Amietophrynus vittatus
| Degen's toad | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Bufonidae |
| Genus: | Amietophrynus |
| Species: | A. vittatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Amietophrynus vittatus (Boulenger, 1906) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bufo vittatus Boulenger, 1906 | |
Amietophrynus vittatus, known as Degen's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Uganda, where it is only known from Lira south to Entebbe and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This species may possibly be found in Kenya and its range may even extend into Egypt, but the records from northern Egypt are generally regarded as belonging to A. kassasii. Its natural habitats are swamps and arable land.
Description
Degen's toad is a small toad with long, narrow paratoid glands, distinctive dark-coloured longitudinal stripes and rows of large tubercles on its upper surface, and a bold patterning of red and dark blotches on its underside.[2]
Distribution
Degen's toad is found in Uganda and was first described by George Albert Boulenger in 1906. Its range extends from Lira southwards to Entebbe and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It has also been reported from Katera in the southern foothills of Mount Kenya, but this record is disputed.[1] Some toads found between 1909 and 1912 near Alexandria in Egypt were originally identified as this species but may have been misidentified. In 1993 a new species of toad was described by Sherif Baha el Din from the Nile Delta as Amietophrynus kassasii, and it is thought the original identification of Degen's toad from Egypt referred to this new species, also known as the Nile Delta toad.[2] However, it is possible that this species has a wider range including parts of the Nile Valley and into Egypt.[1]
Status
Very little is known about this species and its natural history. It inhabits marshy areas and presumably its larvae are aquatic. Its population status, ecology and the threats it faces are unknown and the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists its conservation status as "data deficient".[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2014). "Amietophrynus vittatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- 1 2 Baha el Din; Sherif M. (1993). "A new species of toad (Anura, Bufonidae) from Egypt". The Journal of the Herpetological Association of Africa. 42 (1): 24–27. doi:10.1080/04416651.1993.9650367.