Leptopelis grandiceps

A collection of frogs (2 adult females and 9 juveniles) were initially identified as L. aubryi, but later controversially differentiated into a new species called L. barbouri. This was done after the collection was described in greater detail than the original description by an author, Ahl (1929), who had never seen the collection.[2]

Later, Schiøtz (1975) added some males from the Dabaga forest to the L. barbouri collection which looked different from the females in the original collection. He hypothesised that the morphological differences might be due to sexual dimorphism or population-level differentiation and referred to them as L. barbouri.[2]

Later, a study ( Gvoždík, Tillack, Menegon, and Loader, 2014[2]) found that the female type of L. barbouri was morphologically very different from what is today commonly referred to as L. barbouri. The females were in fact Leptopelis flavomaculatus.[2] However, the male specimens Schiøtz collected from Dabaga were morphologically identical to unnamed specimens from other publications (e.g. Harper & Vonesh 2002;[3] Channing & Howell 2006;[4] Pickersgill 2007;[5] Harper et al. 2010[6]). [2]

The name L. grandiceps was originally assigned to two specimens collected by J. Vosseler. Eventually, L. grandiceps became a synonym for L.uluguruensis. Controversially, this synonymization done by Loveridge (1975), was soley based on the description as he had never actually examined the specimens. These specimens are an example of frogs who are the same species as Schiøtz’s Dabaga collection. Subsequently, the name Leptopelis grandiceps was available and applied to these frogs.[2]

Although the exact developmental patterns of L. grandiceps are unknown, it is thought that frogs that live in montane forests are more likely to have complete terrestrial development. This is likely due to the presence of fast-flowing streams.[7]

Males make mating calls from the top of branches near streams. The sound is distinct from other similar-looking Leptopelis as is described as such: ‘‘The voice is a brief buzzing with an indistinct frequency-intensity maximum at about 1500 cps. and a rate of about 100 figures per second” (Schiotz 2014).[8] Furthermore, They have been found buried in mud near streams with only their heads visible above ground.[8] They can also be found in elevations up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft), with a minimum elevation of 180 m (590 ft).[1]

Just 10 m (33 ft) from a tiny stream, a frog pair was discovered mating, and their heads were only apparent in the sinking earth in which they were mating in.[8]

Although the exact developmental patterns of L. grandiceps are unknown, it is believed that terrestrial breeding and egg laying are associated with the frogs inhabiting montane forests, likely due to the presence of fast-flowing streams.[7]

    L. grandiceps's geographic range includes the Eastern Arc Mountains and Southern Highlands in Tanzania and Kenya. They inhabit humid montane and lowland rainforests.[2][1] However, until more thorough genetic analyses are conducted, Gvoždík et al. (2014) proposed that L. grandiceps should only include populations in East Usambara mountains and L. cf. grandiceps should be tentatively used for populations in other locations.[2]

GBIF georeferenced records of L. grandiceps

Adult L. grandiceps are slender with pointed snouts and large heads. The tympanum is distinctly small, spanning ⅓-⅖  of the horizontal diameter of the eye.[2] The toes are ½ webbed ending with large disks in both the manual and pedal digits. The inner metatarsal tubercles are small ovoid and non prominent.[2] Subarticular tubercles are somewhat prominent.[2] Their skin is a bright translucent green  with light coloured patches on the frog's lower jaw.[2] They occasionally have light coloured small dots on their skin as well. Males are considered small (30-33mm) while females medium (39-45). The heads are wider than they are long and contain large protruding eyes.[2] Eyes are light coloured with orange patches and black vermiculation.[2]

Currently, the tadpoles have not been described.

L. grandiceps is not commonly encountered so there is little socioeconomic relevance.

The history of naming L. grandiceps could be considered relevant and controversial in the scientific community. This is because synonymizations and namings were done without seeing the type or collections.

There are currently two sequences on GenBank for L. grandiceps. One being the partial coding sequence of the COI gene:

  1 cccttntttg tntgatccgt tttaatcaca gccgtcctcc tactcctatc tcttccagtc

      61 cttgctgcag gcattacaat acttctcacc gaccgaaacc tgaacaccac tttttttgat

     121 cctgctggcg gaggtgaccc cgtattatat caacacctgt tctgattctt tggccatcca

     181 gaagtataca ttctaatttt acccgggttc ggcattatct cccatgtagt agcattttac

     241 tctaataaaa aggaaccctt cggttatatg ggcatggttt gagctatgct atcaatcggc

     301 ctcctgggct tcattgtctg agcccatcac atattcacca ccgacctcaa cgtagacaca

     361 cgagcctact ttacatcagc cacaataatc attgccatcc caacgggggt aaaggttttc

     421 agctgattgg ctaccatgca tgggggaatt attaaatgag aagcccccat attatgagcc

     481 cttggattta tttttctatt tacagtggga ggactaactg gaattgtttt agctaactca

     541 tcaatcgaca ttgttcttca tgacacctac tatgtagtag ctcacttcca ttatgtcctc

     601 tcaatgggag cagtatttgc cattatggcc ggatttatac attgattccc cctatttaca

     661 ggattctcac tccataaggt atgaacaaaa attcacttca ttattatatt cgcgggggta

     721 aacctcacct tcttcccaca acatttccta ggtctagcgg gcatacctcg ccggtactca

     781 gattacccag acgcatatac cctatgaaac tcgctatctt ctgtaggctc cctaatttct

     841 ttaatgggag tagtcttgat natattt[9]

The other sequence is a partial sequence of  the 16S ribosomal RNA gene:

       1 gnntcgcctg tttaccaaaa acatcgcctc ttgcttaact ataagaggtc cagcctgccc

      61 agtgatataa ttcaacggcc gcggtatcct aaccgtgcga aggtagcata atcacttgtt

     121 ctctaaataa ggactagaat caatggcgtc acgaagacct atcgtctccc ccctacgatc

     181 agtgaaactg atctccccgt gaagaagcgg ggatttaaat ataagacgag aagaccctat

     241 ggagcttaaa atgagattca actgttttat accataccat agtaatattc accactgagc

     301 actaattttt gactggggag atcgcggagc aagcataacc tccatgatga acggaataaa

     361 atccttatca aagagataca tctcaaagaa ataacatctt aacatttatt gacccaaact

     421 acttgatcaa cgaaccaagt taccctaggg ataacagcgc aatccgtttc aagagcccct

     481 atcgacaaac gggtttacga cctcgatgtt ggatcagggt atcccagtgg tgcagaagct

     541 actaagggtt cgtttgttca acgattaaaa ccctacgtga tctg[10]

Little is known of L. grandiceps diet and predators.

Little is known of L. grandiceps lifespan.

Little is known of L. grandiceps ecosystem role and niche

L. grandiceps has no notable economic importance.