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14 September 2023 Anuran Diversity in a West African Valley
Houénafa Chrysostome Aimé Gansa, Hyppolite Agadjihouèdé, Mahugnon Benjamin Hounkanrin
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Abstract

Anurans are subject to strong anthropic pressures in Benin, as in most of the West African countries, due to their socio-economic and environmental importance. To protect these organisms and to gather basic knowledge, an anuran biodiversity study was conducted in the lower Ouémé Valley in Benin. Anurans were inventoried in five types of habitats in four municipalities. Visual and auditory detections were used to observe, count and/or catch specimens at night, aided by headlamps. Five physico-chemical parameters were simultaneously measured. Species were determined using identification keys, authenticated by specialists at the Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science's Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. Our study observed 28 species, with several species living in degraded forests. Afrixalus fulvovittatus (Cope 1860) was recorded for the first time in Benin; and the taxonomic status of three anuran species, Sclerophrys sp., Hyperolius sp. and Arthroleptis sp., still require clarification. Among the species inventoried, Hyperolius torrentis is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN category. Anuran distribution was closely related to ambient air temperature and soil humidity, with abundance increasing with low ambient air temperature and high soil humidity. We note the importance of protecting these organisms' habitats in order to maintain the optimal environment for their growth and breeding.

Houénafa Chrysostome Aimé Gansa, Hyppolite Agadjihouèdé, and Mahugnon Benjamin Hounkanrin "Anuran Diversity in a West African Valley," African Zoology 58(2), 39-56, (14 September 2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2023.2238011
Received: 6 October 2020; Accepted: 14 July 2023; Published: 14 September 2023
KEYWORDS
amphibians
Dahomey Gap
distribution
Ouémé Valley
West Africa
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