Tanzaniaherps.org
The herpetofauna of Mountains of Tanzania
Arthroleptis tanneri , Grandison, 1983
IUCN: VULNERABLE (VU)
type
Holotype: BM 1974.59, The Natural History Museum, Department of Zoology, London, UK. (Formerly the British Museum)type locality
Mazumbai Natural Forest, West Usambara Mountains, Tanzaniarecorded localities
East Usambara, Segoma, Nguru South, Nguru South , West Usambara, Balangai East, Balangai West, Mazumbai,
Habitat and Ecology
It lives in leaf-litter on the floor of montane forests, and is generally found in moister situations (sometimes even aggregating alongside water). It probably cannot cope well with habitat loss. Like other members of the genus, it presumably lays eggs in the leaf litter and breeds by direct development.
Major Threats
Conservation measures
It occurs in the University of Dar es Salaam reserve at Mazumbai in the West Usambara Mountains.
Description and Diagnosis
This is one of the larger of the Arthroleptis species (SVL 37-55mm). It has a broad head and relatively long legs (tibia roughly ½ SVL or greater). The dorsum is gray-brown, often without distinct darker markings. A fold of skin runs from the eye over the tympanum ending at the arm. Raised dorsolateral skin folds are faintly visible. The tympanum is round and distinct, less than ½ the diameter of the eye. The eyes are gold on top and dark beneath. The finger tips are faintly expanded and the toe tips are distinctly expanded, though both lack distinct disks. A groove runs along the base of the toe tips. There is a small amount of webbing on the toes. The first finger is distinctly longer than the second.
Call and Calling bahaviour
Unknown.
mp3 of the call
sonagram of the call
Similar species
This is the only large Arthroleptis species known to occur in the West Usambaras. The large size, long legs and broad head distinguish it from other Arthroleptis species in the West Usambaras.
Data providers
Selected Bibliography
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/
Grandison, A.G.C. 1983. A new species of Arthroleptis (Anura: Ranidae) from the West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). Zoology 45: 77-84.
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.
Howell, K., J. Poynton. 2004. Arthroleptis tanneri. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.2. . Downloaded on 24 August 2010.