Nigeria banana frog | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Hyperoliidae |
Genus: | Afrixalus |
Species: | A. nigeriensis
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Binomial name | |
Afrixalus nigeriensis Schiøtz, 1963
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The Nigeria banana frog (Afrixalus nigeriensis) is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southeastern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and western Nigeria; it appears to be missing from Togo and Benin.[1][2] Its natural habitat is primary rainforests, but it can also be found in a farm bush. The eggs are laid on vegetation, overhanging temporary ponds. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by agricultural encroachment, expanding human settlements, and logging.[1] A high prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the fungus causing chytridiomycosis, that has been associated with amphibian declines elsewhere, has been demonstrated in specimens collected from the Okomu National Park in Nigeria.[3]
The Nigeria banana frogs natural habitats are forests and wetlands such as primary rainforests and regenerating secondary forests in elevations up to 1,000 m down to 0 m. Breeding takes place on leaves over temporary ponds once hatched tadpoles will fall into the water and develop.[4]