''Scotobleps'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

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 ...

genus 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 ...

; its sole species is ''Scotobleps gabonicus'', sometimes known as the Gaboon forest frog. It is found in eastern

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, western

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

, western and southwestern

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

, Equatorial Guinea, and western

Gabon Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the nort ...

. It is also presumed to occur in the western Republic of the Congo and in the Cabinda Enclave of

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

Description

The

syntype In biological nomenclature, a syntype is any one of two or more biological types that is listed in a description of a taxon where no holotype was designated. Precise definitions of this and related terms for types have been established as part of ...

(s) measured in snout–vent length. The head is rather large, as long as broad. The snout is obtusely pointed with a feeble

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 ...

. The eyes are large. The fingers and toes are moderately elongated, with slightly swollen tips and very strong subarticular tubercles. The toes are half-webbed. Skin is smooth or with small flat warts on the back. The dorsum is olive-brown with small, blackish spots. There is a dark cross-band between the eyes and the upper lip has blackish vertical bars; the one below the anterior third of the eye is extending onto the lower lip. Limbs have dark cross-bars. The venter is white.

Habitat and conservation

''Scotobleps gabonicus'' is a common species at low altitudes, living in lowland rainforests, including secondary forests. Breeding takes place in flowing water, preferably in wide, shallow streams with sandy banks but also in torrents. Loss of its forest habitat is causing population declines.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2181175 Arthroleptidae Monotypic amphibian genera Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Cameroon Amphibians of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Amphibians of Equatorial Guinea Amphibians of Gabon Amphibians of West Africa Amphibians described in 1900 Taxa named by George Albert Boulenger Taxonomy articles created by Polbot