View article

Aim  Amphibians are a model group for studies of the biogeographical origins of salt‐intolerant taxa on oceanic islands. We used the Gulf of Guinea islands to explore the biogeographical origins of island endemism of one species of frog, and used this to gain insights into potential colonization mechanisms.

Location  São Tomé and Príncipe, two of the four major islands in the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa, are truly oceanic and have an exceptionally high biodiversity.

Methods  Mitochondrial DNA is used to test the endemic status of a frog from São Tomé and compare it with congeneric taxa from tropical Africa. Existing data on surface currents, surface salinity, atmospheric circulation and bird migration in the Gulf of Guinea are summarized to address hypotheses concerning colonization mechanisms.

Results  The endemic status of Ptychadena newtoni (Bocage) is supported here by mitochondrial DNA sequences …