A new species of Hyperolius Rapp, 1842 (Anura: Hyperoliidae) from the Serra da Chela mountains, south–western Angola

Abstract

A new species of African reed frog (genus Hyperolius Rapp, 1842) is described from a high altitude, forested gorge in the Serra da Chela mountain range near the village of Humpata, Lubango area, Huila Province, south-western Angola. It is currently only known from its type locality. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the mitochondrial 16S marker reveals that it is the sister taxon of the poorly known Hyperolius cinereus (>4% sequence divergence) also described from Angola, and forms part of a larger clade comprising H. platyceps. The new species is distinguished from other closely related Hyperolius species by genetic divergence, vocalisation, an unusual torrent stream habitat, and colouration