Mantidactylus

Mantidactylus sp. aff. biporus ”Ranomafana

Series examined. ZSM 123/2007. The 14 tadpoles of this series were collected in a rather shallow stream at a site locally known as Fompohonina in the Ranomafana National Park in eastern Madagascar (stream called Fompohonina III; depth about 7 cm, 21°15.907'S; 47°25.349'E, 1012 m a.s.l.) by A. Strauß, R.-D. Randrianiaina and S. H. Ndriantsoa on 16 March 2007. The stream had a low downward slope of 16 cm per 10 m and its substrate was characterised by a high percentage of sand (58%) and leaves (40%), almost without vegetation. It was surrounded by primary rain forest with high canopy cover (> 70%). Water temperature was 18.9°C, pH was 8.9. The tadpoles were collected within or close to leaf agglomerations in the slower running parts of the stream.

Taxonomic note. The DNA sequence of the DNA voucher of this tadpole series agrees with DNA sequences (unpublished) from adult specimens belonging to an undescribed Mantidactylus from Ranomafana National Park (e.g., ZSM 667/2003), morphologically close to Mantidactylus biporus but differing distinctly in their DNA sequences, and also having a different advertisement call. For a photograph of an adult specimen, see Glaw & Vences (2007) on page 239, colour plate 5b.

TABLE 1. Measurements and morphological data of DNA voucher specimens from each species (Genbank accession numbers included in the series EU717879 - EU717893). For abbreviations, see Materials and Methods. Each column refers to the individual specimen that was identified through DNA barcoding and for which species identity is thus reliable.

Description. Based on one tadpole from series ZSM 123/2007 (field number ZCMV 4051; Genbank accession number EU717892; Figure 1). Specimen in developmental stage 25 and in fairly good state of preservation (a small ventral part of tail excised for DNA analysis). BL 9.8 mm, TL 27.4 mm, for further measurements see Table 1. Colouration in preservative brown with a yellowish shade, pale brown with a few irregular dark brown spots on body and dorsal fin, not visible in ventral view. Belly and two-thirds of ventral caudal fin almost lacking these darker spots. In dorsal view body shape ovoid-elongated. In lateral view body appears elongated and depressed, BW 1.26 of BH. Body shape in lateral view flattening toward snout. Nostrils directed dorsolaterally, not protuberant, positioned closer to tip of snout than to eyes. IND 0.67 of IOD. Eyes positioned dorsally, moderately sized, ED 0.09 of BL, protuberant, not visible in ventral view. Snout rounded in lateral view, nearly rounded in dorsal view. Spiracle sinistral, closely attached to body wall at the end of spiracle, oriented posteriorly, not visible in dorsal view. Spiracular opening oval, inner wall free from body, slightly closer to tip of snout than to end of body. ESD 0.26 of BL. Intestinal spiral well visible in ventral view, not visible in dorsal and lateral view. Short, flattened vent tube, medial with lateral dextral displacement. Caudal musculature well-developed, TMH 0.88 of BH and 1.04 of MTH, gradually tapering from base to the round fin tip. Dorsal fin homogeneous and more pigmented than ventral fin, originating behind base of caudal musculature, slowly increasing in height. MTH 0.85 of BH. Ventral fin convex in its outline, ventral fin at maximum height even higher than dorsal fin, curved towards tail tip. Dorsal fin slightly convex. Oral disc small, generalized, ODW 0.32 of BL and 0.56 of BW, transversally elliptical, directed anteroventrally, laterally emarginated, not visible in dorsal view, but margins visible in lateral view. Large dorsal gap of marginal papillae, all papillae with a rounded tip. Lower and upper labium with two rows of papillae, some with pigmented cores. Total number of papillae 98. LTRF 4(2–4)/3 (with small gaps in rows A1, P2 and P3, here interpreted as deformities), about 76 teeth per mm and a total of 105 teeth in A2. Tooth row length decreases from A2 to A4. Large medial gap in second anterior tooth row and small medial gap in first anterior tooth row. Second and third posterior row are with one and three small medial gaps. Beak well developed, upper jaw sheath M-shaped and lower jaw sheath V-shaped. Both jaw sheaths gently serrated, with three parts having different colourations: base totally keratinised, black; medial part partially keratinised, brown; edge not keratinised, unpigmented.

Variation. The series ZSM 123/2007 consists of 14 specimens in stages 24–25. Proportions vary as follows: BW 1.03–1.47 of BH, IND 0.47–0.88 of IOD, ED 0.09–0.11 of BL, ESD 0.26–0.35 of BL, TMH 0.55–0.83 of BH, TMH 0.60–1.08 of MTH, MTH 0.72–0.95 of BH, ODW 0.29–0.47 of BL, ODW 0.51–0.79 of BW, TAL 1.88–2.41 of BL, BL 0.29–0.35 of TL, TAL 0.65–0.70 of TL. Tooth row formula variations are as follows: 5(2–5)/3; 5(2–5)/3(1); 4(2–4)/3; 4(2–4)/3(1). There was no obvious correlation between the number of tooth rows and developmental stages of the tadpoles. Gaps in rows P2 and P3, here interpreted as oral deformities, were encountered in several specimens. Numbers of labial teeth per mm in A2 vary from 67–88; numbers of papillae vary from 71–98. The intestinal spiral is always visible in ventral view. There are differences in lateral and dorsal view, in some specimens the intestinal spiral is visible in both views, in others only in lateral view.