest habitats (Fig. 13), mostly close to small or mid sized streams (R��del et al. 2005; Assemian et al. 2006). In Banco National Park, Ivory Coast we recorded the new species in the leaf litter of swampy areas in closed canopy forest, open forest and in natural forest gaps, both in close vicinity to the River Banco and in larger distance (about 1 km) from the river (Assemian et al. 2006). A total of 12 specimens were only observed during the rainy season, 11 of them during the night. In the Ankasa Conservation Area we found the new species in wet evergreen forest on a trail adjacent to the Bamboo Cathedral (Fig. 13 b). Distribution. So far A. laticephalus sp. nov. is known from one forest in eastern Ivory Coast, the Banco National Park (Assemian et al. 2006), and various sites in Ghana: Afao Hills Forest Reserve, Draw River Forest Reserve and Ankasa Conservation Area in south-western Ghana (R��del et al. 2005; this paper), and Atewa Range in southern-central Ghana (Fig. 8). The latter site was chosen as type locality of the new taxon to underline the outstanding importance of this mountainous region for the Ghanaian biodiversity. Conservation status. The distribution of the species from eastern Ivory Coast to southern-central Ghana, including various protected areas (i.e. Banco National Park, Afao Hills Forest Reserve, Ankasa Conservation Area), seems to imply a IUCN RedList classification of ���Least Concern���. However, rainforests in south-eastern Ivory Coast are under intense logging pressure and highly fragmented. Forests in south-western Ghana are better protected but likewise fragmented and the Atewa Range is currently under threat because of small scale mining activities and further plans to mine for gold, diamonds and bauxite on an industrial scale. We thus suggest classifying the new species as ���Near Threatened���. Etymology. The name derives from the Latin words latus for wide and the Greek K������� for head, referring to the conspicuous wide head of the new species., Published as part of R��del, Mark-Oliver, Barej, Michael F., Hillers, Annika, Leach��, Adam D., Kouam��, N'Goran G, Ofori-Boateng, Caleb, Assemian, Emmanuel, Toh��, Blayda, Penner, Johannes, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Legrand Nono, Nopper, Joachim, Brede, Christian, Diaz, Raul, Fujita, Matthew K., Gil, Marlon & H, Gabriel, 2012, The genus Astylosternus in the Upper Guinea rainforests, West Africa, with the description of a new species (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae), pp. 1-29 in Zootaxa 3245 on pages 16-22, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.280506, {"references":["Rodel, M. - O., Gil, M., Agyei, A. C., Leache, A. D., Diaz, R. E., Fujita, M. K. & Ernst, R. (2005) The amphibians of the forested parts of south-western Ghana. Salamandra, 41, 107 - 127.","Assemian, N. E., Kouame, N. G., Tohe, B., Gourene, G. & Rodel, M. - O. (2006) The anurans of the Banco National Park, Cote d'Ivoire, a threatened West African rainforest. Salamandra, 42, 41 - 51."]}
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. The genus Astylosternus in the Upper Guinea rainforests, West Africa, with the description of a new species (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae)
- Author
-
Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Barej, Michael F., Hillers, Annika, Leaché, Adam D., Kouamé, N'Goran G, Ofori-Boateng, Caleb, Assemian, Emmanuel, Tohé, Blayda, Penner, Johannes, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Legrand Nono, Nopper, Joachim, Brede, Christian, Diaz, Raul, Fujita, Matthew K., Gil, Marlon, and H, Gabriel
- Subjects
Amphibia ,Animalia ,Biodiversity ,Anura ,Chordata ,Arthroleptidae ,Taxonomy - Abstract
Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Barej, Michael F., Hillers, Annika, Leaché, Adam D., Kouamé, N'Goran G, Ofori-Boateng, Caleb, Assemian, Emmanuel, Tohé, Blayda, Penner, Johannes, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Legrand Nono, Nopper, Joachim, Brede, Christian, Diaz, Raul, Fujita, Matthew K., Gil, Marlon, H, Gabriel (2012): The genus Astylosternus in the Upper Guinea rainforests, West Africa, with the description of a new species (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae). Zootaxa 3245: 1-29, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.280506
