Amnirana galamensis

Amnirana galamensis (Duméril & Bibron, 1841)

COLLECTION MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 1 ♀ (SVL 62.3 mm); Sanemantenga province, Kossoghin; 13.29944°N, – 1.05095°W; 320 m a.s.l.; VII.1962; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-1995.5766 • 1 ♂ (SVL 61.3 mm); Samba; 12.70144°N, – 2.40390°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 13.VII.1962; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-2006.2754 • 1 ♀ (SVL 73.6 mm), 1♂ (SVL 69.3 mm); Sanemantenga province, Vourbira (current name Gouropila); 12.72553°N, – 1.75252°W; 310 m a.s.l.; 10.VII.1961; M. Lamotte leg.; MNHN-RA-2006.2759, 2006.2750 • 1 subadult (SVL 41.1 mm); Fada N’Gourma; 12.06051°N, 0.34910°E; 290 m a.s.l.; II.1983; H. Meyer leg.; ZFMK 38700.

FIELD MATERIAL. — Burkina Faso • 6 ♂ (SVL 63.8-66.7 mm), 2♀ (SVL 70.0- 71.9 mm); Pabré dam; 12.51122°N, – 1.59225°W; 290 m a.s.l.; 10.VII.2017; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; around the irrigation ditches; hand capture • 1 ♂ (SVL 68.6 mm); Koubri, “Ancien barrage”; 12.22843°N, – 1.34766°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 16.VII.2017; same collectors as for preceding; near water body; hand capture • 1 ♂ (SVL 55.1 mm), 8 subadults (SVL 27.6-44.8 mm); Deux Balés National Park, around “Baignade des Eléphants”; 11.71809°N, – 2.83793°W; 270 m a.s.l.; 8.XI.2017; H. J. Ayoro leg.; under dry grasses near water body; hand capture • 3 subadults (SVL 37.4-46.1 mm); Tiona pond; 11.63241°N, – 2.85437°W; 265 m a.s.l.; 9.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; hand capture • 2 ♀ (SVL 54.3-68.1 mm); Mouhoun River bank; 11.77879°N, – 2.91244°W; 245m a.s.l.; 10.XI.2017; same collector as for preceding; near water body; hand capture • 1 subadult (SVL 41.6 mm); the backwater of Koti; 11.38206°N, – 3.05143°W; 305 m a.s.l.; 23.X.2017; same collector as for preceding; in a small water well; hand capture • 1 ♂ (SVL 54.1 mm); Arly National Park, the central forest post office; 11.57532°N, 1.45443°E; 190 m a.s.l.; 16. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; on a trail; hand capture • 2 ♂ (SVL 58.3-61.5 mm), 3 ♀ (SVL 64.7-73.5 mm); W National Park, Kabougou River; 11.96860°N, 2.01259°E; 280 m a.s.l.; 18. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; in a paddy field; hand capture • 2 ♂ (SVL 57.9-65.3 mm), 1 ♀ (SVL 62.9 mm); the protected part of Kabougou River; 11.97060°N, 2.01627°E; 265 m a.s.l.; 19. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; under grasses; hand capture • 2 ♂ (SVL 64.3-65.7 mm), 1 ♀ (SVL 64.1 mm); around PK-27 bouli; 11.88744°N, 2.11913°E; 265 m a.s.l.; 20. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; near water body; hand capture • 2 ♂ (SVL 59.4- 60.1 mm); Nangouli swampy valley; 11.89793°N, 2.00091°E; 250 m a.s.l.; 21. VI.2018; same collector as for preceding; under grasses; hand capture • 4 ♂ (SVL 68.9 -. 3 mm), 1 ♀ (SVL 75.6 mm); the flooded zone of the Comoé River (300 m west of Comoé bridge); 9.93239°N, – 4.60655°W; 220 m a.s.l.; 5.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro & A. Ohler leg.; under shrubs near water body; hand capture • 3 juveniles (SVL 26.0-27.0 mm); the edge of Dori pond, Toroodi; 11.96092°N, 1.99709°W; 280 m a.s.l.; 23.VIII.2018; H. J. Ayoro leg.; near water body; hand capture • Djikologo, close to Bontioli reserve; 10.93684°N, – 3.13800°W; 260 m a.s.l.; J. Penner leg. • Dano; 11.16601°N, – 3.08691°W; 340 m a.s.l.; 2011; J. Penner leg.; field observation.

LITERATURE REPORTS. — Burkina Faso • Bobo-Dioulasso, Dahora; coordinates not available; 14.VI.1992 (Böhme et al. 1996) • Gourma province, Fada N’gourma; 12.06051°N, 0.34913°E; 300 m a.s.l.; II.1983, I-III.2008 (Böhme et al. 1996; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Ganzourgou province, Mogtedo; 12.31844°N, – 0.83601°W; 280 m a.s.l. (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Zorgho; 12.2483°N, – 0.6278°W; 300 m a.s.l.; I-III.2008 (Mohneke 2011; Mohneke et al. 2011) • Houet province, Karankasso Vigué; 11.00982°N, – 3.90001°W; 300 m a.s.l.; 1985 (Böhme & Heath 2018).

DESCRIPTION. — 51 specimens studied. Males 54.1-71.3 mm and females 54.3-75.6 mm. Body moderately wide and a wide head. Snout relatively pointed; skin smooth, but flat warts present on flanks and the posterior part of the back. Easily recognized by the colour pattern and distinct, broad white or yellow dorsolateral ridges (Rödel 2000). Colouration in alcohol dark brown with two white dorsolateral ridges and some grey spots on the limbs. Belly white. Males with a pair of lateral vocal sacs and large glands on the dorsal side of the upper arm.

HABITAT. — We recorded A. galamensis in many habitats, i.e. agricultural zones, in water filled depressions of shrubby, grassy and wooded savannah. During the rainy season, we encountered the species around ponds and small water bodies in areas with sand and clay. subadult specimens were caught between cracks and small hollows at the edge of a permanent pond. The species occurs mostly along more permanent, larger waters in humid and dry savannah, including agricultural areas (Rödel 2000). In the dry season, this species can be found along river banks. The distribution area of the species, as currently understood, extends from extreme western Africa across to the horn of Africa and south into Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Rödel & Bangoura 2004; Segniagbeto et al. 2007; Mohneke et al. 2011; Onadeko 2016; Böhme & Heath 2018). However, results by Jongsma et al. (2018) indicate that East African populations are not conspecific with those from West Africa.