Mantidactylus

Schmidt, Heike, Glaw, Frank, Teschke, Meike & Vences, Miguel, 2009, Description of tadpoles of five frog species in the subgenus Brygoomantis from Madagascar (Mantellidae: Mantidactylus), Zootaxa 1988, pp. 48-60 : 52

Mantidactylus sp. aff. biporus “Marojejy

Series examined. ZSM 1592/2007 (1 specimen). The single tadpole was collected by R.-D. Randrianiaina, F. Glaw and M. Vences on 17 February 2005 in a small stream inside primary forest in Marojejy National Park, close to a campsite locally known as Camp Simpona. Stream with yellowish water and a muddy bottom with leaf litter. Maximal width 40 cm, canopy along the stream opened 20%. Further data: O 2: 4.0 mg/l; NO2: <0.1 mg /l; NO3: 0 mg/l; PO4: 0.1 mg /l; NH4/N3: 0 mg/l; Fe: 0.1 mg /l; carbonate hardness: 1; total hardness: 4; pH: 6.3; air temperature: 18.4°C; water temperature: 17.9°C.

Taxonomic note. The DNA sequence of the single tadpole agrees most closely with DNA sequences from adult specimens of an undescribed Mantidactylus species from the same area (e.g., ZCMV 2017). These specimens bear superficial morphological similarities to Mantidactylus biporus but differ distinctly in their DNA sequences, and it is very likely that they represent a separate species.

Description. Based on the single tadpole available (ZSM 1592/2007; field number FGZC 2901; Genbank accession number EU717893 ; Figure 2 ). Tadpole in developmental stage 29 and in good state of preservation (a small part of ventral tail excised for DNA analysis). BL 9.8 mm, TL 27.4 mm, for further measurements see Table 1 . Colouration of the preserved tadpole pale brown with a slightly yellowish shade, dark brown with clearly visible edges at the end of body. Tadpole scattered with small, slightly darker irregular spots, including dorsal fin, especially posterior to body-tail junction in dorsal view. Belly and ventral caudal fin transparent with a slightly yellowish shade, almost lacking darker spots. In dorsal view body shape ovoid-rounded, head and body separated by a constriction of body wall at plane of spiracle. In lateral view body ovoid-depressed with a slightly elongated shape, slowly flattening from body-tail junction to snout, BW 1.06 of BH. Nostrils directed dorsolaterally, pointed, not protuberant, positioned closer to tip of snout than to eyes. IND 0.46 of IOD. Eyes positioned dorsally, orientated dorsolaterally, moderately sized, protuberant, and not visible in ventral view, ED 0.08 of BL. Snout rounded in dorsal and slightly rounded in lateral view. Spiracle sinistral, close to body, at the end inner wall free from body wall. Spiracular opening oval, oriented posteriorly, closer to tip of snout than to end of body, ESD 0.27 of BL. Intestinal spiral not visible in lateral view and very slightly visible in ventral view. Short, flattened vent tube, almost medial with lateral dextral displacement. Caudal musculature well developed, TMH 0.83 of BH and 0.92 of MTH, origin well visible in dorsal view and lower positioned (at the end of body in lateral and dorsal view), gradually tapering from base to tip. Dorsal fin originating on base of caudal musculature, increasing in height by one-third, MTH 0.9 of BH. Dorsal and ventral fin maintaining equal height to finely rounded tip. Fins to the end of caudal musculature nearly equally high, slightly convex in outline, margins not running parallel with margins of tail muscle. Oral disc small, generalized, ODW 0.38 of BL and 0.95 of BW, transversely ovoid, directed anteroventrally, laterally emarginated, not visible in dorsal view, but margins visible in lateral view. Large dorsal gap in marginal papillae. Lower labium with two rows of papillae (with pointed tip). All papillae from upper labium with a rounded tip. Some cores of papillae pigmented. Total number of papillae 91. LTRF 5(2–5)/3(1), about 19 teeth per mm and a total of 98 teeth in A2. Tooth row length decreases from A2 to A5. Large medial gap in second anterior tooth row. Only first posterior row with small medial gap. Beak well developed and black, both jaw sheaths gently serrated. Upper jaw sheath M-shaped, lower jaw sheath V-shaped.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Drawings of the preserved DNA voucher tadpole of Mantidactylus sp. aff. biporus “ Marojejy (stage 29), series ZSM 1592 / 2007; (a) oral disc, (b) dorsal view, (c) lateral view. Scale bars represent 1 mm.