Kambai Forest Reserve: A biodiversity survey. - Coastal Forests of ...

Kambai Forest Reserve
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Endemic Status
The three species and one subspecies that are endemic to the Usambara mountains are:
Hoplophryne rogersi, Boulengerula boulengeri, Hyliota australis spp. usambarae, and
Bubo vosseleri. Hoplophryne rogersi was recorded in a mature mixed forest whereas
Boulengerula boulengeri was found in a variety of habitats: riverine, open forest, and
mature mixed forest. The two species of birds were recorded previously by another survey.
Endemic species were found in all trapping sites suggesting that endemics are found
throughout the reserve in and outside disturbed areas.
Table 31. Summary of endemic status of faunal species.
Endemic status* No. of species % of total species
recorded
(E) Endemic to the Usambara Mountains 4 5.0
(N) Near-Endemic: ranges in restricted locations 19 23.7
(W) Widespread 54 67.5
Unknown 3 3.8
Total 80 100.0
* Not including molluscs.
Range Extensions
Mammals:
The bat, Scotophilus nucella, is a first record for Tanzania (Kock, pers. comm.). This
specimen was captured in riverine forest on the forest edge.
Reptiles:
The second specimen, and the first female was collected of Lygodactylus kimhowelli. This
is a new range extension (Broadley, pers comm.). The only other collecting site of this
species is the Amboni Caves forest, outside the town of Tanga.
Melanoseps loveridgei, a forest-dwelling fossorial skink, was collected at an altitude of
580 m. The area is characterised by mature forest with the site of capture having good
canopy cover with some grassy ground cover of Olyra latifolia. This collection represents
a north-eastern range extension (Broadley, pers. comm.). Previously this specimen is
known only from the Kiwengoma forest reserve of the coastal forests.
Amphibians:
The East Usambara endemic ground frog, Hoplophryne rogersi, was collected in Kambai
forest reserve. Previously known only from the Amani area, Bamba Ridge forest reserve
and Magoroto forest. This is a range extension (Poynton, pers. comm.). In Bamba Ridge,
the specimen was found in an Achatina sp. shell at an altitude of 750 m (Cunneyworth &
Stubblefield., 1996b).
Molluscs:
The slug specimen, Urocyclus kirkii, represents a possible northern range extension.
East Usambara Catchment Forest Project Technical Paper 35