Guibemantis tornieri (Ahl, 1928)

Vejarano, Silvia, Thomas, Meike & Vences, Miguel, 2006, Comparative larval morphology in Madagascan frogs of the genus Guibemantis (Amphibia: Mantellidae), Zootaxa 1329, pp. 39-57 : 51-54

Guibemantis tornieri (Ahl, 1928)

Note. Previous tadpole descriptions for this species were from specimens collected at the East Coast of Madagascar (Foulpointe) where G. t o r n i e r i does not occur. These descriptions almost certainly refer to G. t i m i d u s (see below).

Series examined: ZSM 424/2004 (fieldnumber 2002.1740; DQ054494 ) series of two specimens from Ranomafana village collected in an artificial pond near the "Hotel Thermal" (21° 15.602S /47° 27.031E, 293 m above sea level) on 25 January 2003.

Description is based on the DNA voucher from this series. For morphometric data see tables 3 and 4. Tadpole in stage 26. Colour in preservative brown, with small dorsal patches. The intestinal wall is also slightly pigmented and the intestinal spiral visible. Ventral part of the body lacks pigmentation. Anterior part of the tail with transverse stripes, but the rest of the tail and caudal fin are missing because of tissue sampling. Tadpole type IV ( Orton 1953). Body shape oval (fig. 4a and b). Snout in dorsal view almost rounded. Eyes medium-sized (about 0.1 of body length) dorsally positioned. Spiracle difficult to recognize. Oral disc laterally emarginated, completely ventral, but localized in the exact end of the snout. (fig. 4c). Dorsal gap of the marginal papillae 1.5 mm. Oral disc bordered by 41 (˜ 0.1 mm) marginal papillae except a short part near the emargination. One row of 10 submarginal papillae on the lower lip and one on each side of the upper lip. LTRF 1:3+4/1+1:2 ( Dubois 1995) or [4–5](2–5)/3(1) ( Altig & McDiarmid 1999); UTR1 and LTR3 with thinner and more teeth per millimetre (ca. 70–80/mm) than the rest (ca. 55–64/mm) and becoming shorter at the borders. From UTR2 on, they are separated by the upper jaw sheath. UTR5 only present on the right side but with big teeth (only 7/mm) LTR1 with a short gap. Jaw sheaths distinct and black, with serrated edges (ca. 60 on each jaw). Sheath of upper jaw gently curved in the middle, and lower jaw sheath resembling a wide V.

Second specimen of the series in stage 25; LTRF 5(2–5)/3(1); 64 marginal papillae; 2–4 submarginal papillae on each side of the upper lip and 12–13 on the lower lip. Coloration, general and oral disc morphology similar to the DNA voucher specimen.