The Complete List of Amphibians of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone, a nation blessed with an abundance of natural beauty and ecological diversity, offers a vibrant tapestry of life within its borders. Its rich rainforests, pristine wetlands, and varied terrain provide critical habitats for an incredible array of flora and fauna, making it a compelling region for biodiversity research and appreciation.

Among its many fascinating inhabitants, amphibians play a crucial role in these delicate ecosystems. This comprehensive list brings together exactly 40 Amphibians of Sierra Leone, showcasing the remarkable range of species found across the country. From the widely distributed Accra Puddle Frog to the more secluded Ziama Long-fingered Frog, you’ll find each entry detailed with its Scientific Name, Average Size (cm), and Conservation Status, providing a valuable snapshot of their presence, all compiled for you below.

What makes Sierra Leone a unique habitat for amphibians?

Sierra Leone’s geographical location in West Africa, characterized by significant rainfall and diverse biomes like tropical rainforests, savannas, and coastal plains, creates a rich mosaic of ideal breeding and living conditions for amphibians. The consistent humidity, coupled with abundant water sources from numerous rivers, streams, and temporary pools, supports a wide variety of frogs, toads, and caecilians, fostering a high level of biodiversity and unique species adaptations.

Amphibians of Sierra Leone

Images and Descriptions

Freetown Long-fingered Frog

A tiny frog found only in the forested mountains of the Freetown Peninsula. It lives in leaf litter, and its survival is critically threatened by habitat loss from urban expansion.

Common Squeaker Frog

This small, brownish frog is widespread in West African forests. Known for its cricket-like chirping call, it is often found hiding in the moist leaf litter on the forest floor.

Guinea Screeching Frog

A small leaf-litter frog from the Upper Guinea forest block. It is named for its high-pitched, insect-like call and is threatened by the ongoing deforestation occurring throughout its limited range.

Ziama Long-fingered Frog

A small, forest-dwelling frog named after the Ziama Massif. It is threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and logging, making its presence in Sierra Leone’s protected forests critical.

African Common Toad

A highly adaptable and common warty toad found in various habitats, from savannas to farms and villages. It’s a nocturnal hunter, feeding on a wide range of insects and invertebrates.

Loma Mountains Toad

A large, robust toad found in montane grasslands and forest galleries, including Sierra Leone’s Loma Mountains. It is threatened by habitat degradation from fires and agriculture.

Western Clawed Frog

A fully aquatic frog with a flattened body, lidless eyes, and clawed hind feet. It inhabits slow-moving streams and ponds, feeding on aquatic invertebrates by using its sense of smell.

Gola Reed Frog

A beautifully patterned reed frog with vibrant green and yellow markings. It is primarily found in the high-canopy forests of the Gola Rainforest National Park, a critical biodiversity hotspot.

Sharp-nosed Reed Frog

A small, slender green frog with a distinctively long, pointed snout. It is commonly found on reeds and grasses overhanging swamps and marshes in savanna and farmbush habitats.

Bibron’s Reed Frog

A colorful and variable reed frog, with males often being green and females brown with spots. It is a common sight in forest clearings, calling from vegetation near water bodies.

Burton’s Reed Frog

A small, often beautifully patterned reed frog inhabiting forest swamps. Males have a large gular sac and produce a distinctive call to attract females during the breeding season.

Brown-and-white Reed Frog

This reed frog is recognized by its distinct color pattern, often a dark brown back with a contrasting white belly. It is adaptable and can be found in both forests and degraded habitats.

Cochran’s Running Frog

A slender frog with a distinctive pattern of dark spots or stripes. Unlike many frogs that hop, it “walks” or “runs” with an alternating gait, often climbing into low vegetation.

Senegal Kassina

A stout-bodied frog with a pattern of dark, rounded blotches. It is a walking frog, often found far from water in savanna habitats, calling with a loud, liquid “quoip” after rains.

Liberian Puddle Frog

A very small, inconspicuous frog often found near small pools and puddles in forests and savannas. It plays a key role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations.

Fraser’s Puddle Frog

An extremely small terrestrial frog, often found in large numbers around puddles and marshes. Its small size and abundance make it an important food source for many other animals.

Guttural Puddle Frog

A small but robust puddle frog with a somewhat warty skin. It is widespread in the forest zone and is recognized by the male’s loud, rattling call during the breeding season.

