Kingdom Animalia Order Anura Genus Amietophrynus Higher classification Toads People also search for Amietophrynus reesi | Phylum Chordata Family Bufonidae Scientific name Amietophrynus cristiglans Rank Species | |
Amietophrynus cristiglans is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is known commonly as the Tingi Hills toad and is endemic to the Tingi Hills of Sierra Leone. This species' taxonomic status remains uncertain and was considered to be a synonym of A. latifrons by Tandy and Keith (1972). It may not be a valid species.
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Authority
The holotype of this species was deposited at the Field Museum (Specimen No. 109741). It is an adult male collected in the Tingi Hills of Sierra Leone on December 27, 1958 by J. I. Menzies. It was buried in sand beside a stream in a high plateau forest at about 760 metres (2,500 ft). Paratypes were also deposited at the Field Museum. They include specimen No. 83198 collected in North Kambui Forest Reserve, Sierra Leone and specimen No. 121839 collected in South Kambui Forest Reserve, Sierra Leone. Both are adult males collected by J. I. Menzies.
Description
Amietophrynus cristiglans is a moderate-sized species with adult males measuring about 60 mm (2.4 in) from snout to vent. They have a distinct tympanum; a tarsal ridge; low, rounded warts on back and sides; elongate parotoids that reach the eye with a distinct dorsolateral edge; and a first finger longer than the second. The color of these frogs in life is clay above but darker on the sides with two indefinite transverse light areas, one interorbital and one sacral. There is a dark bar on the cheek below the eye and another from the eye to the rictus covering the tympanum as well as an interrupted interorbital dark bar and obscure dark markings on the back. The limbs have dark cross-bars dorsally and the rear of the thigh has 5-7 narrow vertical dark bars. The throat has a light dusting of melanophores and the vocal sac is black and visible through the gular skin. The whole ventral surface is yellow deepening to orange laterally and to crimson on the thighs. Once preserved in alcohol, the ventral surfaces are cream colored and unmarked.
Habitat
Based on the collection localities, Amietophrynus cristiglans appears to be an inhabitant of high forest at moderate elevations. It is probably sympatric with Amietophrynus latifrons as at least one specimen of latifrons (Field Museum specimen No. 109742) was collected in the type locality of cristiglans.