''Sclerophrys garmani'', also known as Garman's toad or eastern olive toad (among others), is a species of

toad Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...

in the family

Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category Category, plural categories, may refer to: General uses *Classification, the general act of allocating things to classes/categories Philosophy * Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) * Category (Kant) * C ...

. It is widely distributed in East and Southern Africa. However, populations north and south of Tanzania might represent distinct species. If so, the name ''Sclerophrys garmani'' would apply to populations from northeastern Africa. Furthermore, its southern boundary towards the range of '' Sclerophrys poweri'' in South Africa is also unclear.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''garmani'' honors

Samuel Garman Samuel Walton Garman (June 5, 1843 – September 30, 1927), or "Garmann" as he sometimes styled himself, was an American naturalist and zoologist. He became noted as an ichthyologist and herpetologist. Biography Garman was born in Indiana Co ...

, an American ichthyologist and herpetologist.

Description

Males grow to and females to in

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 ...

. The tympanum is almost as big as the eye diameter. The

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of some frogs (especially toads), and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known ...

s are large. The back is tan to olive-brown and bears large paired markings edged with black. A thin vertebral stripe may be present. Dorsal skin has distinct warts that bear small, black spines. The ventrum is off-white. The male advertisement call is a loud, low-pitched "kwaak", lasting for about a second.

Range

The range extends from Ethiopia and Somalia southward through Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, to South Africa and Eswatini and west to Namibia and Angola.

Habitat

''Sclerophrys garmani'' in habits both arid and wooded

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

s as well as agricultural areas at elevations below . A Tanzanian population was found entirely in woodland areas. Breeding takes place in temporary water, sometimes also in artificial pools and rivers. ''Sclerophrys garmani'' is common in parts of its range. It can be threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

caused by human expansion, settlement, and agricultural encroachment. However, it is an adaptable species that is not seriously at risk. It is present in many protected areas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q28929935, from2=Q2843312 garmani Frogs of Africa Amphibians of Angola Amphibians of Botswana Amphibians of Eswatini Amphibians of Ethiopia Amphibians of Kenya Amphibians of Mozambique Amphibians of Namibia Amphibians of Somalia Amphibians of South Africa Amphibians of Tanzania Amphibians of Zambia Amphibians of Zimbabwe Taxa named by Seth Eugene Meek Amphibians described in 1897 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot