Amnirana parva sp. nov. Lesser White-Lipped Frog Figs. 5–7 Holotype. ZMB 88458 (field #: RG27, GenBank #: 16S: OQ400914), adult male, Liberia, Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area, 5°39′02.1′′N, 8°39′05.0′′W, 28 March 2018, leg. M.-O. Rödel & J. Glos. Paratypes. Twelve males, ten females: ZMB 71273 (field #: MOR ANK 15, GenBank #: 16S: MG552248), adult female, Ghana, Ankasa National Park, 5°16′38.5212′′N, 2°38′41.8812″W, 5 August 2005, leg. A.C. Agyei & A. Hillers; ZMB 71274 (field #: MOR OWS 28, GenBank #: 16S: MG552262), adult female, Ghana, Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary, 6°44′50.5212″N, 1°42′11.6388″W, July 2005, leg. A.C. Agyei & A. Hillers; ZMB 71276 (field #: MOR LE 11, GenBank #: 16S: MG552287), adult female, Ghana, Leklebi-Agbesia, 6°56′ 1.3812″N, 0°29′1.5612″W, 19 July 2005, leg. A.C. Agyei & A. Hillers; ZMB 79187 (field #: GO14), adult male, Liberia, Gola National Forest, 7°27′10.6812″N, 10°41′31.3188″W, 28 November 2005, leg. A. Hillers; ZMB 79197 (field #: G84), adult female, Ghana, Volta Region, 22 August 2001, leg. M.-O. R ̂del; ZMB 79210 (field #: GOL 060, GenBank #: 16S: MG552310), adult male, Sierra Leone, Gola North Forest Reserve, 7°35′10.14″N, 11°1′30.9612″W, 15 September 2005, leg. A. Barrie & A. Hillers; ZMB 79253 (field #: GRE 010, GenBank #: 16S: MG552307), adult female, Liberia, Grebo National Forest, 5°24′6.48″N, 7°44′0.6612″W, 7 December 2005, leg. A. Hillers; ZMB 87105–06 (field #: P.LI 12 004–P.LI 12 005, GenBank #: 16S: MG552296 & MG552305), adult female and male, Liberia, Gba Community Managed Forest, 7°28′52.6584″N, 8°34′28.5564″W, 28 January 2012, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 87107 (field #: P.LI 12 077, GenBank #: 16S: MG552312), adult male, Liberia, Gba Community Managed Forest, 7°30′34.5636″N, 8° 41′50.7408″W, 3 February 2012, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 87108 (field #: P.LI 12 321, GenBank #: 16S: MG552315), adult male, Liberia, Sapo National Park, 5°29′42.8352″N, 8°21′55.1988″W, 5 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87109 (field #: P.LI 12 466, GenBank #: 16S: MG552323), adult male, Liberia, Mount Ghi South, 5°38′34.9944″N, 8°12′30.1428″W, 29 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87110–11 & 87116 (field #: P.LI 12 503–P.LI 12 505, GenBank #: 16S: MG552319 & MG552320), adult male, female and male, Liberia, Mount Ghi South, 5°39′11.124″N, 8°12′21.708″W, 3 October 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87112 (field #: P.LI 12 300, GenBank #: 16S: MG552322), adult male, Liberia, Sapo National Park, 5°31′20.8272″N, 8°20′46.2084″W, 14 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87113 (field #: P.LI 12 377, GenBank #: 16S: MG552317), adult male, Liberia, Sapo National Park, 5°30′18.5652″N, 8°20′14.9208″W, 18 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87114 (field #: P.LI 12 432, GenBank #: 16S: MG552316), adult female, Liberia, Mount Swa, 6°26′18.0636″N, 9°3′25.9416″W, 24 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 87115 (field #: P.LI 12 279, GenBank #: 16S: MG552314), adult female, Liberia, Sapo National Park, 5°31′34.8564″N, 8°20′53.1636″W, 12 September 2012, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 88438 (field #: RG07), adult female, Liberia, Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area, 06°02′34.8″N, 08°20′10.3″W, 25 March 2018, leg. M.-O. R ̂del & J. Glos; ZMB 88512 (field #: RG80), adult male, Liberia, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 08°00′21.3″N, 10°25′20.2″W, 5April 2018, leg. M.