Arthroleptis poecilonotus Peters, 1863

Size

Male Arthroleptis poecilonotus measure 20–26 mm (0.8–1.0 in) and females measure 21–29 mm (0.8–1.1 in) in snout–vent length.

General Distribution Range

This species is widely distributed across the West African forest belt, ranging from Guinea-Bissau to Gabon, and extending into north-central Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, extreme western Uganda, and possibly as far as South Sudan. It is also found on the island of Bioko.

IUCN Listed Presence

The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group formally lists the species as present in Benin, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Uganda, South Sudan, and Togo.

Unconfirmed Presence

There are no confirmed records of this species from Sierra Leone, but it is likely to occur there.

Taxonomic Status

The taxonomic status of this nominal species is problematic: current understanding suggests one or more distinct species occupy the western portion of its range, and a separate species occurs in the eastern portion.

Synonym Status

Arthroleptis bivittatus and Arthroleptis zimmeri are possibly junior synonyms of Arthroleptis poecilonotus.

Habitat

Arthroleptis poecilonotus lives in secondary herbaceous growth within the forest zone. It can also be found in forest clearings, along forest tracks, and within towns and villages.

Breeding Behavior

This species breeds away from bodies of water, laying its eggs on the ground. Developing larvae undergo direct development to hatch directly into juvenile frogs.