A medium to rather large Hyperolius (males 25-28 mm) from the Kenyan highlands with very variable pattern. Dorsum uniformly greyish brown to light brown, yellow or greenish. A dark brown canthal stripe continues behind the eye to shoulder or groin. Throat of males yellow to white, green in green-backed specimens. Ventrum whitish, feet whitish to yellowish. Pupil horizontal.

The known samples of this species show much variation in pattern, so much so that it is hard to believe they all belong to the same species. Richards and Schiøtz (1977) have been able to separate one cryptic species from the complex as H. cystocandicans.

This account was taken from "Treefrogs of Africa" by Arne Schiøtz with kind permission from Edition Chimaira publishers, Frankfurt am Main.

Found in montane grasslands and farmland in the highlands around Mt. Kenya; probably also in Mau Forest west of Rift Valley.

This species is endemic to the Kenya Highlands. It is known with certainty from several localities to the east of the Rift Valley. Specimens from the Mau Forest and other localities to the west of the Rift Valley are provisionally assigned to this species. It is a montane species occurring up to 3,100m asl, and probably as low as 1,800m asl.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater

The call is a succession of screams. The single screams have a long duration (0.05-0.08 sec) and a well-defined frequency-intensity maximum at 2500-3000 cps.

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

Conservation Actions