Species boundaries and biogeography of East African torrent frogs of the genus Petropedetes (Amphibia: Anura: Petropeditidae)

Abstract

Based on morphology there are currently three described East African species of torrent frogs belonging to the tropical African genus Petropedetes (P. dutoiti, P. martiennseni and P. yakusini). Taxonomic uncertainties are evident within this group: a putative new species reported from the Nguru Mountains and the species P. yakusini have a fragmented distribution across the Southern Tanzanian highlands. We conducted a molecular systematic study, sampling populations of East African petropedetids occurring in the mountains of Tanzania (P. martiennseni and P. yakusini), to investigate species boundaries and biogeography. Data provide evidence for the recognition of well-defined genetically distinct populations occurring in each mountain fragment (for P. yakusini), and further support for a new undescribed species from the Nguru Mountains. We examine phylogenetic patterns in relation to the biogeographic history of the region.