''Arthroleptis nikeae'', also known as Nike's squeaker, is a species of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

s in the family

Arthroleptidae The Arthroleptidae are a family (biology), family of frogs found in sub-Saharan Africa. This group includes African treefrogs in the genus ''Leptopelis'' along with the terrestrial breeding squeakers ''Arthroleptis'', and several genera restrict ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the Mafwemiro Reserve in the

Rubeho Mountains The Rubeho Mountains are a mountain range in central Tanzania. The mountains in Dodoma and Morogoro regions, southeast of Tanzania's capital Dodoma. The Rubeho Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and are home to a biodiverse community ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

. It was named after conservationist

Nike Doggart Nike Doggart is a conservationist, environmental activist, and writer. Doggart has an MA and a MSc, and was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and at University College, London. She began her career as a marine conservationist in Belize. Her resea ...

, who first found it. With a maximum

snout–vent length Snout–vent length (SVL) is a morphometric measurement taken in herpetology from the tip of the snout to the most posterior opening of the cloacal slit (vent)."direct line distance from tip of snout to posterior margin of vent" It is the mos ...

of , it is among the largest ''Arthroleptis'' species.

Description

Females grow to a snout–vent length . The dorsum is brown with a dark inter-orbital bar and two dark chevrons. The limbs have dark crossbars. The fingers and the toes have expanded discs. The tympanum is distinct but small, about half of the eye diameter.

Habitat and conservation

''Arthroleptis nikeae'' can be found in leaf litter in previously degraded montane forest at elevations of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

. While it occurs in a forest reserve, the area is not well protected and

forest loss Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then land conversion, converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or u ...

is occurring there. The species has not been found in other nearby forests, and it appears that its maximum extent of occurrence is no more than .

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1941603 Critically endangered animals nikeae Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Tanzania Endemic fauna of Tanzania Amphibians described in 2003 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot