Tanzaniaherps.org
The herpetofauna of Mountains of Tanzania
Leptopelis concolor , Ahl, 1929
IUCN: LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Adult Leptopelis concolor in its natural habitat.
type
Holotype: ZMB unnumbered according to the original publication; lost according to Poynton (1964), Universität Humboldt, Zoologisches Museum, Berlin, Germanytype locality
Witu, Kenyarecorded localities
Kenya, Taita Hills,
Habitat and Ecology
It is a species of savannah woodland and grassland in coastal lowlands, with many trees and bushes. It is also found in clearings in dry forest. It tolerates some degree of habitat degradation, providing that there is good vegetation cover. During the breeding season, which starts at the beginning of each rainy season, males call while perched 1 – 2 m above the ground several meters distance from each other on vegetation, often far from water. Eggs are laid in cavities in the mud. Larvae hatch into the water when the nest is inundated with water. It probably breeds in temporary pools.
Major Threats
Conservation measures
It occurs in several protected areas, including Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks in Kenya.
Description and Diagnosis
A relatively small (SVL 31-38 mm), light brown Leptopelis with a broad head and short snout. The dorsum can be green or cream colored in juveniles. There is a darker brown triangle between the eyes and an inverted ‘V’ or ‘Y’ on the dorsum. The legs are short – tibia slightly less than ½ SVL. Pupils are vertical. Toes have only a very small amount of webbing. Males lack pectoral glands.
Call and Calling bahaviour
Schiøtz (1999) describes the call as “an un-melodious clack followed by two or three shrill screams, or sometimes the screams followed by the clack, or clacks or screams alone”
mp3 of the call
sonagram of the call
Similar species
Leptopelis argenteus and Leptopelis concolor differ in their dorsal markings and distribution, but have identical advertisement calls and should possibly be considered subspecies rather than separate species.
Data providers
Selected Bibliography
Ahl, E. 1929. Zur Kenntnis der afrikanischen Baumfrosch-Gattung Leptopelis. Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1929: 185-222.
Frost, D.R. 2010. Amphibian Species of the World: an online reference. Version 5.4 (8 April, 2010). American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/
Harper, E.B., G.J. Measey, D.A. Patrick, M. Menegon and J.R. Vonesh. 2010. Field Guide to the Amphibians of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya. Camerapix Publishers International, Nairobi, Kenya.
Poynton, J.C. 1964. Amphibia of southern Africa: a faunal study. Annals of the Natal Museum 17: 1-334.
Poynton, J., A. Schiøtz and E. Balletto. 2004. Leptopelis concolor. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 September 2010.
Schiøtz, A. 1999. Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.