A new polymorphic species of Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from southern Ivory Coast, a West African biodiversity hotspot

Abstract

We describe a new species of puddle frog, genus Phrynobatrachus, from southern Ivory Coast. The new species, which we designate as Phrynobatrachus moroedeli sp. nov., exhibits striking variation in colour pattern of the ventral surface with either very few small black dots or large dark or even black blotches along the edges, and differs from all other West African species of the genus by the combination of unique morphological characters: small sized (snout–vent length of 13.9–23 mm), compact-bodied frog with a short rounded to pointed snout; rough to slightly warty dorsal skin with variable colouration; males with greyish dark, deep dark to completely black throats absence of a spiny eyelid tubercle; absence of femoral gland; presence of narrow X-shaped pair of scapular ridges; presence of light or whitish vertebral line or band; distinct black lateral band on flanks; distinct but rudimentary pedal webbing and small but distinct discs on fingers and toes; spinulae on dorsal surfaces of thighs and lower legs. It is further distinguished by mitochondrial 16S rRNA genetic distances ranging from 4.05–11.43% relative to other West African species of Phrynobatrachus, and by the absence of haplotype sharing within the analysed fragment of the nuclear RAG1 gene. Phylogenetically, the new lineage is closely related to but genealogically exclusive from Phrynobatrachus afiabirago, P. fraterculus, P. gutturosus, P. maculiventris, and P. pintoi, all of which are endemic to the Upper Guinean forest zone of West Africa. One formerly recognized distinct lineage (P. aff. gutturosus 1) may further correspond to the newly described species (mean 16S genetic distance 1.96%), but it is currently represented by a single sample from an unvouchered specimen. Additional specimens are thus needed to clarify its taxonomic identity and morphological characteristics.