Bioacoustics of Petropedetes parkeri

Description. Large sized Petropedetes with robust body; males distinctly larger than females (SUL in males: 38.0– 74.3 mm , in females: 34.1–61.3 mm ); mean head width in males about 44% of SUL, in females about 42%; snout in lateral view short, rounded; canthus rostralis slightly rounded but distinct; loreal region concave; eye diameter about 1.3 times eye-narial distance; nose closer to snout-tip than to eye; distinct tympanum, usually larger than eye in males, always smaller in females (tympanum / eye in males: 0.73-1.39, in females: 0.60–0.89; the lowest value of 0.73 in males measured in the smallest specimen, second smallest value: 0.92; tympanic papilla closer to upper border than centre of tympanum; papilla broad and fleshy with oval basis; supratympanic fold distinct; fingers slender, with typically T-shaped fingertips; relative length of fingers: III> IV> II> I; manual subarticular tubercles single; palmar tubercle and thenar tubercle present, palmar tubercle sometimes indistinct; forearm hypertrophy strongly developed in males; carpal spike present in males; tegumental spinosities well developed on throat, forearms, scattered on flanks and dorsum in males; dorsal tegument with smaller warts than flanks; few larger, elongated warts on dorsum; ventral skin smooth; femora long, mean femur length in males 50% of SUL, in females 51%; mean foot length in both sexes 74% of SUL; upper hind limbs of moderate width, lower hind limbs slender; femoral glands small in both sexes, slightly bigger in males (femoral gland / femur in males: 0.18–0.27, in females: 0.16–0.22); relative length of toes: IV> III> V> II> I; webbing rudimentary: 1 (1) 2 (1-1) or 2 (1.25-1) 3 (2-2) 4 (3-3) 5 (2). Coloration. Dorsum and flanks olive or brownish and dark marbled with diffuse brown-olive spots ( Fig. 1 c); throat dirty whitish; belly whitish, slightly translucent; throat can be darker than belly; femora and lower legs with large darker spots, darker spots divided by thin bright coloured transversal bars; ventral surfaces of limbs of the same coloration as belly, pale greenish; iris golden with white-green shades; femoral glands coloured as hind limbs, pale orange or greenish. Coloration in preservation: similar as in life; dorsum uniform brown; belly whitish, with minuscule speckles (less dense than in former species, only recognizable under microscope); throat dirty whitish or pale brown. Natural history. After the first work on the ecology of the species by Sanderson (1936, referred to as P. johnstoni ) , additional data have been gathered by Amiet. However, some observations by Amiet (e.g. 1975 , 1983 , 1986 ) are based on populations of “ P. parkeri ” from Mt. Kala, the Bamiléké Plateau and the region of Nkongsamba. The taxonomic status of these populations at present is not clear (see below). Sanderson (1936) calls this species arboreal, because he found them on lower, broadened leafs, in shade. The breeding season is said to take place in the rainy season ( Parker 1936; referred to as P. johnstoni ). The species has been found on wet, mossy rocks in the forest; the large rocks were crossed by runlets ( Fig. 7 a). According to Sanderson (1936) the adults aggregate in the breeding season on humid rocky surfaces in rough areas with torrent water, while they live in the forest on leaves outside the breeding season. The advertisement call of P. p a r k e r i has been published by Narins et al . (2001) . Narins et al . (2001) describe a part of the courtship behaviour, including the female striking the male’s head with her foreleg during amplexus. These authors speculate that this behaviour is connected with secretion of glands in the male tympanal papilla. The small eggs are deposited at the beginning of the rainy season on surfaces of stones within the splash zone. Metamorphosis in P. parkeri is finished before the end of the rains or at the beginning of the dry season ( Parker 1936 ).