The Recently Discovered Giant Squeaker Threatened

In 2008 Ernst et al. described the Giant Squeaker Frog, Arthroleptis krokosua  from West Africa's Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve (KHFR), in south-western Ghana. It  is the largest member of the genus from West Africa and differs from other West African Arthroleptis by its large size, its peculiar coloration and some morphology. It is most similar to large members of the genus from East and Central Africa, particularly A. variabilis and A. adolfifriederici from which it differs in coloration, larger size (> 43 mm), and head shape. Genetic divergence was about 5 % between Arthroleptis krokosua and A. variabilis, and A. krokousa seems to have no apparent affiliations to any other West African Arthroleptis that are smaller in size and have a distinctly different body shape. Adum et al (2011) surveyed three commercially logged forest reserves that included the type locality of A. krokosua (KHFR). The study sites have a climate characterized by a wet season with two rainfall peaks falling between May–June and September–October, and annual rainfall of 1200–1800 mm. The dry season is between November and March. They found more specimens of the Giant Squeaker, that were juveniles and subadults during the middle of the rainy season at the type locality and at Sui River Forest Reserve. Despite the new localities for the species the authors consider it to be threatened. Surveys of Ghana forests in recent years have not detected the species. The two forests where A. krokosua occurs are approximately 30 km apart and even though the areas are considered reserves they are under severe threats from logging , fragmentation, farming and mining. Logging and farming might be the reason why over half of the KHFR amphibian fauna already consists of non-forest specialists. The authors further suggest data on the breeding habitats and population estimates are needed to plan for long-term conservation of this peculiar Ghanaian forest frog.

Literature
Adum, G. B.,C.  Ofori-Boateng, W.  Oduro, M.-O. Rödel.  2011: Re-discovery of the Giant West African Squeaker, Arthroleptis krokosua Ernst, Agyei & Rödel, 2008 (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae) in two forests of south-western Ghana with observations on the species’ variability and habitat preferences. Zootaxa, 2744:34–38. 
Ernst, R.; A. C. Agyei, M. O. Rödel, 2008: A new giant species of Arthroleptis (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae) from the Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve, south-western Ghana. Zootaxa, 1697:58-68. 

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