-O. Rödel & J. Glos; ZMB 88549 (field #: RG118, GenBank #: 16S: OQ400915), adult male, Liberia, Foya Proposed Protected Area, 08°03′18.6″N, 10°23′04.0″W, 8 April 2018, leg. M.-O. R ̂del & J. Glos. Additional material. Ten males, ten females; ZMB 90052 (field #: N035), adult female, Guinea, Keoulenta, 7°41′20.6”N, 8°21′19.0”W, 21 September 2009, leg. J. Doumbia, L. Sandberger, K. Camara & F. Gbêmou; ZMB 90053 (field #: N064), adult female, Guinea, Foromota, 7°42′58.3”N, 8°21′41.6”W, 3 November 2009, leg. J. Doumbia, L. Sandberger, K. Camara & F. Gbêmou; ZMB 90054 (field #: S4- Dian 91), adult male, Guinea, Diandian Missidé, 10°59′10.356”N, 13°47′44.556”W, 3 October 2016, leg. J. Doumbia & K. Camara; ZMB 90055 (field #: Ban _0362), adult female, Guinea, Banco, 8°31′6.312”N, 8°56′15.864”W, 17 May 2019, leg. J. Doumbia & K. Camara; ZMB 90056 (field #: G009), adult female, Liberia, Gangra, 7°33′47.556”N, 8°38′15.144”W, 14 January 2009, leg. J. Doumbia, K. Camara & A. T. Johnson; ZMB 90057 (field #: Wata 2_0201), adult female, Guinea, Wataférédou, 8°39′15.192”N, 8°51′11.196”W, 8 May 2019, leg. J. Doumbia & K. Camara; ZMB 90059 (field #: G003), subadult female, Liberia, Gangra, 7°32′40.992”N, 8°37′35.58”W, 12 January 2009, leg. J. Doumbia, K. Camara & A. T. Johnson; ZMB 90060 (field #: G009), adult male, Liberia, Gangra, 7°33′47.556”N, 8°38′15.144”W, 14 January 2009, leg. J. Doumbia, K. Camara & A. T. Johnson; ZMB 90062 (field #: Obay _0548), adult male, Liberia, Obayanmai, 8°8′59.82”N, 9°52′49.764”W, 7 April 2019, leg. J. Doumbia, K. Camara, F. Gbêmou & F. B. Beyan; ZMB 90063 (field #: Obay _0611), adult male, Liberia, Obayanmai, 8°8′56.04”N, 9°52′26.436”W, 9 April 2019, leg. J. Doumbia, K. Camara, F. Gbêmou & F.B. Beyan; ZMB 90159 (field #: PG.L.15/040), adult female, near Bouaflé, Ivory Coast, 7°0′15.1488”N, 5°34′37.0344”W, 7 May 2015, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 90161 (field #: PG.L.13 033), subadult female, Liberia, Dugbe, 5°5′15”N, 8°36′29.88”W, 26 August 2013, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 90162 (field #: PG.L.13 109), adult male, Liberia, Dugbe, 5°8′40.92”N, 8°29′57.12”W, 3 September 2013, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 90163 (field #: LI10 014), adult male, Liberia, Tokadeh, 7°26′40.704”N, 8°39′27.972”W, 11 November 2010, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 90164 (field #: PG.L.13 054), adult female, Liberia, Dugbe, 5°4′20.28”N, 8°33′23.76”W, 28 August 2013, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 90165 (field #: LI10 121), adult male, Liberia Tokadeh, 7°27′52.164”N, 8°39′53.928”W, 27 November 2010, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 90166 (field #: LI10 114), adult male, Liberia, Eastern Nimba Nature Reserve, 7°29′3.264”N, 8°34′36.264”W, 26 November 2010, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 90167 (field #: LI10 136), adult male, Liberia, Geipa, 7°28′59.196”N, 8°32′13.344”W, 3 December 2010, leg. J. Penner; ZMB 90168 (field #: PG.L.13 188, adult male, Liberia, Dugbe, 5°5′45”N, 8°29′32.64”W, 13 September 2013, leg. J. Penner & N.L. Gonwouo; ZMB 90169 (field #: LI10 120, adult female, Liberia, Eastern Nimba Nature Reserve, 7°29′3.264”N, 8°34′36.264”W, 28 November 2010, leg. J. Penner. Diagnosis. Amnirana parva sp. nov. differs from other West African Amnirana genetically, morphologically, and acoustically. The uncorrected pairwise-divergence in 16S ribosomal RNA between the new species and its closest congener, A. fonensis, is 5.8%. The new species can be distinguished from A. fonensis by several morphological traits in male