Biology:Sclerophrys fuliginata

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Short description: Species of amphibian


Sclerophrys fuliginata
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Sclerophrys
Species:
S. fuliginata
Binomial name
Sclerophrys fuliginata
(de Witte, 1932)
Synonyms[2]
  • —Laurent, 1964 de Witte, 1932
  • (de Witte, 1932) Bufo funereus upembae
  • Bufo fuliginatus Schmidt and Inger, 1959
  • Bufo funereus fuliginatus Amietophrynus fuliginatus

Sclerophrys fuliginata is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae.[1][2] The specific name fuliginata is Latin for "sooty", in reference to the species' appearance of a more or less diffusely uniform exterior color and pattern.[3] It is also known as the Shaba Province toad or sooty toad.[2][3] It is found in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southeastern Tanzania, and northern Zambia.[1][2]

Description

Adult females can reach 65 mm (2.6 in) in snout–vent length. Males reach sexual maturity at about 40 mm (1.6 in) in snout–vent length. The tympanum is discernible, but the tympanic annulus tends to be covered by spinose warts. The parotoid glands are prominent and covered by dark-tipped spines, except in males in full breeding condition. The toes are almost fully webbed. Skin, especially the limbs, are particularly spinose, but less so in breeding males.[4] Coloration is an almost uniform hue, without a pronounced patterning.[3]

Habitat and conservation

Sclerophrys fuliginata occurs in montane forests and gallery forests and on forest edges at elevations above 1,880 m (6,170 ft). Breeding biology is not known but probably involves aquatic tadpoles.[1]

This species is known from isolated records over a wide area. Specific threats to it are unknown, but it is likely to be affected by forest loss caused by agriculture, livestock grazing, human settlements, and fire. It is present in the Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and probably in other protected areas.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2016). "Sclerophrys fuliginata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T54642A107345875. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T54642A107345875.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54642/107345875. Retrieved 14 November 2021. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Sclerophrys fuliginata (De Witte, 1932)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Bufonidae/Sclerophrys/Sclerophrys-fuliginata. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hogan, C. Michael (2014). "Amietophrynus fuliginatus (De Witte, 1932)". African Amphibians. http://africanamphibians.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/1232. 
  4. Poynton, John C.; Broadley, Donald G. (1988). "Amphibia Zambesiaca 4. Bufonidae". Annals of the Natal Museum 29 (2): 447–490. 

Wikidata ☰ Q28929896 entry