A molecular phylogeny of moss frogs from the Western Cape, South Africa, with a description of a new species

Moss frogs of the genus Arthroleptella from the mountains of the Western Ca pe, south Africa are morphologically identical, and were once placed in a s ingle species. Previous fieldwork on these cryptic animals inhabiting seepa ge areas has shown the presence of allopatric populations on isolated mount ains. We present a molecular phylogeny and describe a new species that is s ympatric with Arthroleptella villiersi. It has a unique advertisement call, and the skin is smoother, with nostrils placed slightly wider than the oth er species.