Pseudophryne vivipara

Loader, Simon P., Poynton, John C., Davenport, Tim R. B. & Rödel, Mark-Oliver, 2009, Re-description of the type series of Nectophrynoides viviparus (Bufonidae), with a taxonomic reassessment, Zootaxa 2304, pp. 41-50 : 50

Pseudophryne vivipara

Diagnosis: tympanum visible at least in adults, tip of forth toe exceeds tip of snout, fifth toe shorter than third, viviparous

Description: snout pointed; canthus rostralis distinct; loreal region slightly concave, snout slightly longer than eye diameter; nares positioned below canthus rostralis, directed a bit caudally; interorbital space as wide as upper eyelid; pupil horizontal; tympanum present but not very distinct, small about 1/3 of eye diameter, coloured dark brown; head comparatively large, markedly separated from body; finger considerably long, widely splayed from each other and in life certainly not laying together; first finger much shorter than second, second only half the length of third finger, fourths finger shorter than third bit longer than second; skin below fingers without prominent bulges, like swollen; first toe much shorter than second, second much shorter than third, third shorter than fourth, fifths shorter than forth and third; below toes and on sole of foot the tubercles are only almost plain, roundish bulges, as are the outer and inner metatarsal tubercle; when hind legs pulled forward, hock already extending snout tip, toes extending snout by far; skin smooth; parietal glands remarkably large but not very prominent; no breast fold that would reach from one armpit to the other; as juveniles uniform blackish brown; they fade much later on; first the belly gets branching clear yellow spots, which extend in size in a way that finally a white-yellowish venter is covered with numerous blackish brown points; dorsal parts of back and legs fade as well to a colour that is clear chocolate brown; finally the animals have dorsal surfaces that are irregularly blackish brown and clear chocolate brown. The species is viviparous.

The lower parts of both oviducts are enlarged; internal walls smooth without diaphragms or protrusions where eggs or larvae could lie or adhere, at the lowest ends both oviducts fuse to one large cavity. In both oviducts a large number of mature frog-larvae lay loosely and independently from each other. In an especially large female the right oviduct had 37, the left oviduct 30, a total of 67 larvae. Accordingly a younger specimen carried less. The young have no “amnion” and apparently are far developed; i.e. they have the head and mouth shapes of adult animals, the eyes are large and fully developed, and the deep black iris distinctly contrasts from the only sparsely pigmented and hence still colourless individual. The vertebrae sit on the bulbously bloated body like a just closed medulla on a cleavage egg. The abdominal cavity is filled with a huge amount of unused yolk. The vertebrae end with a long, round tail. Both hind and front extremities are already visible as buds. The posterior buds seem to be a bit further developed. The vent is positioned between the hind legs and originates a bit further dorsally than them.

The facts that these larvae do not have fins on the tail, that the extremities are well developed, the vent is positioned above the hind legs, and head and mouth already have the definite shape, makes it certain that this frog species is not only viviparous but gives birth to even young frogs that are fully metamorphosed.