Hiding in plain sight: Another cryptic dainty frog from the highlands of Kenya (Anura: Pyxicephalidae: Cacosternum)

Abstract

A new species of dainty frog from the Kinangop Plateau in Kenya is described. It is geographically close to Cacosternum plimptoni, from which it is difficult to separate on morphology. It is significantly different from other East African species on molecular evidence. It can be distinguished from C. plimptoni on the basis of an advertisement call consisting of notes with four pulses (double pulses in C. plimptoni). The dorsal pattern of the type series is quite different from the types of but the genus is known for its pattern polymorphism, and this difference may turn out to be spurious after further work. The many populations of dainty frogs on the highlands of Kenya need to be identified using advertisement calls and molecular evidence, to determine if there are yet other undescribed species present.