Description
A small forest Hyperolius (males 18–23 mm, females 22–29 mm) from western West Africa, similar to H. fusciventris but phase J never with a dark vertebral line. In life Phase F with red canthal stripe. No dark lateral pigmentation. Ventrum transparent bluish green. Pupil horizontal.

This frog is remarkably similar to H. fusciventris, especially after preservation, but differs in a number of minor morphological characters and, in life, by its ventral coloration. Furthermore H. fusciventris is a bushland form while H. wermuthi is a forest form, so although their ranges overlap they may not actually be sympatric. The correct name for this species may be Hyperolius soror Chabanaud 1921, type locality N’Zerekoré, Guinea.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Found in swamps in dense forest. Only known from a small forested area in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, but may have been overlooked elsewhere in West Africa since it is so similar to H. fusciventris.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The call of Hyperolius wermuthi is similar to that of H. f. fusciventris from the same areas, but apparently slower and higher pitched.

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 wermuthi <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/603> 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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