A new species of Leptopelis (Anura, Arthroleptidae) from the south-eastern slope of the Ethiopian Highlands, with notes on the Leptopelis gramineus species complex and the revalidation of a previously synonymised species

By

Tiutenko, Arthur
Zinenko, Oleksandr

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1023

Pages

119--150

Subjects

Bale Mountains , Ethiopia , Harenna Forest , Leptopelis diffidens sp. nov , Leptopelis montanus nom. nov , Leptopelis rugosus , Pseudocassina ocellata , Pseudocassina rugosa

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1023.53404

 

Abstract

A new ground-dwelling species of treefrog in the genus Leptopelis is described from the Harenna Forest in south-eastern Ethiopia. The description is based on morphology and acoustics and is supported by molecular data. The new species has a small body size, and the digital discs on fingers and toes are significantly more conspicuous than in other semi-fossorial members of the L. gramineus complex. It occupies forest habitats at lower altitudes and is separated ecologically and geographically from high-altitude species of the complex. One of them, a parapatric cryptic species from Bale and Arsi Mountains, is resurrected from synonymy of L. gramineus and given a new name, L. montanus. Genetic barcoding of specimens from both populations showed that they belong to two distinct lineages that had been revealed by recent phylogenetic research. To confirm the geographic separation of the studied populations, the collection area of L. gramineus types was verified through analysis of the diary and the final report of the 2nd expedition of V. Bottego, and through matching of the route described in it with modern maps. The type locality of L. gramineus sensu stricto is restricted to Gamo Gofa, Ethiopia. Following the results of recent phylogenetic studies, the range of L. gramineus is limited to west of the Great Rift Valley. An identification key to the named Ethiopian species of the genus is provided.