About
Anthroleptis kidogo is an incredibly small species, with adults reaching less than 1.5cm!
The genus Arthroleptis diverged within the squeaker frog family about 70 million years ago in the late Cretaceous period, 5 million years before the extinction of the dinosaurs, making them as different from their closest relatives as camels are to whales and at a time when pigs and giraffes shared a common ancestor! This species is only known to be from one locality, much less than 100km². It is possible this species may be found in other areas of the Eastern Arc Mountains. The Nguru Mountains are threatened by forest lost and degradation predominantly due to the extensive sugar plantation, small holder agriculture and rice cultivation at the base of the mountain. At higher altitudes, bananas, yams, maize and coffee are cultivated. The Nguru South Forest Reserve is also encroached by cardamom and yam cultivation. Agricultural pressures on these nature reserves are having a marked negative effect on the habitat of these species. Although this species occurs in a nature reserve, enforcement and better management of these areas is required.
- Order: Anura
- Family: Arthroleptidae
- Population: Locally common
- Trend: unknown
- Size: <15mm
EDGE Score
Distribution
This species is known from the Nguru South Forest Reserve in the Nguru Mountains, Tanzania, at 830 metres above sea level.
Habitat and Ecology
They are found in leaf litter in forest. This species is presumed to breed by direct development whereby offspring emerge from the eggs as miniature versions of adults and a free living larval stage is bypassed.