The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

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IUCN 2008: T58154A18396612

Hymenochirus boettgeri, Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog

Assessment by: IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

View on www.iucnredlist.org

Citation: IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2014. Hymenochirus boettgeri. The IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species 2014: e.T58154A18396612. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-
3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en

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Taxonomy
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family

Animalia Chordata Amphibia Anura Pipidae

Taxon Name: Hymenochirus boettgeri (Tornier, 1897)

Common Name(s):
• English: Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog
Taxonomic Source(s):
Frost, D.R. 2013. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.6 (9 January 2013).
Electronic Database. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Available at:
http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html.

Taxonomic Notes:
This species could be a complex of more than one species of several cryptic species (R.C. Tinsley pers.
comm.).

Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published: 2014

Date Assessed: April 17, 2013

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population and apparent
tolerance to shaded secondary habitats.

Previously Published Red List Assessments

2004 – Least Concern (LC)

Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species ranges widely through the equatorial forest zone of central Africa from southeastern Nigeria
and Cameroon south through Gabon to the Mayombe region of western Democratic Republic of Congo,
and east to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. There are uncertainties as to its distributional limits,
especially along the southern border of its range. There do not appear to be records from Congo and
the Cabinda Enclave of Angola, but it presumably occurs in these countries and they are therefore
included in the species' distribution on the map.

Country Occurrence:
Native: Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Equatorial Guinea;

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 1
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en
Gabon; Nigeria

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 2
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en
Distribution Map

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 3
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Population
It is a very common species where it occurs. It is rarely seen in Cameroon (V. Gvozdik pers. comm. 2012).
Current Population Trend: Unknown

Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)

It is a water-dependent species, generally found in still, shaded water in lowland rainforest, and in pools
by slow-flowing rivers. It is not known how adaptable it is to alteration of its habitat, but it can probably
survive in secondary habitats providing that some form of canopy cover, or at least shade, remains. It
breeds in still water and has predatory tadpoles.

Systems: Terrestrial, Freshwater

Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)

Most of the individuals in international trade are likely to be captive bred.

Threats (see Appendix for additional information)

It is presumably affected, at least locally, by severe forest loss such as clear felling, and the expansion of
open agricultural systems. This species is commonly kept in captivity as a pet, but international trade is
not believed to be a threat to its populations. Overall, this species is not considered to be seriously
threatened, since much of its habitat remains intact.

Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)

It presumably occurs in many protected areas. Taxonomic research is needed to clarify the identity of
this taxon.

Credits
Assessor(s): IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

Reviewer(s): Morris, E.J.

Contributor(s): Measey, J., Burger, M., Tinsley, R. & Gvozdik, V.

Facilitators(s) and Tarrant, J.

Compiler(s):

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 4
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Bibliography
1996. The Biology of Xenopus. Zoological Society of London, Clarendon Press, London.

Amiet, J.-L. 1986. La Batrachofaune sylvicole d'un secteur forestier du Cameroun: la région de Yaounde.
Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle: 29-42.

Amiet, J.-L. and Perret, J.-L. 1969. Contributions a la faune de la region de Yaounde (Cameroun). II -
Amphibiens Anoures. Annales de la Faculté des Sciences du Cameroun: 117-137.

Arnoult, J. and Lamotte, M. 1968. Les Pipidae de l'Ouest africain et du Cameroun. Bull. Inst. Fond. Afr.
Noire: 270-306.

Frétey, T. and Blanc, C.P. 2000. Liste des Amphibiens d'Afrique Centrale. ADIE, Libreville, Gabon.

Herrmann, H.-W., Böhme, W., Herrmann, P.A., Plath, M., Schmitz, A. and Solbach, M. 2005. African
Biodiversity Hotspots: the amphibians of Mt. Nlonako, Cameroon. Salamandra 41(1/2): 61-81.

IUCN. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 13 November 2014).

Jackson, J.A. and Tinsley, R.C. 1998. Hymenochirine Anurans (Pipidae) as Transport Hosts in Camallanid
Nematode Life-Cycles. Systematic Parasitology: 141-151.

Lasso, C.A., Rial, A.I., Castroviejo, J. and de la Riva, I. 2002. Herpetofauna del Parque Nacional de Monte
Alen (Rio Muni, Guinea Ecuatorial). Graellsia: 21-34.

Laurent, R.F. 1972. Amphibiens. Exploration du Parc National des Virunga, 2e Ser.: 1-125.

Noble, G.K. 1924. Contributions to the herpetology of the Belgian Congo based on the collection of the
American Museum Congo Expedition, 1909-1915. Part III. Amphibia. Bulletin of the American Museum
of Natural History: 147-347.

Perret, J.-L. 1966. Les Amphibiens du Cameroun. Zoologische Jahrbuecher fuer Systematik: 289-464.

Perret, J.-L. and Mertens, R. 1957. Etude d'une collection herpetologique faite au Cameroun de 1952 a
1955. Bulletin de l'Institution Fondamental d'Afrique Noire: 548-601.

Schiøtz, A. 1963. The amphibians of Nigeria. Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistorisk
Forening: 1-92.

Witte, G.-F. de. 1927. Contributions a la faune herpetologique du Congo Belge. I. Liste de reptiles et de
batraciens recoltes au Mayumbe par le Dr Schouteden (1920-22). Rev. Zool. Afr.: 328-332.

Citation
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2014. Hymenochirus boettgeri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 2014: e.T58154A18396612. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-
3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en

Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 5
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 6
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T58154A18396612.en
 Appendix

Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Major
Habitat Season Suitability
Importance?

1. Forest -> 1.6. Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Resident Suitable -

1. Forest -> 1.8. Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Swamp Resident Suitable -

5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.1. Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Resident Suitable -

Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls)

5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.7. Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Resident Suitable -
Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)

5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.9. Wetlands (inland) - Freshwater Springs and Resident Suitable -
Oases

14. Artificial/Terrestrial -> 14.6. Artificial/Terrestrial - Subtropical/Tropical Resident Marginal -

Heavily Degraded Former Forest

15. Artificial/Aquatic & Marine -> 15.2. Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below Resident Suitable -
8ha)

Use and Trade

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

End Use Local National International

Pets/display animals, horticulture No No Yes

Establishing ex-situ production * No No No

Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Threat Timing Scope Severity Impact Score

2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual & Ongoing - - -

perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.1. Shifting
agriculture
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation

2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual & Ongoing - - -

perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.2. Small-holder
farming
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 7
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 5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood Ongoing - - -
harvesting -> 5.3.5. Motivation
Unknown/Unrecorded
Stresses: 1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation

Conservation Actions in Place

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Actions in Place

In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management

Conservation sites identified: Unknown

Occur in at least one PA: Yes

Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.1. Taxonomy

Additional Data Fields

Population
Population severely fragmented: Unknown

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Hymenochirus boettgeri – published in 2014. 8
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The IUCN Red List Partnership

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™