specimens. SVL of male A. parva sp. nov. (41.9–50.4 mm) is smaller than in A. fonensis (48.7–65.3 mm). Area of humeral gland is smaller in A. parva sp. nov. (3.7–14.8 mm 2) than in A. fonensis (13.5–26.4 mm 2) as well. Males of A. occidentalis and A. galamensis reach larger SVL (67 and up to 80 mm, respectively; females of these species reach 96 and 86 mm, respectively), have differing color pattern and completely smooth dorsal skin (R̂del & Bangoura 2004; Channing & R̂del 2019). Most males of A. parva sp. nov. have dark spots on the dorsum. Breeding males of A. fonensis differ by a yellow dorsal coloration. The ranges of two Central African Amnirana species that are morphologically similar to A. parva sp. nov., A. albolabris (comprising various lineages, see Jongsma 2018) and A. asperrima (Perret, 1977), do not overlap with the new species. Nominotypical A. albolabris from Central Africa show a larger body size in males (Perret 1977 reports 44–57 mm SVL for A. albolabris from Cameroon). Amnirana asperrima can also be distinguished by both its larger adult body size (SVL of males: 46.7–60.1 mm) and the texture of its dorsal skin, which is densely covered with tiny spines. Other Central African Amnirana species show distinct morphological traits and cannot be confused with Amnirana parva sp. nov.: A. amnicola (Perret, 1977) adults are larger (SVL of males and females: 53–72 mm) and have a more pointed snout; and A. lepus (Andersson, 1903) adults are much larger (SVL: 70–100 mm), have finely granular skin, fully webbed toes, and much longer hind limbs. Last, the new species also differs from populations previously referred to A. longipes (Perret, 1960) that are much larger (SVL 77–87 mm) and have a more robust body and longer hind limbs. Although we follow Jongsma (2018) in recognizing A. longipes as a junior synonym of A. albolabris, we include it here in anticipation that this may be recognized as a valid taxon if one or several lineages of Central African A. albolabris are recognized as distinct species. Description of the holotype. Figs. 5–6; measurements in mm. Adult male with long and slender body, slightly dorsoventrally flattened; snout–vent length 42.9; snout acuminate with rounded tip in dorsal view, narrowly rounded in lateral view; head length 15.8, approximately 27% of SVL; head width 13.6; eye–snout distance 6.7; nostrils directed laterally; nostril closer to the snout (1.7) than to eye (4.7); eye diameter 6.1, slightly larger than tympanum diameter (5.2); interorbital distance 4.3; approximately one third of eye projecting above dorsal margin of head in lateral view; canthus rostralis distinct and sharply protruding; loreal region concave; anterocranial part of upper arm with large protruding gland (3.6 long, 2.0 wide, surface: 7.2 mm 2); long and slender fingers, tips broader than subarticular tubercles, forming discs, reaching 130–200% of finger width, inner metacarapal tubercle large and elongated, outer metacarpal tubercle smaller and more rounded; manual webbing absent; finger formula II

Published as part of Griesbaum, Frederic, Jongsma, Gregory F. M., Penner, Johannes, Kouamé, N'Goran Germain, Doumbia, Joseph, Gonwouo, Nono L., Hillers, Annika, Glos, Julian, Blackburn, David C. & Rödel, Mark-Oliver, 2023, The smallest of its kind: Description of a new cryptic Amnirana species (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from West African rainforests, pp. 301-339 in Zootaxa 5254 (3) on pages 309-319, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5254.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7727536