The Phlyctimantis and Kassina of Cameroon (Amphibia, Anura, Hyperoliidae)

Abstract

The Cameroonian batrachofauna includes one species of Phlyctimantis and five species of Kassina, which are reviewed in this paper. Phlyctimantis have been found in only five 10 minutes side squares; the discussion of the status of the southernmost population shows that all known Cameroonian populations must be referred to P. boulengeri. In the genus Kassina, K. maculosa and K. decorata were tentatively synonymised by authors. Although they share a great number of morphological characters, they exhibit constant differences in cephalic and dorsal maculation and occupy different distribution areas. Thus, distinction at specific level appears to be the most appropriate status for these taxa. A new species, Kassina wazae, is described; it superficially resembles K. senegalensis but differs by several distinctive features, as vocal sac, lateral head maculation, presence of a small tarsal tubercle. For each species, many original data on distribution, ecology and phonocenosis are given. Finally, attention is drawn on the unexpected lack of a true forest-species of Kassina in the Cameroonian fauna.