Amphibians in Libya: a status report

Abstract

Libya is mostly desert, has few water sources and only four amphibian species (all anurans) have been historically reported to occur there, although ancient reports of Hoplobatrachus occipitalis have not been confirmed in recent surveys. Amietophrynus xeros is confined to the Ghat area in the southwest, Pelophylax saharicus is restricted to the north and Bufotes boulengeri is found in various localities within the country. Although no quantitative data have been reported for amphibian population declines, some factors (habitat degradation, drought, and high temperatures contributing to disappearance of some bodies of water) seem to be behind the local decline of amphibian populations in Libya.