Description
A medium-sized Hyperolius (males 21-29 mm, females 30-37 mm). Voice consists of rather atonal clicks. Pattern very variable, but often with yellow dorsum with conspicuous irregular light black-lined canthal and dorsolateral stripes. No white spot on heel. The males have a medium-sized gular flap. Dorsum in males densely beset with very fine asperities, females smooth. Pupil horizontal.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Tanzania, United Republic of

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (8 records).

Occurs on the western half of the island of Zanzibar (Tanzania) (Pickersgill 2007).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The call is a slow series of brief, rather atonal clicks with a frequency-intensity maximum at about 2500-3000 cps.

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

Pickersgill, M. (2007). Frog Search: Results of Expeditions to Southern and Eastern Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

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

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Hyperolius puncticulatus: Spotted Reed Frog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/570> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Oct 11, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 11 Oct 2024.

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