Kingdom Animalia Order Anura Subfamily Petropedetinae Scientific name Phrynobatrachus pakenhami Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Family Ranidae (disputed) Genus Phrynobatrachus Higher classification Phrynobatrachus | |
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Phrynobatrachus pakenhami is a frog species in the true frog subfamily Petropedetinae. This is sometimes treated as an independent family Petropedetidae, in which case the genus Phrynobatrachus is occasionally placed in a distinct family Phrynobatrachidae. Despite the uncertainties surrounding its systematics, the taxonomy of P. pakenhami remains unchanged since this species was first described almost 70 years ago.
This small frog is endemic to Pemba Island off Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss and may have already disappeared outside the Ngezi Forest Reserve.
P. pakenhami is sometimes considered to be the same species as P. acridoides; though very similar in appearance, they differ in habitat preference and mating calls (suggesting well-established reproductive isolation). On the other hand, the recently described supposed diminutive species P. nigripes was simply based on juveniles of P. pakenhami.