Frontier Tanzania Environmental Research REPORT 110 ...

Kazimzumbwi Forest Reserve
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numbers of Hyperolidae are non-forest species. Five of the six forest dependent species also have
restricted ranges. Difficulties exist in defining forest dependence among amphibia as many
species breed in open habitats (Poynton 2000) and figures with which to compare the extent of
forest dependency in Kazimzumbwi FR amphibia were hard to find.
Seven species recorded in Kazimzumbwi FR (30%) have restricted ranges. One is confined to
Coastal Forests and Eastern Arc Mountains; Mertensophryne micranotis, and five are confined to
Coastal Forests, Eastern Arc Mountains and a few other East African forests; Arthroleptis
xenodactyloides, Bufo linderi, Leptopelis argenteus, Leptopelis flavomaculatus and Boulengerula
cf. changamwensis. The remaining species, Leptopelis barbouri, is endemic to the Usambara and
Udzungwa Mountains, although if the identification of the species is confirmed the record alters
its endemic status. Five of these restricted range species are also forest dependent.
No amphibian species recorded are listed by IUCN or CITES as of conservation concern.
With regards to sampling techniques, unlike the reptiles recorded in Kazimzumbwi FR, the
majority of amphibians recorded were the result of standard trapsite methods. Opportunistic
collection did however reveal the presence of genera such as Chiromantis, Xenopus and some
species of Ptychadena.
6.5.4 BUTTERFLIES
One hundred and forty species of butterfly were recorded in Kazimzumbwi FR, of which 58%
have not previously been reported in the reserve, 20% have not previously been recorded in
Coastal Forests and 5% are genera that have not previously been recorded in Coastal Forests. If
formal identifications verify the species recorded, these represent a wealth of new data on Coastal
Forest butterfly fauna. This is especially true as these records build on those of 241 species
recorded throughout the Pugu Hills during extensive survey by regional experts (Kielland &
Cordiero 2000). Due to their small size and inconspicuousness, Hesperiids and Lycaenids tend to
be under-represented in butterfly records, and indeed, all of the Hesperiids recorded in
Kazimzumbwi FR are at least new species to the reserve, with some representing new genera to
Coastal Forests. The Nymphalidae family is particularly well represented in Kazimzumbwi FR,
reflecting their generally larger size and conspicuousness. Pieridae species of open habitats often
migrate and exhibit much seasonal variation (Kielland 1990). It would therefore be interesting to
re-survey at different times of year in order to investigate any such changes. Butterflies are a
relatively well studied taxa and although Coastal Forests are known to harbour a diverse
assemblage of butterflies, surveys of all forests are far from complete (Kielland & Cordeiro
2000). The results of the current study would support this statement.
Forty-two species (30%) recorded in Kazimzumbwi FR are forest dependent, including the
majority of Papilionidae species. High numbers of Hesperiidae are also forest dependent although
relatively few Pieridae are forest dependent, most being forest dwelling. Seventy-five of more
than 400 butterfly species and subspecies (c.19%) inhabiting Coastal Forests are known to be
forest dependent (Kielland & Cordeiro 2000) and thus the level of forest dependency in
Kazimzumbwi FR is high. One-quarter of forest dependent species also have restricted ranges.
Twelve species (8%) recorded in Kazimzumbwi FR are endemic to Coastal Forests including one,
which if verified taxonomically, represents a range extension for the species Pentila rondo,
previously only recorded on the Rondo Plateau, southern Tanzania. All but two of these species
are also forest dependent. Neither of the two genera endemic to Coastal Forests were recorded
although the near-endemic genera Teriomima was represented in Kazimzumbwi by two species.
Frontier-TanzaniaCoastal Forest Research Programme