Boophis brachychir

Randrianiaina, Roger-Daniel, Raharivololoniaina, Liliane, Preuss, Claudia, Glaw, Frank, Teschke, Meike, Glos, Julian, Raminosoa, Noromalala & Vences, Miguel, 2009, Descriptions of the tadpoles of seven species of Malagasy treefrogs, genus Boophis, Zootaxa 2021, pp. 23-41 : 29

Boophis brachychir

( Figures 4 and 8 )

The following description refers to one tadpole in developmental stage 26 (field number FG/MV 2002.1953 – ZSM 765/2004), TL 54 mm, BL 20 mm), from Montagne d’Ambre National Park. The 16S rDNA sequence of this specimen was 100% identical to a reference sequence of an adult specimen (accession AY848563 ) from the same locality.

In dorsal view, body elliptical, snout large. In lateral view, body depressed, BW 112% of BH, snout pointed. Eyes of moderate size, ED 11% of BL, not visible in ventral view, positioned dorsally and directed laterally, situated at about 1/3 of the body length. Nares elliptical, moderately sized, marked with black spots, positioned dorsally, oriented dorsolaterally and nearer to snout than to eye. RN 85% of NP, NN 50% of PP. Spiracle sinistral, inner wall free from body and formed such that aperture opens posteriorly, visible in dorsal view, spiracular opening rounded, positioned ventrolaterally, directed posteriorly, situated under the extension of the longitudinal axis of caudal musculature and the aperture is much closer to the end of the body than to the snout, SS 49% of BL. Dextral vent tube, tubular, short. Caudal musculature well developed, TMH 78% of BH and 85% of MTH, TMW 60% of BW; its height 1/2 of total height at midlength of tail. Upper fin higher than the lower fin. Dorsal fin origins at the proximal 1/4 of the tail muscle, increases quickly to attain the maximum height, then diminishes abruptly towards the tail tip. Ventral fin originates at the ventral terminus of the body, increases slightly, and then diminishes gradually towards the tail tip. Tail tip slightly pointed, MTH 91% of BH, lateral line visible on the proximal 3/5 of the tail. Oral disk of moderate size, ODW 19% of BL and 35% of BW, positioned ventrally, directed ventrally, not emarginated. One row of marginal papillae interrupted by a large gap on the upper labium (DG 69% of ODW), small medial gap on the lower labium; total number of marginal papillae 67 (33 on the left side, 34 on the right side). 8 submarginal papillae positioned in the lateral parts of the anterior and posterior labium. Papillae of moderate size, rounded with rounded tip. No denticulate papillae. LTRF 1:5+5/1+1:2 after Dubois (1995) and 6(2–6)/3(1) after Altig & McDiarmid (1999). The density of keratodonts on A1 is about 70 per millimeter (a total of ca. 206). The length of interrupted anterior keratodont rows (A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6) decreases gradually towards the center of the disk, P2 and P3 have the same size. A1 and P3 with small keratodonts. In all other rows, keratodont size declines from the center to the periphery. Both jaw sheaths coarsely serrated and completely black; upper jaw sheath wide with a large medial and pointed serration surrounded by a smaller serration on each side; lower jaw sheath U-shaped. Coloration in preservative. Dorsally: body with two different pigmentation patterns. First, fine spots forming a network of patches. Second, darker, irregular and differently sized patches, condensed to form a network of patches on some parts of the dorsum. Laterally: body dorsolaterally with same colour as dorsally, intestinal coils visible, spiracle visible. Tail musculature: whitish with many differently formed and irregularly sized patches, condensed to form a network of patches. Density and size of patches diminish towards the tail tip. Ventrally: translucent, intestine visible and regularly spiral-shaped. Variation: TL and BL of 6 tadpoles at stage 26, all from the National Park of Montagne d’Ambre (FG/MV 2002.1953; ZSM 766, 767, 768, 1033/2004) are 43–54 mm and 17–20 mm, respectively. BW 107–131% of BH; ED 11–12% of BL; RN 84–88% of NP; NN 49–52% of PP; SS 49–56% of BL; TMH 73–89% of MTH; TMW 50–73 of BW; MTH 87–99% of BH; ODW 19–25% of BL; ODW 35–43% of BW. LTRF: 1:5+5/1+1:2, 1:4+5/1+1:2 and 1:5+4/1+1:2 after Dubois (1995) and 6(2–6)/3(1) after Altig & McDiarmid (1999).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Drawings of preserved tadpole specimen of Boophis brachychir (ZSM 765 / 2004) from Montagne d'Ambre National Park (developmental stage 26). (a) dorsal view; (b) lateral view; (c) oral disk.

FIGURE 8. Photographs of the preserved DNA voucher specimens of six Boophis tadpoles described herein, in dorsal and lateral views.