Elegant Sand Frog

general

This species is named for the Latin 'elegans,' which means elegant, fine or handsome.

African Amphibians

morphology

The following is a translation of the original description of Arthroleptis ( Tomopterna ) elegans by E. Calabresi (1927) from the original Italian by B. Zimkus. The tongue lacks a median papilla. The head is as wide and long with its snout broadly rounded in front and equal to the diameter of the orbit, nostrils closer to the snout tip than the anterior margin of the eye, interorbital space as wide as upper eyelid and tympanum indistinct. In the hand, fingers are moderate and not dilated at the ends, the median subarticular tubercles are significantly protruding, the first finger is very slightly shorter than the second, and more than half of the third. In the foot, the fingers are joined by a membrane for approximately half their length, the subarticular tubercles are small and conical, there is a single metatarsal tubercle that is oval, protruding and longer than the internal digit, tarsal tubercle lacking. When hind limb is bent forward the tibio-tasal articulation reaches between the armpit and the posterior margin of the eye. The skin is mostly smooth, with rare and minute tubercles in the posterior region of the back, along the hips and below the thighs. The top color

African Amphibians

diagnostic

Body shape is compact and toad-like, and the habit is stout. Vomerine teeth are in two oblique groups between the moderately large choanae. Tongue is notched with two uneven sides; head is short and broader than long. Snout is rounded. Nostrils are closer to the snout tip than the anterior margin of the eye. Tympanum is indistinct or distinct, measuring 1/3 to 2/3 as large as the eye diameter. Interorbital distance is less than the width of the upper eyelid. Subarticular tubercles are single and distinct. Toes are one-third webbed with two to three phalanges free of webbing on the fourth toe. The inner metatarsal tubercle is prominent and shovel-shaped, longer than the first toe. A small, round outer metatarsal tubercle is present, while the tarsal tubercle is absent. The skin is smooth with some small, isolated warts. A discontinuous or continuous glandular ridge may be present below the tympanum, trailing from the back edge of mouth. Males with a nuptial pad on manual digit I and sometimes II, as well as a thickened U-shaped gular flap. In alcohol, the color may be light grey, light brown or orange-brown with darker markings. A light vertebral line is variably present. An intero

African Amphibians

genetics

The single sequence of T. elegans included in the phylogenetic study by Zimkus and Larson (2011) differs from other species in the genus by 2.5% (T. sp. Arusha) to a maximum of 7.7%–7.9% ( T. kachowskii ).

African Amphibians