Boophis viridis Blommers-Schlösser, 1979

Raharivololoniaina, Liliane, Grosjean, Stéphane, Raminosoa, Noromalala Rasoamampionona, Glaw, Frank & Vences, Miguel, 2006, Molecular identification, description, and phylogenetic implications of the tadpoles of 11 species of Malagasy treefrogs, genus Boophis, Journal of Natural History 40 (23 - 24), pp. 1449-1480 : 1472-1474

Boophis viridis Blommers-Schlösser, 1979

( Figure 11 )

The following description refers to one voucher specimen in developmental stage 36 (ZSM 574/2004, field number LR 222d, TL 30.5 mm, BL 11.5 mm), from locality 3.

In dorsal view ( Figure 11a ), body ovoid, snout rounded. In lateral view ( Figure 11b ), body depressed, BW 118% of BH, snout rounded. Eyes of moderate size, ED 10.0% of BL, slightly bulging, not visible in ventral view, positioned almost dorsally but directed anterolaterally and dorsolaterally, situated at about the anterior quarter of the body. Nares oval, of moderate size, rimmed, positioned dorsolaterally, directed anterolaterally and dorsolaterally, nearer to anterior edge of eyes than to tip of snout, RN 133% of NP; NN 49% of PP. Spiracle sinistral, small, conical, inner wall free and formed such that aperture opens laterally instead of posteriorly; closer to end of body than to snout, SS 67% of BL, situated a little below the longitudinal axis of tail musculature. Vent tube short, dextral, opening dextral, its right wall displaced anterodorsally, directed posterodorsally, linked to ventral tail fin except its tip. Tail relatively long. Caudal musculature moderately developed, TMH 50% of BH and 67% of MTH, TMW 37% of BW, at mid-length of tail its height about half of the total tail height, reaching almost to tail tip. Caudal fins moderately weakly developed, MTH 75% of BH; dorsal fin originating at the dorsal tail– body junction and slightly taller than ventral fin at mid-length of tail, ventral fin originating immediately behind body; tail tip pointed.

Oral disc ( Figure 11c ) moderately small, ODW 19% of BL and 31% of BW, positioned and directed anteroventrally, emarginated. Oral disc bordered by a single row of about 50 marginal papillae interrupted by a large median gap on the upper labium (DG 57% of ODW), and by a small medial gap on the lower labium. A few submarginal papillae positioned in the lateral parts of the anterior and posterior labia. Papillae moderately large, stout, conical with a rounded tip. No denticulate papillae. Keratodont row formula 1:2+2/ 1+1:2. P1 interrupted by less than 0.1 mm; P2 the longest keratodont row of the oral disc. About 79 keratodonts on A1 (ca 49 per mm); P1 and P2 of about similar length, P3 about two-thirds of P2. Upper jaw finely serrated, black with a larger medial serration surrounded by smaller serrations on each side forming a slight convexity; lower jaw black, moderately serrated, V-shaped.

Coloration in preservative. Dorsally: whole dorsum body and caudal musculature uniformly mottled; eyes partially sunk into orbital sockets; nares mixed with the markings and difficult to see. Laterally: intestinal coils well visible; musculature junctions slightly distinct in the anterior part of tail musculature; dorsal fin moderately mottled; ventral fin almost clear. Ventrally: branchial and cardial region slightly visible through ventral body wall; intestinal coils dextral, visible ventrally with regular spiral shape.

Variation. TL and BL of 26 tadpoles at stages 25–39 (ZSM 561/2004–574/2004, LR 221a, LR 221b, LR 221b2, LR 221b3, LR222c1, LR222c2, LR222c3, LR222c5, LR222c7, LR222c9, LR222c11, LR222c12), all from locality 3, are 18.3–33.5 and 7.3–12.5 mm, respectively. The ratios vary in the following proportions: BW 113–144% of BH; ED 10.0– 13.2% of BL; RN 80–133% of NP; NN 41–54% of PP; SS 60–75% of BL; TMH 40–56% of BH; TMH 40–58% of MTH; TMW 30–41% of BW; MTH 75–118% of BH; ODW 17–25% of BL; ODW 27–42% of BW. KRF of the 26 tadpoles varies from 1:2+2/1+1:2 to 1:3+3/1+1:2.

Figures

Figure 11. Drawings of the tadpole of Boophis viridis (ZSM 574/2004). (a) Dorsal view; (b) lateral view; (c) oral disc.