Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus

Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to the Central African Republic and is only known from its type locality, Bouala (originally spelled "Buala"), at 998 m (3,274 ft) above sea level on the Ouham River.^[1][2][3] Common name Chad river frog has been coined for this species.^[2][4] This name presumably reflects the earlier assumption that the type locality was in Chad, into which the Ouham River flows.^[3]

Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus is only known from the holotype collected from Bouala in the Central African Republic

Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Phrynobatrachidae
Genus:	Phrynobatrachus
Species:	P. pygmaeus
Binomial name
Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus (Ahl, 1925)
Synonyms[2]
Arthroleptis pygmaeus Ahl, 1925 "1923" Micrarthroleptis pygmaeus (Ahl, 1925)

Etymology

Presumably, this species is named for the Latin pygmaeus, meaning "dwarfish".^[4]

Taxonomy

Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus was described by German zoologist Ernst Ahl in 1925 based a single specimen, the holotype.^[3] Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus is the type species of the genus Micrarthroleptis erected in 1938 by Kurt Deckert [de]. However, the genus is currently considered a synonym of Phrynobatrachus.^[5][6]

Description

Phrynobatrachus pygmaeus has tympanum that is indistinct. Dorsal skin is warty and has two X-shaped ridges in the scapular region.^[7]

Ecology

There are no observations of this species after its discovery, and its ecology is essentially unknown.^[1]