Biodiversity of Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania | Report ...

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Biodiversity of Mahale Mountains National Park 5. REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS 5.1 METHODS AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION Information about the reptiles and amphibians of Mahale was virtually non-existent (Anon 1980). There was scanty information on the reptiles of the lakeshore further south near Kasanga, the Rukwa Valley, northern Zambia, and Lake Tanganyika but no specific lists or records for Mahale were found in the literature (Loveridge 1933, Vesey-Fitzgerald 1958, Broadley 1971, Spawls et al., 2001, Schiøtz 1999). For reptiles, Itani (1990) gives a record of a Boomslang, Diphsolidus typus seen on 3 September 1976 along the Kasiha River, and numerous people have seen and mentioned Banded Water Cobra, Boulengerina annulata, Lake Tanganyika Water Snake, Lycodonomorphus bicolor, and Nile Crocodile, Crocodilus niloticus, in the waters of the lake. Further information was added from interviews with local people, TANAPA staff, researchers and safari camp operators. Only records of unmistakable species, such as rock python have been admitted on the strength of this type of information. During the main period of fieldwork, the weather was extremely dry and very few reptiles and even fewer amphibians were found. A few frogs were seen in the montane forest at Mfitwa but nothing was calling and specimens were very difficult to find. Bucket pitfall traps set at Kasoge, Kabezi and Mfitwa caught only two species, an Arthroleptid and a Bufonid. Because of the poor success with finding amphibians, Elia Mulungu and David Moyer returned to Mahale during the peak of the rains in February. Elia surveyed at a new site on Pasagulu Mountain (S6°3.797’ – E29°45.229, 1450m) from 6–8 February and at Kasoge from 10–11 February. Like the previous trip, there were few very few amphibians and the pitfall traps caught only one species. However, more Hyperoliids and Ranids were calling in the wetlands along the lake and a number of species were added to the park list (Table 6). 5.2 RESULTS Reptiles 26 species of reptiles have been recorded, or their presence inferred from interviews, from within Mahale (Appendix VI). Very few voucher specimens have been collected so the list is mostly based on sight records. Whereas, this is fine for large or easily identified species, such as Nile Monitor or Blue-headed Tree Agama, it is not appropriate for smaller reptiles that can only be identified by comparisons with museum specimens or detailed scale counts under a binocular scope. Examples of these are Peter’s Writhing Skink and the geckos. In most cases, it will be necessary to collect a small number of specimens together with tissue samples preserved in buffer or absolute alcohol to facilitate future analysis of DNA. The Mahale area, and western Tanzania in general has been very poorly collected in the past and much remains to be learned about the reptile fauna of this area. Building up a reasonably complete list for Mahale is a task that will take many years of focused fieldwork. Species that were admitted to the Mahale list based on indirect evidence are listed below. These records are admitted on the basis of interviews or because they are widespread species common in similar habitats north and south of Mahale or are found all along the eastern shores and in the waters of Lake Tanganyika. No records were found of Slendersnouted Crocodile (Behangana 2003) but it should occur in Mahale. • Serrated Hinged Terrapin, Pelusios sinuatus • Southern African Rock Python, Python natalensis • Forest Cobra, Naja melanoleuca • Black-necked Spitting Cobra, Naja nigricollis • Black Mamba, Dendroaspis polylepis • Puff Adder, Bitis aeritans Wildlife Conservation Society 19
Biodiversity of Mahale Mountains National Park Amphibians Virtually nothing was known about the amphibians of Mahale when this survey began. Schiøtz (1999) inferred the presence of several species based on widespread ranges. However, perusal of the distribution maps (based on specimen records) in Channing and Howell (2006) show a total lack of records in western Tanzania for all of the 203 amphibian species know to occur in East Africa. There are a small number of specimen records from Kigoma and from a few localities in Ufipa collected by Loveridge (1933, 1944) and Moyer in the 1970–80s (unpublished records). Twenty species of amphibians were recorded on this survey (Table 8). This represents a minimum number for the park and the total is likely to double or triple before the species list is complete. Table 8 List of the Amphibians of Mahale Mountains National Park. FAMILY Common name Scientific Name ARTHROLEPTIDAE Common Squeaker Arthroleptis stenodactylus Dwarf Squeaker Schoutedenella xenodactyloides Plain Squeaker Schoutedenella xenochirus BUFONIDAE Oban Toad Bufo camerunensis Guttural Toad Bufo gutturalis HYPEROLIIDAE Hyperoliinae Kivu Reed Frog Hyperolius kivuensis Ahl’s Reed Frog Hyperolius argentovittis reed frog Hyperolius sp. Kassinae leaf-folding frog Afrixalus sp. 1 leaf-folding frog Afrixalus sp. 2 Fornasini's Leaf-folding Frog Afrixalus fornasinii Bubbling Kassina Kassina senegalensis Leptopelinae tree frog Leptopelis sp. 1 tree frog Leptopelis sp. 2 PIPIDAE Lake Victoria Clawed Frog Xenopus victorianus RANIDAE Petropedetinae Common Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus mababiensis Snoring Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus natalensis Webbed Puddle Frog Phyrnobatrachus perpalmatus Raninae Savanna Ridged Frog Ptychadena anchietae Dusky-throated river frog Afrana angolensis The only frogs in evidence during the main survey in October – November 2005 were the Common Squeaker, Arthroleptis stenodactylus, the Oban Toad, Bufo camerunensis, and the Guttural Toad, B. gutturalis. At Mfitwa along a small stream at 2300 m, a tree frog, Leptopelis sp. was heard several times. It was calling infrequently and it was not possible to make a recording or find the animal making the call. This call sounded very similar to a call of Vermiculated Tree Frog, Leptopelis vermiculatus from the Eastern Arc and Southern Highlands. In February 2006, Elia Mulungu returned to Mahale to continue the amphibian survey. He found this species calling at a site on Pasagulu Mt., and made recordings and Wildlife Conservation Society 20
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Page 5 and 6: 2. BACKGROUND Biodiversity of Mahal
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Page 25 and 26: 6. PLANTS Biodiversity of Mahale Mo
Page 29 and 30: 8. REFERENCES Biodiversity of Mahal
Page 39 and 40: Stonechat √ Striped Kingfisher
Page 55 and 56: Monanthotaxis buchananii Monanthota
Page 57 and 58: Baikaea insignis Baphiopsis parvifl
Page 59 and 60: Drypetes natalensis Erythrococca at
Page 61 and 62: Gladiolus erectiflorus Gladiolus gr
Page 63 and 64: †Thecacoris lucida Orchidaceae Ae
Page 65 and 66: Rothmannia longiflora Rothmannia ma
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