Phrynobatrachus asper Laurent 1951

A relatively large African puddle frog, with very large, muscular hindlegs.First described by Laurent (1951).

Found in montane forest in the Itombwe Highlands in southern Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, at elevations above 2,400 m asl. It inhabits swamps (Drewes and Pickersgill 2004) and is found in highland forested streams (Greenbaum, pers. comm.).

Presumably breeds in the swamps (Drewes and Pickersgill 2004).

This species was not recorded between its description in 1951 and its rediscovery in 2009 by an expedition led by Eli Greenbaum of University of Texas El Paso. Population status is unknown (Drewes and Pickersgill 2004); however, it has been found only in pristine forest, and forest habitat on Itombwe is increasingly under pressure from agriculture and wood collection (Greenbaum, pers. comm.).

Consumed for food. The species was rediscovered in 2009 when villagers offered to sell their frog dinner to expedition scientists (Greenbaum, pers. comm.)

Phrynobatrachus asper is a species of frog in the family Phrynobatrachidae. It is endemic to the Itombwe Mountains in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This little known species occurs in swamps in montane forest above 2,400 m (7,900 ft) above sea level.