Xenopus boumbaensis
species of amphibian
Xenopus boumbaensis, the Mawa clawed frog, is a predominantly to fully aquatic species of frog in the family Pipidae, known from a few localities in central and southern Cameroon, the northwestern Republic of the Congo and the extreme southwest of the Central African Republic. The species likely occurs more widely throughout the Central African forest region, but identification is difficult as it is a cryptic species, resembling Xenopus fraseri; however, X. boumbaensis is distinguishable by chromosome number (2n=72) and the species' male advertisement call, consisting of a single note.
Etymology
The specific name boumbaensis refers to the type locality (Mawa) that is within the Boumba River drainage.
Description
Adult males can grow to 37 mm (1.5 in) and females to 53 mm (2.1 in) in snout–vent length. All Xenopus are characterized by a streamlined and flattened body, a vocal organ specialized for underwater sound production, lateral-line organs, claws on the innermost three toes, and fully webbed toes. The coloration is green with numerous spots posteriorly and on the hind limbs. The venter can be immaculate white but is often heavily spotted.
Xenopus boumbaensis is an octoploid species (2n=72).
Habitat and conservation
This species occurs in aquatic habitats in the lowland rainforest region at elevations of 337–550 m (1,106–1,804 ft) above sea level. It is typically found in forested habitats in slow-flowing forest streams and springs, but may also be found in swamps.
“Xenopus boumbaensis” enters the record as species of amphibian. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Xenopus, boumbaensis and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 4, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q606940. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Xenopus boumbaensis” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.