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Astylosternus laticephalus Rödel, Barej, Hillers, Leaché, Kouamé, Ofori-Boateng, Assemian, Tohé, Penner, Hirschfeld, Doumbia, Gonwouo, Nopper, Brede, Diaz, Fujita, Gil & H, 2012, sp. nov
- Author
-
Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Barej, Michael F., Hillers, Annika, Leaché, Adam D., Kouamé, N'Goran G, Ofori-Boateng, Caleb, Assemian, Emmanuel, Tohé, Blayda, Penner, Johannes, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Legrand Nono, Nopper, Joachim, Brede, Christian, Diaz, Raul, Fujita, Matthew K., Gil, Marlon, and H, Gabriel
- Subjects
Amphibia ,Astylosternus ,Animalia ,Astylosternus laticephalus ,Biodiversity ,Anura ,Chordata ,Arthroleptidae ,Taxonomy - Abstract
Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. Rödel, Hillers, Leaché, Kouamé, Ofori-Boateng, Diaz & Sandberger Figs. 9–12 Holotype. ZMB 75449 (field and tissue #: ATE 10, female, 58.6 mm), Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, 6.23375 / - 0.56557, 14 April 2007, forest around stream next to road, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng, A. Hillers & G. Segniagbeto. Paratypes. Ivory Coast: MTD 48026 (field and tissue #: Ba04.24, female, 62.2 mm), ZMB 75454 -75458 (Ba04.26, subadult, 45.5 mm; Ba04.25, female, 62.5 mm; Ba04.21, female, 64.4 mm; Ba04.22, subadult, 43.3 mm; Ba04.23, female, 58.4 mm;), Banco National Park, 5.41667 / -4.10500, rainy season 2004, swampy forest, coll. N.E. Assemian, B. Tohé & G. Kouamé; MNHN 1993.6073 (male, 53.8 mm), 1999.7333 (female, 54.8 mm), 1999.7334 (male, 48.7 mm), 1999.7335 (female, 59.8 mm), 1999.7736 (female, 52.6 mm), 1999.7337 (female, 51.8 mm), Banco National Park, Abidjan; Ghana: ZMB 75459 (AF 4, juvenile, 25.6 mm), ZMB 75459 -75460 (AF 3 juvenile; 26.7 mm; AF 2, tadpole), Afao Hills Forest Reserve, 6.25461 / - 2.29492, riparian forest around small stream in valley, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng & A. Hillers; ZMB 75450 -75453 (COB 90, juvenile, 34.7 mm; COB 318, subadult, 40.8 mm; COB 119, juvenile, 38.6 mm; COB 123, juvenile, 31.7 mm), Western Province, Ankasa Conservation Area, pristine forest along streams in dry season, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng; MVZ 244910 (female, 67 mm), Ankasa Conservation Area, 5.28173 / - 2.64022, 26 June 2004, wet evergreen forest area, trail adjacent to the bamboo cathedral, coll. A.D. Leaché & R. Diaz; MVZ 244909 (juvenile, 35 mm), 28 June 2004, approximately 1 km farther from the bamboo cathedral, other data as MVZ 244909. Additional material. ZMB 77461 (field# AF 03), tadpole, Ghana, Afao Hills Forest Reserve, 6.25461 / - 2.29492, riparian forest around small stream in valley, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng & A. Hillers; ATE 7 (tissue only), juvenile, 25.8 mm; ATE 8 (tissue only), juvenile, 28.6 mm; ATE 27 (tissue only), male, 45.6 mm, Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, 6.23375 / - 0.56557, 15 April 2007, swampy area next to small stream, in valley in forest, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng, A. Hillers & G. Segniagbeto; COB 2202 (collection Ofori-Boateng, Kumasi, Ghana), Ghana, Atewa Forest Reserve, coll. C. Ofori-Boateng; three adult specimens without number (amphibian reference collection at University Abobo-Adjamé, Ivory Coast), male (51.0 mm), females (60.0, 67.0 mm), Ivory Coast, Banco National Park, 5.41667 / -4.10500, 5 May 2004, forest close to Banco River, coll. N.E. Assemian, N.G. Kouamé & B. Tohé. Diagnosis. Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. has the typical body shape of frogs of the genus Astylosternus, however, with exceptionally broad heads, i.e. broader than in A. occidentalis; males of the new species without spines on throat and belly (always present in A. occidentalis males); males without nuptial black skin layer in pectoral region (present in male A. occidentalis from western Guinea); back brownish to brownish red, always with distinct red dots (red dots only rarely present in A. occidentalis); bicoloured iris, grey with a reddish upper third (A. occidentalis always with uniform grey iris). A. laticephalus sp. nov. differs from A. occidentalis by a mean of 3.2 % (range 2.9-3.7 %) in the investigated part of the 16 S rRNA gene. Genetic divergence to the morphologically most similar Central African species, A. diadematus, was 11.9 %. Description of the holotype [measures in mm]. The holotype is an adult female with a snout-vent length of 58.6; head width 22.7; head as long as broad; interorbital distance narrower than length of upper eyelid; snout rounded in dorsal view, obtuse in lateral view, longer than eye diameter; eyes large (7.9) and protuberant directed anterolaterally; interorbital distance 7.2; pupil vertically elliptical; eye diameter larger than tympanum diameter, 5.3; tympanum vertically elliptical; supratympanal fold from posterior vertical midpoint of orbit to meet with dorsal border of tympanic annulus, where descent is sharp and terminates at half the vertical diameter of the tympanic annulus dorsally to the axilla; nares closer to snout-tip (2.7) than to eye (5.5), nostrils oriented posterolaterally; internarial distance 4.4; canthus rostralis rounded and straight; loreal region slightly concave and gradually sloping laterally; single, small, tooth-like process at lower jaw symphysis, with corresponding socket in between premaxillae; upper premaxillae and maxillae with numerous teeth; vomerine teeth in form of two hemispherical odontophores, perpendicular to body axis, almost being in contact to each other medially, each with row of teeth like tips (5 left, 6 right); distance from odontophores to elliptical choanae slightly larger than maximum length of odontophores; choanae almost equal in size to odontophores; tongue broadly heart shaped, deeply notched anteriorly, densely beset with small papillae, extends over entire length of lower jaw; posterior 2 / 3 of tongue free. Forelimbs robust, fingers slender and long; prepollex absent; first finger 10.3, almost double the length of second finger (5.1); relative finger lengths I>III>II>IV; finger tips broadened without forming discs; subarticular tubercles large, subconical, protruding distally; thenar and palmar tubercles large and elliptical; supernumerary tubercles absent; number of subarticular tubercles on digits I-IV: 1, 1, 2, 2; no digital webbing; hind limbs short and robust; femur length 28.3, almost equal to tibia 28.4; tibia-fibula with longest toe 38.4; relative toe lengths IV>III>V>II>I; shortest toe (4.2) almost double the length of inner metatarsal tubercle (2.3); inner metatarsal tubercle large, elliptical; toe tips broadened without forming discs; number of subconical subarticular tubercles on toes I-V: 1, 1, 2, 3, 2; supernumerary tubercles absent; traces of webbing between toe bases; no skin fringes along toes. Tip of toe IV on left foot missing. Skin on head, back, belly and throat predominantly smooth; small whitish spines scattered on back, dorsal parts of extremities and eyelids; white warts posterior to angle of mouth, ventral from tympanum; posterior region of thighs areolate; irregularly spread narrow low tubercles along flanks; no tubercles or warts on forearms or interocular region; head with white scratches (scars). Base colour of dorsum in preservation is a light brown to reddish brown; back with irregularly arranged and shaped light beige spots; upper eyelids greyish; head laterally with two darker bars, the posterior one below eye; upper and lower lips white; supratympanic fold anteriorly rimmed thin black; warts on flanks beige; forelimbs dorsally light brown, slightly mottled beige, first two fingers almost uniform white; hind limb colour as forelimbs, dark bordered cross bars indicated in thighs (4) and lower legs (5-6); throat, belly, ventral parts of fore- and hind limbs uniform white or creamish; only ventral part of feet reddish brown, metatarsal tubercle and subarticular tubercles creamish white. Variation. Females seem to be larger (up to 67.0 mm; MVZ 244910) than males (53.8 mm), although the small sample size of the latter (N = 2) does not allow for generalization. The tympanum shape varies between vertically elliptical (most vouchers) to round; the supratympanic fold is sometimes thin to absent; sometimes tympanic