Tomopterna luganga

Tomopterna luganga is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae.[1][3] It is endemic to central Tanzania where it is widespread. However, because the limits of its distribution are not well-mapped and suitable habitat extends to Kenya, it is possible that its range extends to that country.[1][3] Common name red sand frog has been coined for it.[2][3]

Tomopterna luganga
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pyxicephalidae
Genus: Tomopterna
Species:
T. luganga
Binomial name
Tomopterna luganga
Channing, Moyer, and Dawood, 2004[2]

Description

Males measure 39–47 mm (1.5–1.9 in) and females 37–52 mm (1.5–2.0 in) in snout–vent length. The tympanum is visible. The body is robust with short, stocky limbs. The fingers are tapered and have no terminal discs. The hind limbs are short and have reduced webbing. Skin is dorsally smooth but has small flat rounded warts. In breeding individuals, the dorsal colouration is predominantly reddish orange with dark red warts. There is a broad pale tan dorsolateral band that runs from a pale occipital botch behind the eye backwards to the hind limbs. The flanks are speckled with black on white; the ventrum is white.[2]

The male advertisement call is a series of notes, with the first harmonic dominant at 1.05–1.17 kHz. The notes are sometimes uttered singly, sometimes together in a regularly spaced series that may have even 11 notes.[2]

Habitat and conservation

Tomopterna luganga occur in moist and drier savanna habitats at elevations up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level.[1] They require soils suitable for burrowing.[2] Males call along pool edges and from shallow running sandy streams.[1][2]

No significant threats to this species are known. It is known from several protected areas. It is present in the pet trade, but not in numbers that would impact the species.[1]

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2013). "Tomopterna luganga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T61877A18405483. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T61877A18405483.en.
  2. Channing, Alan; Moyer, David C.; Dawood, Abeda (2004). "A new sand frog from central Tanzania (Anura: Ranidae: Tomopterna)". African Journal of Herpetology. 53 (1): 21–28. doi:10.1080/21564574.2004.9635495.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2017). "Tomopterna luganga Channing, Moyer, and Dawood, 2004". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
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