Description
A medium-sized Hyperolius (males 22–25 mm, females 29–33 mm) from Cameroun. Gular flap large. Phase J: dorsum yellow with fine light canthal and dorsolateral lines. Ventrum whitish, more or less transparent. Phase F: Dorsum yellow with violet to chocolate-brown, well-defined spots, sometimes so extensive that the ground colour is reduced to fragments. Sides of head and body brown with yellow points. The border between dorsal and lateral pattern always irregular. Underside of legs yellow, ventrum violet with rather small whitish or yellowish spots. Dorsal surface of tibia uniform yellow or with small spots.

This species is similar to H. bolifambae, from which it differs by the more numerous dorsal spots, and larger gular flap. It is also very close to H. steindachneri, of which it is often regarded as a subspecies.

The tadpole has the typical shape and tooth formula for the genus.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the, Gabon

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (17 records).

Found in bushland in the forest belt eastwards from Sanaga River, Cameroun.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The call is a high-pitched buzzing, more melodious than that of H. bolifambae. Breeding takes place in small swamps in dense secondary forest or bushland.

Comments
This species shows developmental changes in patterning, with two phases, J (juveniles and many mature males) and F (mature females and some mature males). All newly metamorphosed individuals are phase J, which is normally brownish to green with paired light dorsolateral lines, or an hourglass pattern. All females, and some males, develop into phase F before the first breeding season. Phase F is often colorful and variable, showing the diagnostic color characteristics for the species or subspecies. Either well-defined morphs may be present, or graded variation.

This account was taken from "Treefrogs of Africa" by Arne Schiøtz with kind permission from Edition Chimaira publishers, Frankfurt am Main.

References

Schiøtz, A. (1999). Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2008 Hyperolius pardalis <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/560> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 21, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 21 Dec 2024.

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