Ptychadena porosissima (Steindachner, 1867)

Striped Ridged Frog (Fig. 33; Map 31)

Material (17 specimens): PEM A12712–6, Lungwebungu River camp bridge crossing, -12.58347° 18.66600°, 1,304 m asl; PEM A12901–2, PEM A12906, Quembo River source lake, -13.13624° 19.04591°, 1,366 m asl; PEM A13749–51, Lungwebungu River Campsite, -12.58319° 18.66573°, 1,284 m asl; PEM A13782–3, Lungwebungu River Trap 1, -12.58013° 18.66740°, 1,298 m asl; PEM A14708–9, INBAC: WC-6750, Lungwebungu River camp, -12.58439° 18.66748°, 1,297 m asl; PEM A14782, Quembo River bridge camp, -13.52746° 19.28060°, 1,241 m asl. Description: Medium sized Ptychadena; sharp snout; large tympanum, almost equal to eye diameter; three phalanges of longest toe free of webbing; webbing reaches first phalange of the outer toe; large inner metatarsal tubercle; outer metatarsal tubercle inconspicuous or absent; distinct inner tarsal ridge; subarticular tubercles single and prominent. Dorsum brown, with scattered black spots along ridges; snout paler than body; vertebral stripe broad; dorsolateral ridge pale, elevated, and prominent; white anterior bars on lower jaw; dark facial mask from snout to front of arms; dorsal pale stripe on tibia; back of thighs with light spots forming longitudinal lines; ventrum immaculate, except for scattered faint black blotches between arms. In males, ventrum covered in small brown asperites; thumbs and nuptial pads swollen. Adult females (n = 7) varied from 34.8–46.2 (41.1) mm (largest female: PEM A12716); adult males (n = 7) varied from 34.9–40.0 (37.4) mm (largest male: PEM A14782). Habitat and natural history notes: Found in flooded grasslands or river margins. Comments: Found in sympatry with the closely related P. uzungwensis, but at lower abundance. The two species can be distinguished based on ventral asperites (present in P. porosissima versus absent in P. uzungwensis), dorsal coloration (striped in P. porosissima versus mostly spotted in P. uzungwensis), and dorsal tibia line (always present in P. porosissima versus mostly absent in P. uzungwensis).