Hyperolius balfouri

Hyperolius balfouri
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Hyperoliidae
Genus:	Hyperolius
Species:	H. balfouri
Binomial name
Hyperolius balfouri (Werner, 1908)
Synonyms
Rappia balfouri Werner, 1908 "1907" Hyperolius zavattarii Scortecci, 1943 Hyperolius concolor viridistriatus Monard, 1951

Hyperolius balfouri is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, Uganda, and western Kenya. The specific name balfouri honours J.W. Balfour, a missionary in Uganda. Common names Balfour's reed frog and Ethiopia reed frog have been coined for this species, with the latter name referring to the now-synonymized Hyperolius zavattarii. Populations from the western part of the range may be referred to the subspecies Hyperolius balfouri viridistriatus.

Description

Adult males measure 28–34 mm (1.1–1.3 in) and adult females 36–42 mm (1.4–1.7 in) in snout–vent length. The dorsum is yellow to brown with thin, dark dorsolateral stripes. In the eastern populations these are shorter, extending 2/3 down the body, whereas in the western populations the lines are green and better developed; often a dark middorsal line, sometimes split into spots, is present. The venter and throat are white to orange. Males possess a large, flat, somewhat shagreened gular flap and small asperities on the dorsum. Females have smooth skin.

Habitat and conservation

Hyperolius balfouri occurs in savannas at elevations below 820 m (2,690 ft). In southwestern Ethiopia it can occur in tropical deciduous forests, and it can also occur formerly forested areas in Cameroon. Breeding takes place in small pools. It is an abundant species that is unlikely to face significant threats, except perhaps in the Ethiopian part of its range where deforestation could be a threat. It occurs in some protected areas.