A new species of Arthroleptella Hewitt, 1926 (Anura: Ranidae) from the Groot Winterhoek mountains of the Western Cape province, South Africa

Abstract

A new species of Arthroleptella (moss frog), is described from the Groot Winterhoek Mountains in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The new species is allopatric to other Arthroleptella species. It is distinguished from other Arthroleptella species by its advertisement call, which is a chirp followed by three to seven clicks, blotched patterning on the posterior dorsum and very small size. Combined mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA sequences differ from 1.4% to 4.6% from the other species. The new species has fewer notes per call than Arthroleptella landdrosia and fewer pulses per call than Arthroleptella bicolor. The new species is the sister species to A. bicolor.