membrane prominent within faint tympanic annulus. Other measures and indices identical between the two sexes; values are summarized in Tabs. 1 and 2. Dorsal and lateral skin texture can consist of many irregularly spaced small roundish warts, not arranged in rows, sometimes fused to small ridge like structures (Fig. 11). Males have paired subgular vocal sacs, visible in preserved frogs as slightly loose, granular black skin near the angles of the mouth; males with large brown nuptial pads on the external side of the thumb. Canthus rostralis in males more prominent bulging and rounded; males with more massive forearms than females. In contrast to other western West African Astylosternus, A. laticephalus sp. nov. males in breeding condition, lack spines on throat and belly. The dorsal base colouration in life consists of a light grey, brown, reddish brown or almost black; all specimens exhibit a more or less dense pattern of smaller to larger, irregularly shaped red spots on back; smaller black or brown spots may be present, in particular in juveniles; iris greyish, upper third reddish to orange; the anterior part of the eyelids bright yellow to red blotches, connected by a very conspicuous interorbital stripe of the same colour; snout tip and area posterior to interorbital stripe, including posterior part of eyelid, darker than rest of back, this pattern sometimes consisting of a symmetrical pair of triangular shaped black spots (Fig. 11); frenal area dark as snout tip; loreal area distinctly lighter coloured than snout tip; light infraorbital batch; supratympanal ridge usually bordered by thin black line; fore and hind limbs with or without distinct black cross bars; lateral colour gradually fainting from back colour to whitish venter, with irregularly scattered black points; ventral coloration (throat and abdomen) creamish-white; ventral surface of thighs and arms creamish-yellow with reddish brown mottling around lateral margins of limbs. In preservative all patterns and coloration almost as in life, but faded; the red dorsal spots remain as light beige spots. Tadpole [measures in mm; description based on ZMB 75460]. Exotrophic, lentic tadpole; Gosner stage 39; total length 62.1; body broad almost as long as wide, slightly elliptical in dorsal, slightly depressed in lateral view (possibly a preservation artefact); body length 23.8; body width 24.2; sides of body slightly concave, snout in dorsal view broadly rounded, a bit more pointed in lateral view; large lateral sacs originating posterior to eyes run along flanks; small eyes, positioned dorsolaterally, pupil round; nares small, positioned dorsolaterally, closer to snout trip than to eyes; oral apparatus in anteroventral position; dorsal lip wide and smooth, with large anterior gap between marginal papillae; lateral papillae ventral lip with large, uni- or biserial marginal papillae; upper jaw sheath massif, broad U-shaped, strongly serrated margin, most central “tooth” most prominent; lower jaw sheath massif, V-shaped, margin strongly serrated; labial tooth-row formula 1: 1 + 1 / 3; all keratodont rows on skin sheaths; labial keratodonts unidenticulate, connected by a hyaline skin; vent tube dextral; spiracle sinistral (almost invisible); very long tail axis (> 2.5 times body length); tail axis height largely exceeding height of dorsal and ventral fin, both fins very narrow; dorsal fin originates slightly posterior to tail body junction; dorsal fin almost parallel to tail axis up to rounded tip; no pores (neuromast canals) visible (possibly due to poor preservation or advanced developmental stage); body more or less beige, mottled with dark brown, tail fin brown to almost black in last third of tail. Newly metamorphosed froglets measured 25.6–28.7 mm (N = 2). Natural history. Not much is known about the biology of the new species. Astylosternus laticephalus sp. nov. lives in lowland rainforest habitats (Fig. 13), mostly close to small or mid sized streams (Rödel et al. 2005; Assemian et al. 2006). In Banco National Park, Ivory Coast we recorded the new species in the leaf litter of swampy areas in closed canopy forest, open forest and in natural forest gaps, both in close vicinity to the River Banco and in