Plimpton's Dainty Frog

general

A population of Cacosternum plimptoni was identified from Ethiopia by Zimkus (2008), but it is likely that this is a new species (Scott and Zimkus, unpublished).

African Amphibians

general

This species is named for George Plimpton (1927-2003) who played an important role in generating support for the Tanzania Wildlife Fund and the African Rainforest Conservancy, which funded research in the Usambara and Udzungwa Mountains. He was also an editor and active ornithologist.

African Amphibians

morphology

The head is roughly triangular in dorsal view; the head length is approximately 25% of SUL. The eyes are visible from below, and the pupils are horizontally elliptical. The nostrils are one-fifth the distance from the snout tip to the anterior eye, and inter-nostril distance is three-quarters of interorbital distance. The tympanum is not visible. The upper lip is smooth and thin. The relative finger lengths are as follows: I Holotype coloration: In life, the dorsum and head are dark with two lighter stripes on the flank that extend from the armpit to urostyle. There are irregular small dark marks on the head. Black blotches are visible on the venter. A thin white line runs parallel, and just above, the jaw line. The snout is light beige. A thin vertebral stripe runs from the snout to the urostyle. A thin dark line runs from near the snout to the sacrum on the flanks. A dark irregular line runs from the neck to the legs on each side of the midline and divides the flanks into two parts - pale brown at the top and light beige below. Limbs are pale brown with darker blotches. The thigh, tibia and foot have three round dark spots each; four smaller spots are present on the arm. The ve

African Amphibians

biology

This species of dainty frog is found in northern Tanzania and the highlands of Kenya. It is morphologically similar to Cacosternum boettgeri from the interior of southern Africa, and is distinguished on the basis of an advertisement call with double or treble pulsed notes.

African Amphibians