Taxonomic notes: Section empty

This species ranges from Sierra Leone, through southern Guinea, Liberia, southern Côte d’Ivoire and southern Ghana to southwestern Nigeria. It has not been recorded from Togo and Benin, and its absence from these countries might be genuine, owing to lack of suitable habitat. It is a lowland species 500 to 1,000 m.

Using the range as a proxy, the extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 340,601 km².

Is there any information available regarding the AOO or the number of threat-defined locations of this species? EJM

It inhabits primary lowland rainforest, and can survive in small forest fragments, though at lower population densities (and it might not be able to persist for long in such situations). It can also be found in secondary forest (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012). Breeding takes place in very small temporary puddles under high canopy with abundant leaf litter and moist soil (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012). It breeds during the rainy season. The need a small amount of water to breed, but the water has to be present for breeding and the air has to be relatively humid.

It is a very common and abundant species in suitable habitats (e.g., in the upper Niger River region in 2011 in Guinea, in 2010 in Yaya Classified Forest). The current population is thought to be stable in Guinea, however the habitat is threatened by mining. Overall the population is thought to be stable (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012). However there are a number of threats to its habitat.

There are no reports of this species being utilized.

The major threat to this species is the loss of forest habitat due to agricultural development, such as coffee and cacao, rubber plantations, logging for wood exports and chemical substances for agriculture causing pollution. Furthermore, expanding human settlements are also a threat (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012). In Guinea, bauxite and iron-ore mining are threats to its habitat (mainly constructions of roads) (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012).

• 5.3.2 Intentional use: (large scale) [harvest]
• 2.1.2 Small-holder farming
• 1.1 Housing & urban areas
• 9.3.3 Herbicides and pesticides
• 2.1.3 Agro-industry farming
• 3.2 Mining & quarrying

It probably occurs in all of the forested protected areas within its range, for example Taï National Park, Yaya Classified Forest in Côte d'Ivoire and Atewa Forest Reserve in Ghana (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. June 2012). Research on the life history and population size is needed.

• 2.1 Site/area management

Listed as Near Threatened since although this species is still relatively widely distributed, it depends on areas of undisturbed forest habitat, and so its Area of Occupancy is probably not much greater than 2,000 km2, and the extent and quality of its habitat is declining, thus making the species close to qualifying for Vulnerable.

According to our records this species may not have been formally reassessed. The current assessment relies on an estimate of the AOO; it would make this a more robust assessment if this could be confirmed with reasoning. To qualify for the VU category, an estimate of the number of threat-defined locations or evidence that the population is severely fragmented (according to the Red List guidelines) is needed. EJM

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• Rödel, M.-O., Gil, M., Agyei, A.C., Leaché, A.D., Diaz, R.E., Fujita, M.K. and Ernst, R. 2005. The amphibians of the forested parts of south-western Ghana. Salamandra: 107-127.
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