Fernando Po toad

biology_ecology

Biology and distribution. The species is known to occur in lowland and mid-elevation primary forest to the north of the Congo River, from southeast Nigeria to western DRC (Channing and Rödel 2019). The specimens reported here are the first records for Cabinda Province and Angola (Baptista 2024) and represent the southernmost records for the species. Both specimens collected were found foraging on the ground at the edge of a dirt road surrounded by primary rainforest in Lower Mayombe, at ∼ 200 m a. s. l.

Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa

materials_examined

Material. ANGOLA – Cabinda Province • Mayombe NP, Sanga Wanda; – 4.6253, 12.4583; 221 m a. s. l.; FKH 1258; GenBank: PQ 455952. • Mayombe NP, Sanga Wanda; – 4.6270, 12.4527; 215 m a. s. l.; P 3.509; GenBank: PQ 455953. Identification. A medium-sized toad (SVL = 48 – 74 mm) with compact body and enlarged globose parotoid glands, and body covered with long spiny warts (Channing and Rödel 2019). The material from the study area differs by <1 % (16 S p - distance) from material from between Malapa and Mbimb, Cameroon (GenBank: KF 665246), and ∼ 2.5 % from material from Lekoumou, Republic of the Congo (GenBank: KY 080024).

Filling the gaps: herpetological checklist of Mayombe National Park and Cabinda Province (Angola) shed light on one of the most unexplored corners of tropical Central Africa

discussion

COMMENTS. — Populations from Río Muni appear morphologically different from those on Bioko and in Cameroon. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus were studied by Liedtke et al. (2016) based on molecular data. SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Twelve specimens. Nvom (Aconibe-Asoc), 08 May 1987 (EBD 25026); Acocnseng (Km 10 Aconibe-Asoc), 30 May 1987 (EBD 25027); UPM camp-Riaco river, Caldera de Luba, Bioko, 03 ° 20 ʹ 46.54 ʺN, 08 ° 29 ʹ 48.20 ʺE, 14 December 2005 (MNCN 46709 – 46710, 46712), 13 December 2005 (MNCN 46711); Moaba, Bioko, 03 ° 14 ʹ 01.41 ʺN, 08 ° 37 ʹ 19.64 ʺE, 21 November 2003 (MNCN 48870); top of trail into Caldera de Luba, Bioko, 3 ° 20 ʹ 5.02 ʺN, 8 ° 29 ʹ 14.33 ʺE, 26 November 2003 (MNCN 48871 – 48873); surroundongs of BBPP camp, 03 ° 20 ʹ 47.32 ʺN, 08 ° 29 ʹ 48.44 ʺE, 26 and 27 November 2003 (MNCN 48874 – 48875, respectively).

Synopsis of the Amphibians of Equatorial Guinea based upon the Authors’ Field Work and Spanish Natural History Collections

distribution

DISTRIBUTION. — It occupies the tropical forest of the Gulf of Guinea region from Cameroon to Gabon, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo. In Equatorial Guinea, this species occurs both on Bioko and in Río Muni. Within Bioko it has been recorded from several localities (Mertens 1965; Boulenger 1900), while it is only known from two localities in the continental region of Río Muni (Boulenger 1903; De la Riva 1994) (Map 13 A).

Synopsis of the Amphibians of Equatorial Guinea based upon the Authors’ Field Work and Spanish Natural History Collections