Leptopelis grandiceps
| Leptopelis grandiceps | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Arthroleptidae |
| Genus: | Leptopelis |
| Species: | L. grandiceps
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| Binomial name | |
| Leptopelis grandiceps Ahl, 1929[1]
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Leptopelis grandiceps, the large headed forest treefrog, is a species of small tree frog. Females are thought to be larger than males based on the male lectotype and female allotype. They are endemic to the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania, where they inhabit forests near a water source. It's closely related to L. barbouri and L. uluguruensis. It's listed Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and populations are thought to be decreasing. Notably, L. grandiceps has a controversial nomenclature history.
Nomenclature
A collection of frogs (2 adult females and 9 juveniles) were initially identified as L. aubryi, but later controversially differentiated into a new species called L. barbouri. This was done after the collection was described in greater detail than the original description by an author, Ahl (1929), who had never seen the collection.[2]
Later, Schiøtz (1975) added some males from the Dabaga forest to the L. barbouri collection which looked different from the females in the original collection. He hypothesised that the morphological differences might be due to sexual dimorphism or population-level differentiation and referred to them as L. barbouri.[2]
Later, a study ( Gvoždík, Tillack, Menegon, and Loader, 2014[2]) found that the female type of L. barbouri was morphologically very different from what is today commonly referred to as L. barbouri. The females were in fact Leptopelis flavomaculatus.[2] However, the male specimens Schiøtz collected from Dabaga were morphologically identical to unnamed specimens from other publications (e.g. Harper & Vonesh 2002;[3] Channing & Howell 2006;[4] Pickersgill 2007;[5] Harper et al. 2010[6]). [2]
The name L. grandiceps was originally assigned to two specimens collected by J. Vosseler. Eventually, L. grandiceps became a synonym for L.uluguruensis. Controversially, this synonymization done by Loveridge (1975), was soley based on the description as he had never actually examined the specimens. These specimens are an example of frogs who are the same species as Schiøtz’s Dabaga collection. Subsequently, the name Leptopelis grandiceps was available and applied to these frogs.[2]
Development
Although the exact developmental patterns of L. grandiceps are unknown, it is thought that frogs that live in montane forests are more likely to have complete terrestrial development. This is likely due to the presence of fast-flowing streams.[7]
Behaviour and Communication
Males make mating calls from the top of branches near streams. The sound is distinct from other similar-looking Leptopelis as is described as such: ‘‘The voice is a brief buzzing with an indistinct frequency-intensity maximum at about 1500 cps. and a rate of about 100 figures per second” (Schiotz 2014).[8] Furthermore, They have been found buried in mud near streams with only their heads visible above ground.[8] They can also be found in elevations up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft), with a minimum elevation of 180 m (590 ft).[1]
Reproduction
Just 10 m (33 ft) from a tiny stream, a frog pair was discovered mating, and their heads were only apparent in the sinking earth in which they were mating in.[8]
Although the exact developmental patterns of L. grandiceps are unknown, it is believed that terrestrial breeding and egg laying are associated with the frogs inhabiting montane forests, likely due to the presence of fast-flowing streams.[7]
Geographic Range and Habitat
L. grandiceps's geographic range includes the Eastern Arc Mountains and Southern Highlands in Tanzania and Kenya. They inhabit humid montane and lowland rainforests.[2][1] However, until more thorough genetic analyses are conducted, Gvoždík et al. (2014) proposed that L. grandiceps should only include populations in East Usambara mountains and L. cf. grandiceps should be tentatively used for populations in other locations.[2]
Physical Description
Adult L. grandiceps are slender with pointed snouts and large heads. The tympanum is distinctly small, spanning ⅓-⅖ of the horizontal diameter of the eye.[2] The toes are ½ webbed ending with large disks in both the manual and pedal digits. The inner metatarsal tubercles are small ovoid and non prominent.[2] Subarticular tubercles are somewhat prominent.[2] Their skin is a bright translucent green with light coloured patches on the frog's lower jaw.[2] They occasionally have light coloured small dots on their skin as well. Males are considered small (30-33mm) while females medium (39-45). The heads are wider than they are long and contain large protruding eyes.[2] Eyes are light coloured with orange patches and black vermiculation.[2]
Currently, the tadpoles have not been described.
Socioeconomic Relevance and History
L. grandiceps is not commonly encountered so there is little socioeconomic relevance.
The history of naming L. grandiceps could be considered relevant and controversial in the scientific community. This is because synonymizations and namings were done without seeing the type or collections.
