Leptodactylodon ovatus subsp. orientalis Amiet 1971

Leptodactylodon ovatus orientalis Amiet, 1971

Nine tadpoles where examined. All were found in Ebo Forest at the Bekob and Njuma sites: ZMB 78534 (five tadpoles, Gosner stages 25 & 26, Ebo Forest Bekob, 4°21’51.96”N, 10°25’10.26”E, 893 m, 30 September 2011); ZMB 78535 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 25, Ebo Forest Bekob, 4°21’51.96”N, 10°25’10.26”E, 893 m, 10 September 2011); ZMB 78540 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 37, Ebo Forest Bekob, 4°21’55.68”N, 10°25’18.48”E, 825 m, 10 January 2011); ZMB 78541 (two tadpoles, Gosner stage 25, Ebo Forest Njuma, 4°20’59.34”N, 10°14’15.72”E, 311 m, 5 August 2011). All tadpoles were found in mid-sized rivers within primary and secondary forests, at 311 to 893 m.

The description is based on two genotyped individuals (ZMB 78534–35) of Gosner stage 25–26. Body length/ total length ratio and description of tail tips was based on non-genotyped specimens of Gosner stage 25.

Morphology. Long slender tadpole with narrow and long muscular tail; body depressed in lateral and elliptical in dorsal view (Fig. 10 a, b); body length 28.3 ± 0.6% (N= 4) of total length; body height 43.1–43.9.0% (N= 2) of body length; body width 52.9–55.3% (N= 2) of body length; maximum body width on level of spiracle insertion; snout truncate in dorsal view; nostrils oval, situated laterally; nostrils equidistant from eye and snout tip; eye diameter 11.1–11.4% (N= 2) of body length; inter-orbital distance almost equals inter-nostril distance; tail fins narrow; dorsal fin originates distinctly posterior to the tail base, broader than ventral fin, reaching deepest point in last third of tail; ventral fin narrow, originates at level of tail base, runs almost parallel to tail axis, deepest point close to tail tip (Channing et al. 2012 illustrate the tadpole with a very narrow dorsal fin, originating at about 25% of the tail, the ventral fin being distinctly deeper than the dorsal one); tail tip pointed to rounded; tail axis broad, converges in last third towards tail tip; vent tube dextral; lateral sacs present, extending from spiracle to end of body, covering lower two thirds of flanks; short sinister spiracle, translucent, opening lateral, not visible in dorsal view, originating slightly posterior to mid-body; mouth opening frontal; labial tooth row formula 0/0; both jaw sheaths completely keratinized, serrated and with a lateral pair of caniniform projections (fangs); median part of lower jaw with six to seven needle-like cusps (Fig. 10 d); one distinct serration abaxial to fangs; upper jaw sheath narrow and almost straight; lower jaw sheath heavier, slightly bent, serration more pronounced; semicircular to bilobate posterior lip, covered with 20 large papillae (Channing et al. 2012: 18) and numerous small papillae; arrangement of large papillae symmetric along vertical body axis, arranged in two semicircular rows; small papillae arranged along edge of posterior lip (Fig. 10 c); short, straight to depressed w-shaped skin fold on lower lip, just posterior to lower jaw sheath; oral disc width 41.8 ± 7.1% (N= 4) of body length; mouth width 24.5 ± 4.6% (N= 4) of oral disc width.

The largest known individual (ZMB 78534, Gosner stage 25) measured 51.3 mm (body length. 14.3 mm; tail length: 37.0 mm). The most developed tadpole had a body length of 13.4 mm (ZMB 78540, Gosner stage 37, tail incomplete). Amiet (1980) reports a juvenile with 17 mm body length, still having a 10 mm tail.

Coloration in preservation. Dark brown body and tail, densely and irregularly mottled with dark brown spots; some individuals lighter colored; venter slightly lighter; tail fins mottled, dorsal one brownish with dark spots, ventral fin translucent with few spots.