''Arthroleptis tanneri'', the Tanzania screeching frog or Tanner's squeaker, is a species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

in the family

Arthroleptidae The Arthroleptidae are a family of frogs found in sub-Saharan Africa. This group includes African treefrogs in the genus ''Leptopelis'' along with the terrestrial breeding squeakers '' Arthroleptis'', and several genera restricted to the Guinea ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the West Usambara Mountains in northeastern Tanzania; previous records from elsewhere refer to other species.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''tanneri'' honours Mr John Tanner, owner of a tea estate in Mazumbai, (the type locality) "in recognition of the generosity and hospitality afforded the collectors and other zoologists and his keen interest in the natural history of Mazumbai."

Description

Males in the

type series In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...

measure on average and females in

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the most c ...

. With a maximum snout-vent length of , it is the largest of the ''Arthroleptis'' species. The body is stoutly built. The head is slightly broader than long, with snout rounded in dorsal view. The canthus rostralis is sharp. The tympanum is clearly visible. The toes are long, slender, and without webbing. The skin is usually smooth, although a juvenile had small scattered dorsal warts. The dorsum is claret-brown, with the chain of darker vertebral markings. The hands and feet are pinkish, especially from under. The upper half of iris is pale gold. ''Arthroleptis tanneri'' resembles '' Arthroleptis affinis'' in colouration and morphology, but molecular data suggest that they are not closely related.

Habitat and conservation

The natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s of ''Arthroleptis tanneri'' are

montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

s at elevations of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. It is in a leaf-litter species that has not been recorded outside good-quality forest. It is presumed to have direct development (i.e., no free-living

tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...

stage), like all the other ''Arthroleptis'' species. Population trends of this species are unknown but it is believed to be in decline because of

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

and deterioration, which are caused by expanding agriculture, wood extraction, and human settlements. The species occurs in the Mazumbai, Baga II, Shume-Magamba Forest Reserves, although all these would need further protection. In 2015 the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

(IUCN) assessed it as "

Endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

" because of its small distribution area and the ongoing habitat loss and deterioration.

Behavior

Screeching Frogs all share a similar behavior that "scream" to startle predators off that can last up to 5 seconds and sounds often like a crying baby. They usually reside on the north-eastern mountains of West Usambara. Feeding and mating most often takes place after a rainfall. During a sunny day they can be seen active under the shaded areas under trees. They will also fight with other males during breeding season to hold a territory to mate with a female.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1941926 tanneri Amphibians of Tanzania Endemic fauna of Tanzania Amphibians described in 1983 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot