An eastern Congolian endemic, or widespread but secretive? New data on the recently described Afrixalus lacustris (Anura, Hyperoliidae) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

New research reveals that the Great Lakes spiny reed frog (Afrixalus lacustris), previously thought to be endemic to the Albertine Rift mountains, has a broader range extending westward into lowland rainforests of the Northeastern and Central Congolian Lowlands. DNA barcoding and phylogeographic analysis indicate that A. lacustris likely diversified in isolated forest refugia during the Middle Pleistocene, while its sister species, A. phantasma, thrived in montane forests. The study also highlights distinct differences in oviposition behavior between A. lacustris and related species, such as laying eggs in folded leaves—a trait not previously documented for this frog.

Nečas, T., Badjedjea, G., Czurda, J., & Gvoždík, V. (2025). An eastern Congolian endemic, or widespread but secretive? New data on the recently described Afrixalus lacustris (Anura, Hyperoliidae) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ZooKeys, 1224, 55–68. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1224.128761