Description
A small to large fossorial Leptopelis (males 20-45 mm, females 40-63 mm) from grasslands in the Ethiopian mountains. Dorsal colour almost always green. Darker markings, if present, very rarely forming a triangle. A lateral series of large, dark brown blotches. Dorsum rather coarsely granular, sometimes warty. Males with pectoral glands. Largen noted considerable size differences between adults of different populations.

The larvae are eel-shaped and heavily pigmented and measure up to 64 mm (20+44). Large tadpoles have a tooth formula of 1,4+4/3 or 1,4+4/1+1,2.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Ethiopia

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (2 records).

Leptopelis gramineus is endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia at altitudes between 1900-3900 m. It is most typically associated with open, montane grassland but can also be found in montane forests and well into Afro-alpine moorland.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The voice is a single clack, distinctly deeper than the call of the other Leptopelis in the area. This clack is sometimes preceded by a creaking sound.

Breeding is at its height during the first month of the heavy rains but may continue for many months in localities where the wet season is prolonged. Large yolky unpigmented eggs with a diameter of 4.3-5.0 mm are deposited beneath soil or stones close to water.

Comments
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 Leptopelis gramineus <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3650> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 22, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 22 Dec 2024.

AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use.