Leptopelis gramineus (Boulenger, 1898)  

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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.

  • Schiøtz, A. (1999). Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorSee http://www.amphibiaweb.org/datause.html.
Sourcehttp://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Leptopelis&where-species=gramineus&account=amphibiaweb

Threats:

Major Threats

The most obvious threat is environmental degradation as a result of human settlement and small-scale and large-scale agriculture; however, given that this species appears to be tolerant to habitat disturbance, it is not believed that these threats may have a significant impact on its population. Chytrid fungus occurs in high prevalence in amphibians in highland Ethiopia and has been detected on this species, although its impact is not known (Gower et al. 2012).
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions

Part of this species' range lies within the Bale Mountains National Park, although this protected area is not formally gazetted. There is a long-running conservation programme in the Bale Mountains National Park (Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and Frankfurt Zoological Society; Frankfurt Zoological Society 2007), but there is a lack of amphibian-specific activities and there is increasing encroachment within the Park, so improved park management is needed (Frankfurt Zoological Society 2007, Gower et al. 2012). Additional habitat conservation outside of the park is also needed.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257

Badditu forest tree frog:

The Badditu forest tree frog, Leptopelis gramineus, is a species of frog in the Hyperoliidae family endemic to Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, rural gardens, and urban areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.

References[edit]
Species
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorWikipedia
Sourcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Badditu_forest_tree_frog&oldid=618039001

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.

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

  • Schiøtz, A. (1999). Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorSee http://www.amphibiaweb.org/datause.html.
Sourcehttp://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Leptopelis&where-species=gramineus&account=amphibiaweb

Range Description:

This species is endemic to the Ethiopian plateau, on both sides of the Rift Valley, at altitudes of 1,900-3,900 m asl. It is not thought to occur much more extensively than its current known range (A. Mengistu and S. Loader pers. comms. June 2012). Taking its range as a proxy for extent of occurrence (EOO), this is estimated to be 16,127 km2. The number of threat-defined locations is not clear.

Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257

Distribution and Habitat:

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.

  • Schiøtz, A. (1999). Treefrogs of Africa. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorSee http://www.amphibiaweb.org/datause.html.
Sourcehttp://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Leptopelis&where-species=gramineus&account=amphibiaweb

Habitat and Ecology:

Habitat and Ecology

It is a fossorial species, typically occupying montane grassland and sometimes Afro-alpine moorland, it is less commonly found at forest margins. It has also been found in rural gardens and human settlements, small and large (Largen and Sprawls 2010; A. Mengistu and S. Loader pers. comms. June 2012). It breeds by larval development in pools and small streams, both permanent and temporary.

Systems

  • Terrestrial
  • Freshwater
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257

IUCN Red List Assessment:
Red List Category

LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2013

Assessor/s

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

Reviewer/s

Stuart, S.

Contributor/s

Mengistu, A.A., Schitz, A., Gebresenbet, F.G., Largen, M.J. & Loader, S.

Justification

Listed as Least Concern given that, even though its extent of occurrence (EOO) isestimated at16,127 km2, it is presumed to have a large population and it has an apparent capacity to tolerate disturbed habitats.

History

  • 2004
    Least Concern (LC)
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257

Population:

Population

It is common to abundant at suitable sites (Largen and Spawls 2010). Surveys from 2007-2011 have shown it to be locally abundant (A. Mengistu and S. Loader pers. comms. June 2012). Its population is not considered to be severely fragmented.

Population Trend

Stable
Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Rights holder/AuthorInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Sourcehttp://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/56257
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