Description
A medium-sized (32-46 mm) Kassina-like frog from the Ethiopian highlands. Dorsum brownish with numerous rounded dark spots with fine light delimitation, which do not form longitudinal rows. A conspicuous pale patch (yellow in life) at groin. Ventrum normally heavily marbled.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Ethiopia

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

Associated with high altitude grassland, but sometimes found on the edge of tropical deciduous forest. Distributed in the Ethiopian highlands west of the Rift Valley at 1800-3000 m.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors

The voice is a typical Kassina call, very similar to but more atonal than that of Kassina senegalensis. Males always call from water, sometimes in permanent ponds but often in temporarily flooded hollows or ditches. A male usually select a site where the water is relatively deep, and supports himself at the surface by clinging to submerged vegetation. The frogs frequently call during the day, sometimes even in bright sunlight.

The tadpole is similar to that of members of the genus Kassina with a high fin but differ from most Kassina in having an additional row of 5-10 teeth carried on a small lobe at the tip of the lower labium, thus a tooth formula of 1/1+1,2. Maximum length 83 mm (29+54).

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

Updated by A. Schiøtz, 2008.

References

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

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2008 Paracassina obscura <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3700> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Jan 26, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 26 Jan 2025.

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