''Phrynobatrachus irangi'' 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

Phrynobatrachidae ''Phrynobatrachus'' is a genus of Sub-Saharan frogs that form the monogeneric family Phrynobatrachidae. Their common name is puddle frogs, dwarf puddle frogs, African puddle frogs, or African river frogs. The common name, puddle frog, refers to ...

. 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 ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

and is known only from two localities, its type locality, the eponymous Irangi Forest on the south-eastern slopes of

Mount Kenya Mount Kenya (Kikuyu: ''Kĩrĩnyaga'', Kamba, ''Ki Nyaa'') is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (), Nelion () and Point Lenana (). Mount Kenya is locat ...

, and Kimande on the south-eastern slopes of the

Aberdare Range The Aberdare Range (formerly the Sattima Range, Kikuyu: ''Nyandarua'') is a 160 km (100 mile) long mountain range of upland, north of Kenya's capital Nairobi with an average elevation of . It straddles across the counties of Nyandarua, Nye ...

. Common name Irangi puddle frog has been coined for it.

Description

''Phrynobatrachus irangi'' is a large species within its genus: adult males measure and adult females in snout–vent length. The overall appearance is stout. The snout is protruding but rounded. The tympanum is visible and oval in shape. The finger and toe tips are slightly dilated. The fingers have no webbing the webbing between the toes is reduced. Skin is dorsally smooth but there are widely spaced, very small, white-pointed tubercles. Two pairs of thin glandular ridges form an X-like pattern on the dorsum, but without the arms of this pattern touching. Dorsal colouration is dark brown. The snout is light orange-brown (seldom darker), and there are patches of same colour on the shoulder, upper arm, and elbow. The hind limbs are pale brown and bear dark, thick transverse bands. The venter is yellowish to tan. The

gular Gular is of or pertaining to the throat In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the front part of the neck, internally positioned in front of the vertebrae. It contains the pharynx and larynx. An important section of it is the epiglottis, separatin ...

region is somewhat grayish.

Habitat and conservation

''Phrynobatrachus irangi'' is known from montane forests at elevations between

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 diurnal. Males have been observed calling on the banks of small streams, from holes in the mud, and from under roots or logs. The

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 ...

s probably develop in streams (some were observed but their identity is unconfirmed). The Kimande population might already be extinct because of habitat modification caused by subsistence farming, which is probably a threat also elsewhere. The range of this species might include the

and

Aberdare National Park The Aberdare National Park is a protected area in the Aberdare Mountain Range in central Kenya located east of the East African Rift Valley. It covers the higher areas and the Aberdare Salient to the east. Overview The park is located about 10 ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2408072 irangi Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Kenya Endemic fauna of Kenya Amphibians described in 2000 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Jean-Luc Perret