Diversity and Biogeographical Affinities of Edible Frogs in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Western Côte d'Ivoire
Kouassi Philippe Kanga
*
Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, Biological Sciences Teaching and Research Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Laboratory of Environment, Climate, Health, Engineering and Sustainable Development; PO Box 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Atta Léonard Kouadio
Department of Biosciences, Alassane Ouattara University, Science and Technology Training and Research Unit, PO Box 18 Bouaké 01, Côte d’Ivoire.
Kouassi Brahiman Kien
Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, Biological Sciences Teaching and Research Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Laboratory of Environment, Climate, Health, Engineering and Sustainable Development; PO Box 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Edible frogs constitute an important wildlife resource for local communities and perform essential ecological functions in tropical ecosystems. However, harvesting pressure and environmental disturbance may affect their diversity, abundance, and distribution, particularly in ecologically sensitive protected areas. This study assessed the diversity and biogeographical affinities of harvested edible frogs in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (MNSNR), western Côte d’Ivoire. Field surveys were conducted from April to June 2020 along six transects distributed between relatively undisturbed reserve habitats and disturbed peripheral areas. Visual encounter surveys with capture and acoustic surveys were used to document species occurrence, whereas abundance analyses were based on visually confirmed individuals. A total of 528 individuals representing 15 species, six genera, and six families was recorded. Ptychadenidae was the most species-rich family, with 10 species, while Arthroleptidae, Conrauidae, Dicroglossidae, Odontobatrachidae, and Pipidae were each represented by one species. Species richness and abundance varied among transects, with the highest richness recorded in T6 (12 species) and T2 (10 species), and the highest abundance recorded in T6 (208 individuals) and T2 (121 individuals). Diversity indices showed marked spatial heterogeneity, whereas evenness remained high across transects. Biogeographical analysis indicated a predominance of species associated with the western Upper Guinea region, followed by taxa with broader African distributions. Most recorded species were classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, although three Data Deficient species and one Near Threatened species, Odontobatrachus arndti, were documented. These findings provide a baseline for monitoring edible frog populations and support the need for habitat-sensitive management of harvested amphibians in and around the MNSNR.
Keywords: Amphibian diversity, anurans, biogeographical affinities, conservation, Côte d’Ivoire, edible frogs, habitat heterogeneity, Mount Nimba, protected areas, Upper Guinea