Taita Warty Frog

About the Taita Warty Frog

Callulina dawida, also known as Taita warty frog, is a species of frogs in the family Brevicipitidae. It is endemic to Kenya, where it is only found in severely fragmented montane forests in Taita Hills in the south-eastern part of the country. Originally Callulina was thought to be monotypic and widely distributed through Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania and in southern Kenya. However, within the last decade eight new species have been identified, many which are considered critically endangered by IUCN. C. dawida was described in 2009 by a team led by Simon Loader; it received its specific name after Dawida language, which is spoken in Taita Hills.

Callulina dawida is a medium-sized frog in which females can reach 55 mm and males 35 mm. The toes of the hind feet are arranged in two opposable groups, with the fourth and fifth together, pointing backward when walking on the forest floor. The skin is warty and dorsal adult colour is variable from light brown, grey, dark brown, orange to yellowish. In terms of colouration there is no well-marked sexual dimorphism. Males have larger tympanum than females.

Callulina dawida is a high-elevation species occurring... Wikipedia →