Phrynomantis somalicus (Scortecci, 1941)
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
Phrynomantis somalicus, also known as Somali rubber frog or Somali snake-necked frog, is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is known from southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia. Its total distribution is poorly known and might extend into Kenya.
This species is probably an inhabitant of open dry savannas and dry grasslands. The Ethiopian record is from riverine Acacia woodland in an arid savanna region. Breeding probably takes place in temporary pools and pans, where at other times, these frogs are assumed to live in subterranean cavities near water. Specific threats to it are unknown, but it is likely suffering from environmental degradation caused by human settlement and expansion, and the associated increased populations of domestic livestock. It is not known to occur in any protected areas.
Wikipedia contributors, Phrynomantis somalicus; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T17:43:55.578316+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Phrynomantis somalicus (Scortecci, 1941)
- Name authority
- (Scortecci, 1941)
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Anura
- Family
- Microhylidae
- Genus
- Phrynomantis
- 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
- familyMicrohylidae Günther, 1858
- subfamilyPhrynomerinae Noble, 1931
- genusPhrynomantis Peters, 1867
- speciesPhrynomantis somalicus (Scortecci, 1941)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Phrynomantis. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Phrynomantis affinis Boulenger, 1901 | MicrohylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Phrynomantis annectens Werner, 1910 | MicrohylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Phrynomantis bifasciatus (Smith, 1847) | MicrohylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Phrynomantis microps Peters, 1875 | MicrohylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Phrynomerus bifasciatus somalicus (Scortecci, 1941) (Scortecci, 1941) | synonym |
| Fichteria somalica Scortecci, 1941 Scortecci, 1941 | synonym |
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=664648 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:4GWLL. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.