Accra Puddle Frog

A common and adaptable small frog found in a wide variety of habitats, including disturbed areas like farms and villages. It often breeds in temporary puddles, even very small ones.

Gaboon Caecilian

A legless, worm-like amphibian that lives a hidden life burrowing in moist soil and leaf litter. It has a pointed snout for digging and tiny eyes covered by skin and bone.

Striped Spiny Reed Frog

A small reed frog recognizable by the tiny spines on its skin and bold dark stripes running down its back. It lays its eggs in folded leaves that are glued together overhanging water.

Galam White-lipped Frog

A large, powerful frog with long legs built for jumping. It is easily identified by its bright white upper lip and is typically found near streams and rivers in savanna woodlands.

Western Forest Frog

A large, smooth-skinned frog similar to the Galam White-lipped Frog but typically found in more forested habitats. It is a powerful leaper, often found along the banks of forest streams.

Mascarene Rocket Frog

A streamlined frog with long, muscular legs and prominent ridges along its back. It is an excellent jumper, often found in open grasslands, marshes, and recently disturbed habitats.

Savanna Ridged Frog

A common frog of savanna environments, identified by the parallel skin ridges running down its back. It is a fast and agile jumper, often found near temporary pools where it breeds.

Broad-banded Ridged Frog

A large ridged frog of the forest zone, this species prefers swampy areas and slow-moving streams. It has a powerful jump and is well-camouflaged against the forest floor.

Ivory Coast Frog

A robust, semi-aquatic frog adapted to life in fast-flowing, rocky streams in rainforests. Its tadpoles have a large sucker mouth to cling to rocks and avoid being washed away.

Forest Tree Frog

A large, striking tree frog, often bright green with large, reddish-brown eyes. It is an arboreal species, spending most of its time in the forest canopy and descending to breed.

Silvery Tree Frog

Known for its beautiful silvery-grey to brown coloration and large, forward-facing eyes. This nocturnal tree frog inhabits forests and farmbush, with males calling from vegetation overhanging water.

African Tiger Frog

One of West Africa’s largest frogs, this is a voracious, highly aquatic predator. It can be found in almost any water body, where it eats fish, insects, other frogs, and even small mammals.

Allen’s Slippery Frog

A large, aquatic frog with rough, warty skin, found in and around clear, fast-flowing streams in forested areas. It is a powerful swimmer and is threatened by water pollution and deforestation.

West African Rubber Frog

This uniquely shaped frog has smooth, rubbery skin and a small head. It walks or runs rather than hops and can secrete a toxic, sticky substance from its skin for defense.

Foam-nest Tree Frog

This social frog is famous for its communal breeding. Several males help a female churn her secretions into a large foam nest, which is built on a branch overhanging water for the tadpoles to drop into.

Crowned Bullfrog

A large, robust frog with a wide mouth, adapted to savanna and dryland habitats. It burrows underground during the dry season, emerging with the first rains to breed in temporary pools.

Yellow-bellied Puddle Frog

A tiny frog of the forest floor, often identifiable by the bright yellow coloration on its belly and thighs. It is a common species in the leaf litter near streams and swamps.

Boulenger’s Ridged Frog

A slender, long-snouted frog found in moist savanna and forest edges. Like other rocket frogs, it is an incredible jumper, using its speed to escape predators.

Mertens’ Tree Frog

A small, poorly known tree frog from the Upper Guinea forests. Its secretive nature and limited records mean that its population status and exact habitat needs are still a mystery to science.

Tai Forest Puddle Frog

A small puddle frog associated with primary rainforest, its presence indicates a healthy ecosystem. It is threatened by logging and the conversion of its forest habitat to agriculture.

Long-nosed Spiny Reed Frog

This small frog is distinguished by its pointed snout and spiny skin texture. It breeds in swampy areas, with males calling from emergent vegetation to attract mates.

Lamotte’s Tree Frog

A medium-sized tree frog found in gallery forests within savanna regions. It has large eyes for nocturnal activity and spends its days resting on leaves or tree bark, perfectly camouflaged.

Sharp-nosed Puddle Frog

A small frog with a notably pointed snout, found in montane forests and swamps. Its specific habitat requirements make it vulnerable to deforestation and climate change.