Meeting Abstract

P3.202  Tuesday, Jan. 6  A new species of Phrynobatrachus (Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) endemic to Mount Oku, Cameroon, with discussion of puddle frog biogeography across the Cameroon Volcanic Line ZIMKUS, Breda, M.; Harvard University bzimkus@oeb.harvard.edu

A new miniature species of puddle frog of the genus Phrynobatrachus restricted to Mt. Oku in the Republic of Cameroon is diagnosed on the basis of morphological characters and molecular data. Unlike all other miniature Phrynobatrachus (snout-vent length < 20 mm), males of this species have unique ventral coloration characterized by a black throat with a dark brown belly, while the proximal portions of the forelimbs are cream in color. Minute spines cover the venter in males, often appearing as white asperities. The description of this new species supports the significance of this montane ecoregion as a biodiversity hotspot for anurans. Patterns of species divergence among eleven species of Phrynobatrachus from Cameroon were analyzed using phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequence data from 12S rRNA, valine-tRNA, and 16S rRNA. A clade endemic to the mountains of Western Cameroon and Eastern Nigeria, part of the geologic rift zone termed the Cameroon Volcanic Line, supports the view that montane regions have acted as centers of speciation. Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), located 32 km off the coast of Cameroon, is populated by three different lowland Phrynobatrachus species from the mainland. Two of these species reach submontane elevations on Bioko Island (up to 1200-1300 m) when compared to only lowland populations on mainland Cameroon.