Allobates sumtuosus (Morales, 2002)

Schiesari, Luis, Rossa-Feres, Denise De Cerqueira, Menin, Marcelo & Hödl, Walter, 2022, Tadpoles of Central Amazonia (Amphibia: Anura), Zootaxa 5223 (1), pp. 1-149 : 25-27

Allobates sumtuosus

External morphology. Description based on nine tadpoles between Stages 33 and 39 (LCS 529, 552). Total length 22.4 ± 0.9 mm (N = 4; tadpoles at Stages 38 and 39). Body ovoid in dorsal view and globular/depressed in lateral view ( Fig. 5A, B ). Snout rounded in dorsal view and sloping in lateral view. Eyes medium-sized, dorsally positioned and dorsolaterally directed. Nostrils medium-sized, circular, dorsally positioned in an intermediate distance between eyes and snout, with opening dorsolaterally directed, without a projection on the marginal rim. Oral disc ( Fig. 5C ) ventral, slightly laterally emarginate; marginal papillae triangular and long, uniseriate, with a dorsal gap. Submarginal papillae absent. LTRF 2(2)/3(1); A1 and A2 of the same length; P1 slightly longer than P2 and P3. Jaw sheaths narrow, finely serrated; anterior jaw sheath arch-shaped, posterior jaw sheath U-shaped. Spiracle single, sinistral, conical, short and wide, posterodorsally directed, opening on the posterior third of the body, with the centripetal wall fused to the body wall and longer than the external wall. Vent tube dextral, fused to the ventral fin, with a dextral opening. Caudal musculature of moderate width; in lateral view gradually tapering to the pointed tip. Dorsal fin shallow, convex, originating at the tail-body junction; ventral fin shallow, convex. Tail tip pointed. Lateral lines visible.

Colour. In preservative, body light brown to brown, venter paler, belly translucent; caudal musculature light brown, tail fins translucent; caudal musculature and fins covered with melanophores forming many irregular brown blotches. In life, dorsum grayish brown, lateral of the body mottled, venter translucent; caudal musculature pale brown, tail fins translucent, both with melanophores forming irregular blotches ( Fig. 5D ).

Variation. LTRF ranges between 2(2)/3 (less frequent) and 2(2)/3(1) (more frequent) after Stage 27.

Metamorphs. Similar to adults. Body brown with two distinct, dark dorsolateral stripes starting in the snout, passing through eyes and continuing towards end of body; limbs brown; venter creamy-colored ( Fig. 5E ).

Natural history. Eggs are deposited in the forest floor in rolled or doubled fallen leaves. Clutches contain from 6 to 14 eggs ( Juncá 1998; Lima et al. 2012). Tadpoles are carried on the back of the males to small, temporary, isolated or streamside ponds and puddles in terra-firme forests and forest edge ( Juncá 1998; Lima et al. 2012; this study). Larvae are found in all months of the year. Ability to colonize very small water bodies is indicated by the observation of tadpoles of A. sumtuosus on fallen palm leaves or bucket lids filled with rainwater only a few millimeters deep (this study). Larvae are benthic and camouflaged against the substrate. Tadpoles of A. sumtuosus are prey to tadpoles of Leptodactylus rhodomystax ( Rodrigues et al. 2007) and to Pipa arrabali ( Buchacher 1993) . In experiments larvae were found to consume few anuran eggs and to be preyed upon by dragonfly larvae and fish ( Hero 1991; Magnusson & Hero 1991).

Comments. Tadpoles of A. sumtuosus described from Central Amazonia, State of Amazônia (Hero 1990) differ from those herein characterized only by the spiracle opening located on the medial third of the body. Those described from Reserva Biológica do Rio Trombetas , State of Pará by Simıes & Lima (2012) differ from those herein by presenting marginal papillae changing in shape from pyramidal laterally to round posteriorly, and P3 slightly shorter.

Genus Anomaloglossus . Only one species of Anomaloglossus is found in Central Amazonia.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Tadpole of Allobates sumtuosus (LCS 552) at Stage 38: (A) lateral view, (B) dorsal view (scale = 10 mm), and (C) oral disc (scale = 1 mm). (D) Dorsolateral view of live tadpole and (E) dorsolateral view of newly metamorphosed froglet.