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Koedoe 19 : 167-168 (1976) 

THE DISTRIBUTION OF TOMOPTERNA 
KRUGERENSIS (ANURA: RANIDAE) IN THE 
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 

N. I. PASSMORE 
Department oJZoology 
University oj the Witwaterstand 
J ohanne sburg 
2000 

A new and cryptic species of Tomoptema, T. krugerenis, has recently been 
described from the Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa, 
(Passmore and Carruthers 1975), where it appears to be confined to the 
Wambiya sandveld region in the north. The closely related and very 
similar T. delalandei cryptotis has not been recorded from this region . 

On 1976.01.06 and 1976.01.16 the author encountered a large breed-
ing aggregation of T. krugerensis in a temporary rain pool on the farm 
Mosdene, (Naboomspruit, Transvaal). The number of calling males was 
estimated at about 50 (± 10%). The mating calls heard and recorded were 
indistinguishable from those previously recorded in the Kruger National 
Park. T. delalandei cryptototis was also present and calling at this locality, 
together with T. krugerensis, on both occasions. 

T. krugerensis is morphologically very similar to T. delalandei cryptotis 
and the distinction of these two species is difficult in preserved material. 
The only reliable morphological differences are size, the extent of 
webbing on the hind feet and the presence of a doubled proximal 
subarticular tubercle on the first digit of the fore feet in T. krugerensis 
(Passmore et al. 1975) . These differences are equally evident in the 
Naboomspruit material as they are in the material from the Kruger 
National Park. 

The sympatric occurrence of these two species at this locality, ac-
companied by the maintenance of morphological and other differences, 
is a further clear indication of their distinctness at the species level. 

Acknowledgement 
The author is grateful for the hospitality of Mr. E. A. Galpin, and 

Mr. R. Galpin of Naboomspruit, Transvaal. 

REFERENCE 

PASSMORE, N. I. and V. C. CARRUTHERS, 1975 . A new species of 
Tomoptema (Anura: Ranidae) from the Kruger National Park, with 
notes on related species. Koedoe 18: 31-50. 

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