Vandijkophrynus amatolicus
Vandijkophrynus amatolicus (Hewitt, 1925)
Common Names
Amatola Toad (English)
Overview
Distribution
V. amatolicus is restricted to a range in the Winterberg and Amatola mountains found in the Eastern Cape provice or South Africa (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Etymology
This species is named for the Amatola Mountains in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa where it was first discovered.
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Description
Size
V. amatolicus is a small toad, with females reaching a maximum snout–vent length of 37 mm (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Morphology
The dorsum is usually uniform dark grey or olive-brown with a distinct, pale, vertebral stripe. Well developed parotoid glands and numerous small, flattened warts are present on the dorsal surface (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Comparisons
Originally described as a subspecies of V. angusticeps, V. amatolicus is smaller and is lacking a fringe of webbing around the fingers and toes (Carruthers 1995; Channing 2001; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Ecology
Habitat and Ecology
This species is found mostly in moist grasslands at high-altitudes between 1400 and 1800m; it is absent from forests and plantation area adjacent to these habitats. It can be found under rocks and logs, and in forest clearings (Boycott 1988d; Minter et al., 2004).
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Life History
Reproduction
Breeding takes place in shallow pools, and seeps on mountain slopes; between October to December. Eggs are deposited in shallow water as single strings. Several hundred eggs are contained in a single clutch; the eggs are hidden well as they are blended in with the vegetation or muddy substrates (Channing 2001; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Advertisement Call
After heavy rains, the males congregate in large numbers at breeding sites, where they call from concealed positions under grass. The advertisement call is a brief nasal squawk, with long intervals between calls (Passmore and Carruthers 1995; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Tadpole morphology
The tadpoles are brown in colour and benthic in habit (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Conservation
IUCN Red List Category and Justification of Conservation Status
V. amatolicus is listed as Endangered due to its isolation and fragmented environment (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
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Threats
The habitat is threatened due to overgrazing. However, in the last 20 years it is estimated that 20% of its habitat has been lost due to silviculture (Boycott 1988d; Text from Minter et al., 2004, © SI/MAB Biodiversity Program).
Rights holder(s): Boycott, R.C. - Comment (0)
Taxonomy
- Bufo angusticeps amatolica Hewitt, 1925 (synonym)
- Bufo amatolica — Hewitt, 1926 (synonym)
- Bufo amatolicus — Frost, 1985 (synonym)
- Vandijkophrynus amatolicus — Frost, Grant, Faivovich, Bain, Haas, Haddad, de Sá, Channing, Wilkinson, Donnellan, Raxworthy, Campbell, Blotto, Moler, Drewes, Nussbaum, Lynch, Green, and Wheeler, 2006 (synonym)