MARQUES ET AL.; AMPHIBIANS AND TERRESTRIAL REPTILES OF ANGOLA 
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Family Hyperoliidae Laurent, 1943 
Genus Afrixalus Laurent, 1944 
Afrixalus dorsalis (Peters, 1875) Striped Spiny Reed Frog 
Hyperolius dorsalis Peters 1875:206, pi. 1, fig. 2. Syntype: ZMB 4488 (eolleetor R. Buehholz) fide Bauer et 
al. (1995:44). Type locality: “Boutry” and “Victoria in einem Wassertumpel” restricted to “Boutry” by 
Mertens (1938b:24), [= mouth of River Butre], Ghana. 
Afrixalus dorsalis regularis: Laurent (1964a: 149) Cei (1977:17). 
Afrixalus dorsalis: Schiotz (1999:47), Channing (2001:136), Fretey et al. (2011:28), Channing et al. 
(2012:187), Frost (2016). 
Schiotz (1999) suggested that this species 
might extend from eoastal Cameroon to Ango¬ 
la. However, these populations vary in pheno¬ 
type and Angolan populations are somewhat 
different with some populations having a pale 
dorsal surfaee to the erus. For Angola, Schiotz 
(1999) considered two valid subspeeies, Afrix¬ 
alus dorsalis regularis Laurent, 1951 and 
Afrixalus dorsalis leptosomus (Peters, 1877). 
The latter was described by Peters (1877a) 
Map 27. Distribution of Afrixalus dorsalis in Angola. 
based on one individual from “Chinchoxo, Cabinda enclave,” whieh was originally placed in 
Hyperolius (Amiet 2012). Both, Sehiotz (1999) and Amiet (2012) discussed the nomenclatural 
confusion regarding leptosomus as a member of the fluvovittatus eomplex and Fretey et al. (2011) 
ineluded Afrixalus dorsalis regularis and A. d. leptosomus as synonyms of the nominate form. In 
contrast. Frost (2016) considered A. d. leptosomus to be a synonym of Afrixalus quadrivittatus 
(Werner, 1908) and^. d. regularis to be a synonym of^. dorsalis. Channing (2001) provided three 
records for Afrixalus dorsalis in Angola in Benguela Province without detailed information, which 
probably correspond to previously unpublished museum specimens. 
Global conservation status (lUCN): Least Coneem. 
Global distribution: The species is known from West Africa, from eastern Sierra Leone to 
extreme northern coastal Angola, but it has not been recorded from Benin (Gilles et al. 2006). 
Ocurrences in Angola (Map 27): The 
species oecurs in coastal Angola. Benguela: 
“Cubal da Ganda (Marco de Canavezes)” 
[-13.08333, 14.33333] (Laurent 1964a:149). 
Undetermined Locality: “areas of forest and 
savanna in the north and northeast of Angola” 
(Cei 1977:17). 
Taxonomic and distributional notes: 
Afrixalus fulvovittatus (Cope, “1860” 1861) Four-Lined Spiny Reed Frog 
Hyperolius fulvovittatus Cope “1860” 1861:517. Holotype: ANSP 3219 fide Malnate (1971:350) (collector 
possibly Dr. Goheen). Type locality: “Liberia” (Cope “1860” 1861:517). 
Rappia fulvo-vittata: Gunther (1868 “1869”:479). 
Hyperolius fulvovittatus: Noble (1924:252). 
Rappia fulvovittata: Boulenger (1882:121), Ferreira (1904:112). 
Afrixalus fulvovittatus: Cei (1977:17), Schiotz et al. (2013), Frost (2016). 
