Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Amphibia
- Order: Anura
- Family: Brevicipitidae
- Genus: Callulina
- Species: Callulina shengena
- Authority: Loader, Gower & Channing, 2010
Common name
- Often referred to as the Shengena warty frog.
Description
Callulina shengena is a small, terrestrial frog characterized by a robust body, short limbs, and a warty skin texture. Adults typically measure around 30–45 mm in snout‑vent length. The dorsal coloration varies from brown to gray, often with subtle darker markings that provide camouflage among leaf litter.
Distribution and habitat
The species is endemic to Tanzania, known only from the Shengena Forest Reserve in the Eastern Arc Mountains. It inhabits montane forest floor habitats, favoring moist leaf litter and hidden microhabitats such as under logs and stones. Elevational range is approximately 1,600–1,850 m above sea level.
Ecology and behavior
Callulina shengena is a direct‑developing frog, meaning it bypasses a free‑living larval (tadpole) stage; embryos develop within the egg and hatch as miniature adults. The species is presumed to be nocturnal and primarily terrestrial, emerging at night to forage for small invertebrates.
Conservation status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed Callulina shengena as Critically Endangered. The primary threats are habitat loss and degradation caused by agricultural expansion, illegal logging, and human settlement encroachment within its limited range. Conservation measures focus on protecting the remaining forest habitat and conducting further surveys to better define its distribution.
References
- Loader, S.P., Gower, D.J., & Channing, A. (2010). A new species of Callulina (Anura: Brevicipitidae) from the Eastern Arc Mountains, Tanzania. Zootaxa, 2357: 1‑14.
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2020). Callulina shengena. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T61853A16976091.
This entry reflects current encyclopedic knowledge up to the date of publication.
