Arthroleptides Explained

Arthroleptides is a small genus of frogs in the family Petropedetidae.^[1] Their common name is rocky river frogs. They are found in the mountains of East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, and probably Uganda).^[2] They have been considered to belong to Petropedetes, which after exclusion of Arthroleptides is restricted to Central Africa.^[3]

Arthroleptides species have distinct tympana and no external vocal sacs. Males have femoral glands, and in the breeding state, spiny nuptial excrescences. Tadpoles live on wet rocks out of water.^[3]

Species

The three species are:^[2]

• Arthroleptides dutoiti Loveridge, 1935
• Arthroleptides martiensseni Nieden, 1911 "1910"
• Arthroleptides yakusini Channing, Moyer, and Howell, 2002

Also, one undescribed species from the Nguru Mountains probably exists.^{[2] [3]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Petropedetidae . 2014 . AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application] . Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb . 9 May 2014.
2. Web site: Arthroleptides Nieden, 1911 "1910" . Frost, Darrel R. . 2014 . Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 . American Museum of Natural History . 9 May 2014.
3. 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.001. 24239613. Light shines through the spindrift – Phylogeny of African torrent frogs (Amphibia, Anura, Petropedetidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 71. 261–73. 2014. Barej . M. F. . Rödel . M. O. . Loader . S. P. . Menegon . M. . Gonwouo . N. L. . Penner . J. . Gvoždík . V. C. . Günther . R. . Bell . R. C. . Nagel . P. . Schmitz . A. .