Rhacophorus cyanopunctatus Manthey & Steiof, 1998

Ming, Leong Tzi, 2004, Larval Descriptions Of Some Poorly Known Tadpoles From Peninsular Malaysia (Amphibia: Anura), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52 (2), pp. 609-620 : 614-616

Rhacophorus cyanopunctatus Manthey & Steiof, 1998

( Fig. 7 , Table 5)

Larval microhabitat. – A small collection of larvae was obtained from two different streams in south eastern Johor (ZRC.1.8627-8630, Kahang, 2 16’N, 103 36’E, coll. T. M. Leong et al., 24 Sep.2001; ZRC.1.10254-10255, Gunong Panti foothills, 1 51’N, 103 23’E, coll. T. M. Leong et al., 15 Dec.2002). However, the larvae were collected from similar situations of leaf drifts on the sides of the streams where current was minimal and leaf litter had accumulated. The streams were not more than two metres wide and half a metre deep, with sandy substrate. At night, adult vouchers were collected from both localities, perched on vegetation flanking the stream, with adult males calling (ZRC.1.8609- 8611, Kahang; ZRC.1.10237-10238, Panti foothills). At the second site, the larvae of Limnonectes blythii (ZRC.1.10251), Rana chalconota (ZRC.1.10252) and Rana signata (ZRC.1.10253) were collected from the same patch of leaf drift as the R. cyanopunctaus larvae.

Larval diagnosis. – A small, stream-dwelling tadpole (maximum TL ca. 29mm); body elongated; nostril and eye elliptical; spiracle projecting as free tube; body and tail muscle black in life, fins largely clear; oral disc assuming cup-shape; LTRF 9(5-9)/3(1).

Larval morphology. – ( Fig. 7 ) Body elliptical, BL 2.16-2.21 of BW, slightly depressed dorsoventrally, BH 0.61-0.69 of

BW; snout rounded, nostril equidistant between eye and snout tip, nostril an oval slit, opening directed laterally; eyes dorsolateral, oval shaped; IOD 1.93-2.02 of IND; spiracle sinistral, low on left side, projecting as a short, free tube, tapered towards the end, opening directed backwards, spiracle visible from above and below, snout-spiracle 0.55-0.58 of BL; vent dextral, conical, continuous with ventral fin, ending as a free flap beyond margin of ventral fin. Tail weakly convex at midpoint, dorsal fin slightly deeper than ventral fin, tail tip narrowly rounded, TAL 1.91-2.35 of BL, MTH 0.13-0.16 of TAL. Lateral line pores faintly discernible, naso-lacrymal groove indistinct.

Colour/Markings. – In life, body and tail muscle jet black, venters light gray; tail fins mostly clear, except for areas immediately adjacent to dorsal and ventral margins of tail musculature.

Oral Disc. – Pronounced cup-shape formed by protuberant anterior and posterior labia, marginal papillae of anterior labium occupying lateral thirds on both sides, size (length) of individual papillae increasing from inner towards outer, additional infra-marginal row at lateral quarters of anterior labium; marginal papillae of posterior labium continuous, with 2-3 rows of evenly spaced/sized infra-marginal papillae; margin of upper jaw sheath curved downwards, lower jaw sheath broadly arched, both jaw sheaths keratinised and serrated at their margins, degree of keratinisation on lower jaw sheath more extensive (wider) than that of upper; ODW 0.57-0.62 of BW.

LTRF. – 9(5-9)/3(1) in advanced larvae (Stage 37); 8(5-8)/ 3(1) in earlier stages; size of labial teeth decreasing from P- 1 to P-3.

Developmental changes. – A stage 25 larva was still with yolk sac, but later stages already exhibit the typical coiled intestines. In the stage 37 larva, expanded toe discs may be seen and finger discs visible through the translucent skin of venter. A summary of the measurements is presented in Table 5.

Remarks. – An additional larval specimen from Borneo [ZRC.1.4072, Stage 36, LTRF 9(5-9)/3(1); East Kalimantan, Kayan Basin, Sungai Bako, tributary to Sungai Kayan. Coll. H. H. Tan, 23 Nov.1999] was also examined and found to belong to this species. It was collected in similar microhabitats as described above and found together with larvae of Rana signata (ZRC.1.4044-4065) and Limnonectes sp. (ZRC.1.4066-4070).

28 2 5.5-5.7 14.6-14.9

29 5 6.3-6.8 17.8-19.5

30 4 7.1-7.9 19.3-20.1

31 4 7.3-7.8 18.7-20.3

34 4 7.6-8.2 19.0-22.4

35 12 8.8-9.6 23.1-26.1

36 28 9.2-9.9 23.9-25.6

37 37 9.7-10.7 26.7-27.8

38 4 10.5-11.4 27.3-27.9

39 1 10.9 28.4

40 2 10.5-10.7 27.9-29.3

41 5 10.2-10.8 26.1-29.9

42 7 9.9-11.1 18.4-26.9

43 1 10.6 18.5

44 3 9.6-10.5 10.2-12.4

46 9 SVL = 8.6-10.2mm

Figures

Fig. 7. Lateral (A) and dorsal (B) aspects of Rhacophorus cyanopunctatus larva (Stage 31). Note uniformly black head-body and tail muscle, fins largely unpigmented.