''Leptopelis jordani'' is a species of little-known

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

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 ...

. Common name Congulu forest treefrog has been coined for it.

Etymology

The specific name ''jordani'' honours Karl Jordan, a German entomologist. The species was described based on a specimen collected by Jordan.

Distribution and taxonomy

''Leptopelis jordani'' was described by British zoologist

Hampton Wildman Parker Hampton Wildman Parker (5 July 1897 – 2 September 1968) was an English zoologist. Parker was Keeper of Zoology at the Natural History Museum from 1947 to 1957. He is the author of several works on snakes and frogs: Parker discovered a new speci ...

based on a single specimen, the

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of sever ...

, collected by Karl Jordan in 1934 during his expedition to Angola and Namibia. The species is still only known from its type locality, Congulu, near Gabela, western

Angola , national_anthem = " Angola Avante"() , image_map = , map_caption = , capital = Luanda , religion = , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , coordina ...

. However, there are doubts as to its taxonomic validity. Parker considered it to be related to '' Leptopelis aubryi''.

Description

The holotype is an adult female measuring in snout–vent length. The head is broad with a blunt snout. The tympanum is distinct. The

canthus rostralis In snakes and amphibians, the canthus, canthal ridge or ''canthus rostralis'',Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. . is the angle between the flat crown of the head and the ...

is obtusely angular and strongly curved. Skin is smooth above but strongly granular below; there are a few granules below the ear. The limbs are short; the fingers are slightly webbed whereas the toes are nearly half-webbed. The digits have well-developed discs.

Habitat and conservation

''Leptopelis jordani'' was collected within the forest zone at an elevation of about above sea level. Its ecology is otherwise unknown. Its conservation status is " Data Deficient" because there is no recent information on this species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1947245 jordani Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Angola Endemic fauna of Angola Amphibians described in 1936 Taxa named by Hampton Wildman Parker Taxonomy articles created by Polbot