Tanzaniaherps.org
The herpetofauna of Mountains of Tanzania
Probreviceps uluguruensis , Loveridge, 1925
IUCN: VULNERABLE (VU)
type
type locality
recorded localities
Uluguru, Uluguru north, Uluguru south,
Habitat and Ecology
This is a forest species known from Uluguru Mountain forests above 2000 m above sea level. During dry periods this species stays in burrows made 5 to 10 centimetres under leaf litter. On the Lukwangule plateau, Uluguru South Mountains this species is also found along mashy wetlands at the base of grass tussocks and is also found in burrows or in piles of leaf litter under shrubs in grassland. Females lay their eggs in burrows or beneath leaf litter. This species has direct development mode of reproduction. The development of non-free living larval phase is completed within egg capsule in burrows.Major Threats
Conservation measures
Major threats include forest clearance, tree cutting and fire burning. Conservation efforts should focus on conservation of the habitats of this species. These efforts may include avoiding fire burning, tree cutting and forest encroachment.Description and Diagnosis
Call and Calling bahaviour
The call of P. uluguruensis is a low-pitched chirp. Typical calls consist of 3-6 notes at a frequency of 1.37 kHz. The mean call duration is 269 ms (range 107-349). Males call from within leaf litter or from burrows both during the day and night.mp3 of the call
sonagram of the call
Similar species
Data providers
Selected Bibliography
Barbour, T. and A. Loveridge 1928. A comparative study of the herpetological fauna of the Uluguru and Usambara Mountains. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 50: 87-265.
Mkonyi, F. J., W. Ngalason, C. A. Msuya, K. M. Howell and A. Channing (2004). Probreviceps loveridgei, P. uluguruensis and P. macrodactylus (Loveridge’s forest frog, Uluguru forest frog, long-fingered forest frog) advertisement calls. Herpetological Review 35: 261 – 262.
Muller, H., S. P. Loader, W. Ngalason, K. M. Howell and D. J. Gower (2007). Reproduction in Brevicipitid frogs (Amphibia: Anura: Brevicipitidae) – Evidence from Probreviceps m. macrodactylus. Copeia 3: 728-734.
Ngalason, W. (2005). Reproductive biology and ecology of anurans on the Lukwangule Plateau, Tanzania. M Sc Thesis, University of Dar es Salaam.