Kingdom Animalia Order Anura Genus Amietophrynus Higher classification Toads | Phylum Chordata Family Bufonidae Scientific name Amietophrynus asmarae Rank Species | |
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The Asmara toad ኣስመራ ጋዝዕ (Amietophrynus asmarae) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is named after the capital city of Eritrea Asmara. It is found on the Ethiopian Highlands on both sides of the Rift Valley, with the western population extending north into Eritrea. Its natural habitats are montane grasslands, and tentatively, arid savanna at lower elevations. It is a locally common and adaptable species that is impacted by habitat degradation, though probably without posing a serious risk.
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Taxonomy
The Asmara toad was first described from Ethiopia in 1982 by Tandy, Bogart, Largen, and Feener, who named it Amietophrynus asmarae. It is one of only two known bisexual polyploid species of Bufo and has a karyotype of 2n=40. It seems to be closely related to Amietophrynus kerinyagae and the African common toad (Amietophrynus regularis) which are diploid species. The ranges of these three species overlap and because of its chromosome number, A. asmarae must have evolved from one or other of these species. Slight differences in voice and certain reproduction isolating mechanisms are evident between the three species. Further hybridisation is probably prevented by spatial constraints involving altitude preferences.
Status
The Asmara toad is threatened primarily by human settlement and agriculture. However, it seems to be an adaptable species able to adapt to degradation of its grassland habitat by grazing. As habitat destruction is slow, and this species is common in some locations, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".