Arthroleptis troglodytes and the content of schoutedenella (Amphibia: Anura: Arthroleptidae)

Abstract

Laurent (1954) transferred a large number of species then in Arthroleptis to the genus Schoutedenella, which up to that time was a monotypic genus distinguished by de Witte (1921) from Arthroleptis on the grounds of lacking maxillary teeth. Laurent's concept of Schoutedenella overrode de Witte's diagnostic character, and gave rise to a practice of placing all small‐sized species in Schoutedenella. Cases in point are Arthroleptis troglodytes and A. xenodactyloides, which have been included in Schoutedenella despite not conforming to de Witte's definition of his genus. Justification is given for reverting to de Witte's characterisation of Schoutedenella, and retaining his globosa within it (contra Poynton & Broadley 1985). Small‐sized species such as xenodactyloides are better assigned to Arthtroleptis or to another genus altogether. In the interests of stability of the nomenclature, there is a case for retaining xenodactyloides and similar species in their original genus, Arthroleptis.