Leptodactylodon mertensi Perret, 1959
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Leptodactylodon mertensi is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to the mountains of western Cameroon and occurs on the southern slopes of the Bamileke Plateau, Mount Nlonako, and Mount Manengouba. The specific name mertensi honours Robert Mertens, a German zoologist and herpetologist. Common name Mertens' egg frog has been coined for it.
Leptodactylodon mertensi occurs in montane and lower montane forest at elevations of 950–1,850 m (3,120–6,070 ft) above sea level. It lives in dense undergrowth and in dense herbage of raffia palm beds along streams. Males call near pools and riffles in small streams, or in waterlogged humus near springs. It is typically not found in rocky areas. Breeding takes place in small streams.
It is threatened by habitat loss caused by agricultural encroachment, agrochemicals, expanding human settlements, wood extraction, and unsustainable harvest of bark from Prunus africana. It is not known to occur in any protected areas.
Wikipedia contributors, Leptodactylodon mertensi; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T16:53:11.131680+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Leptodactylodon mertensi Perret, 1959
- Name authority
- Perret, 1959
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Anura
- Family
- Arthroleptidae
- Genus
- Leptodactylodon
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAmphibia
- orderAnura
- familyArthroleptidae Mivart, 1869
- subfamilyAstylosterninae Noble, 1927
- genusLeptodactylodon Andersson, 1903
- speciesLeptodactylodon mertensi Perret, 1959
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Leptodactylodon. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Leptodactylodon albiventris (Boulenger, 1905) | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon axillaris Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon boulengeri Nieden, 1910 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon ornatus Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon ovatus Andersson, 1903 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon perreti Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon stevarti Rödel & Pauwels, 2003 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon polyacanthus Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon bicolor Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon blanci Ohler, 1999 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon bueanus Amiet, 1981 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Leptodactylodon erythrogaster Amiet, 1971 | ArthroleptidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=661612 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3TN2Q. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.