Abstract:
Pyxicephalus currently contains three recognized species, viz. P. adspersus, P. edulis and P. obbianus, the former two of which
have a long history of confusion. Parry (1982) described P. adspersus angusticeps from Beira, Mozambique, which was
synonymized with P. edulis. We re-examine the taxonomic status of Pyxicephalus taxa from Mozambique, examining the types
and contrasting them to congeners throughout Africa. Morphological characters previously used to delimit species in
Pyxicephalus are examined, and problems with some identified. Additional diagnostic characters and their variation in
Pyxicephalus are discussed, and a revised key is provided. Confusion among species in the genus, type localities, literature and
folklore led to P. adspersus angusticeps being incorrectly synonymized with P. edulis. We formally revalidate P. angusticeps,
and designate a lectotype for P. edulis. The identity of voucher specimens from previous work suggests that the breeding
ecology of P. angusticeps is distinct from that of P. adspersus and P. edulis, and that the advertisement call of P. angusticeps
was used as part of the evidence for elevating P. edulis out of synonymy with P. adspersus. The previous confusion of P.
adspersus and P. edulis does not affect the recognition of P. angusticeps. The wider implication of the previous
misidentification of P. angusticeps as P. edulis is that most of the museum material labeled as P. adspersus from East Africa is
P. edulis, and most of the museum material labeled as P. edulis from East Africa is P. angusticeps. This conclusion has been
confirmed from East African museum material thus far examined.