larger distance (about 1 km) from the river (Assemian et al. 2006). A total of 12 specimens were only observed during the rainy season, 11 of them during the night. In the Ankasa Conservation Area we found the new species in wet evergreen forest on a trail adjacent to the Bamboo Cathedral (Fig. 13 b). Distribution. So far A. laticephalus sp. nov. is known from one forest in eastern Ivory Coast, the Banco National Park (Assemian et al. 2006), and various sites in Ghana: Afao Hills Forest Reserve, Draw River Forest Reserve and Ankasa Conservation Area in south-western Ghana (Rödel et al. 2005; this paper), and Atewa Range in southern-central Ghana (Fig. 8). The latter site was chosen as type locality of the new taxon to underline the outstanding importance of this mountainous region for the Ghanaian biodiversity. Conservation status. The distribution of the species from eastern Ivory Coast to southern-central Ghana, including various protected areas (i.e. Banco National Park, Afao Hills Forest Reserve, Ankasa Conservation Area), seems to imply a IUCN RedList classification of “Least Concern”. However, rainforests in south-eastern Ivory Coast are under intense logging pressure and highly fragmented. Forests in south-western Ghana are better protected but likewise fragmented and the Atewa Range is currently under threat because of small scale mining activities and further plans to mine for gold, diamonds and bauxite on an industrial scale. We thus suggest classifying the new species as “Near Threatened”. Etymology. The name derives from the Latin words latus for wide and the Greek Kεφάλɩ for head, referring to the conspicuous wide head of the new species.
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Life in the spray zone – overlooked diversity in West African torrent-frogs (Anura, Odontobatrachidae, Odontobatrachus)
- Author
-
Barej, Michael, primary, Schmitz, Andreas, additional, Penner, Johannes, additional, Doumbia, Joseph, additional, Sandberger-Loua, Laura, additional, Hirschfeld, Mareike, additional, Brede, Christian, additional, Emmrich, Mike, additional, Kouamé, N’Goran Germain, additional, Hillers, Annika, additional, Gonwouo, Nono Legrand, additional, Nopper, Joachim, additional, Adeba, Patrick Joel, additional, Bangoura, Mohamed Alhassane, additional, Gage, Ceri, additional, Anderson, Gail, additional, and Rödel, Mark-Oliver, additional
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. The genus Astylosternus in the Upper Guinea rainforests, West Africa, with the description of a new species (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae)
- Author
-
RÖDEL, MARK-OLIVER, primary, BAREJ, MICHAEL F., additional, HILLERS, ANNIKA, additional, LEACHÉ, ADAM D., additional, KOUAMÉ, N’GORAN G., additional, OFORI-BOATENG, CALEB, additional, ASSEMIAN, N. EMMANUEL, additional, TOHÉ, BLAYDA, additional, PENNER, JOHANNES, additional, HIRSCHFELD, MAREIKE, additional, DOUMBIA, JOSEPH, additional, GONWOUO, LEGRAND NONO, additional, NOPPER, JOACHIM, additional, BREDE, CHRISTIAN, additional, DIAZ, RAUL, additional, FUJITA, MATTHEW K., additional, GIL, MARLON, additional, SEGNIAGBETO, GABRIEL H., additional, ERNST, RAFFAEL, additional, and SANDBERGER, LAURA, additional
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. New data on the distribution and morphology of the West African squeaker frog Arthroleptis langeri Rödel, Doumbia, Johnson & Hillers, 2009 (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae)
- Author
-
NOPPER, JOACHIM, primary, GONWOUO, LEGRAND NONO, additional, HILLERS, ANNIKA, additional, SANDBERGER, LAURA, additional, OHLER, ANNEMARIE, additional, and RÖDEL, MARK-OLIVER, additional
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Life in the spray zone - overlooked diversity in West African torrentfrogs (Anura, Odontobatrachidae, Odontobatrachus).
- Author
-
Barej, Michael F., Schmitz, Andreas, Penner, Johannes, Doumbia, Joseph, Sandberger-Loua, Laura, Hirschfeld, Mareike, Brede, Christian, Emmrich, Mike, Kouamé, N'Goran Germain, Hillers, Annika, Gonwouo, Nono L., Nopper, Joachim, Adeba, Patrick Joël, Bangoura, Mohamed A., Gage, Ceri, Anderson, Gail, and Rödel, Mark-Oliver
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.