Genomic Information
There are currently two sequences on GenBank for L. grandiceps. One being the partial coding sequence of the COI gene:
1 cccttntttg tntgatccgt tttaatcaca gccgtcctcc tactcctatc tcttccagtc
61 cttgctgcag gcattacaat acttctcacc gaccgaaacc tgaacaccac tttttttgat
121 cctgctggcg gaggtgaccc cgtattatat caacacctgt tctgattctt tggccatcca
181 gaagtataca ttctaatttt acccgggttc ggcattatct cccatgtagt agcattttac
241 tctaataaaa aggaaccctt cggttatatg ggcatggttt gagctatgct atcaatcggc
301 ctcctgggct tcattgtctg agcccatcac atattcacca ccgacctcaa cgtagacaca
361 cgagcctact ttacatcagc cacaataatc attgccatcc caacgggggt aaaggttttc
421 agctgattgg ctaccatgca tgggggaatt attaaatgag aagcccccat attatgagcc
481 cttggattta tttttctatt tacagtggga ggactaactg gaattgtttt agctaactca
541 tcaatcgaca ttgttcttca tgacacctac tatgtagtag ctcacttcca ttatgtcctc
601 tcaatgggag cagtatttgc cattatggcc ggatttatac attgattccc cctatttaca
661 ggattctcac tccataaggt atgaacaaaa attcacttca ttattatatt cgcgggggta
721 aacctcacct tcttcccaca acatttccta ggtctagcgg gcatacctcg ccggtactca
781 gattacccag acgcatatac cctatgaaac tcgctatctt ctgtaggctc cctaatttct
841 ttaatgggag tagtcttgat natattt[9]
The other sequence is a partial sequence of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene:
1 gnntcgcctg tttaccaaaa acatcgcctc ttgcttaact ataagaggtc cagcctgccc
61 agtgatataa ttcaacggcc gcggtatcct aaccgtgcga aggtagcata atcacttgtt
121 ctctaaataa ggactagaat caatggcgtc acgaagacct atcgtctccc ccctacgatc
181 agtgaaactg atctccccgt gaagaagcgg ggatttaaat ataagacgag aagaccctat
241 ggagcttaaa atgagattca actgttttat accataccat agtaatattc accactgagc
301 actaattttt gactggggag atcgcggagc aagcataacc tccatgatga acggaataaa
361 atccttatca aagagataca tctcaaagaa ataacatctt aacatttatt gacccaaact
421 acttgatcaa cgaaccaagt taccctaggg ataacagcgc aatccgtttc aagagcccct
481 atcgacaaac gggtttacga cctcgatgtt ggatcagggt atcccagtgg tgcagaagct
541 actaagggtt cgtttgttca acgattaaaa ccctacgtga tctg[10]
Food Habits and Predation
Little is known of L. grandiceps diet and predators.
Lifespan
Little is known of L. grandiceps lifespan.
Ecosystem Role/Niche
Little is known of L. grandiceps ecosystem role and niche
Economic Importance
L. grandiceps has no notable economic importance.
References
- ^ a b c d "Leptopelis grandiceps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T76317600A87676070. 2016. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T76317600A87676070.en.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Gvozdik, Vaclav (April 2014). "The status of Leptopelis barbouri Ahl, 1929 and eleven other nomina of the current tree-frog genus Leptopelis (Arthroleptidae) described from East Africa, with a redescription of Leptopelis grandiceps Ahl, 1929". Zootaxa.
- ^ Harper, E (2002). Field Guide to the Amphibians of the East Usambara Mountains.
- ^ Channing, A (2006). Amphibians of East Africa.
- ^ Pickersgill, M (2007). Frog Search. Results of Expeditions to Southern and Eastern Africa from 1993–1999.
- ^ Harper, E.B (2010). Field Guide to the Amphibians of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya.
- ^ a b Muller, Hendrik (2013). "Forests as promoters of terrestrial life-history strategies in East African amphibians". Biology Letters. 9 (3). doi:10.1098/rsbl.2012.1146. PMC 3645021. PMID 23536440.
- ^ a b c "AmphibiaWeb - Leptopelis grandiceps". amphibiaweb.org. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
- ^ "Leptopelis grandiceps voucher MTSN 7685 cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, partial cds; mitochondrial". 2017-12-31.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Leptopelis grandiceps voucher MTSN 7685 16S ribosomal RNA gene, partial sequence; mitochondrial". 2017-12-31.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
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