Bokermannohyla sapiranga, Brandao, Magalhaes, Garda, Campos, Sebben & Maciel, 2012

Lins, Anna Carolina Ramalho, Magalhães, Rafael Félix De, Costa, Renan Nunes, Brandão, Reuber Albuquerque, Py-Daniel, Tainã Rapp, Miranda, Núbia Esther De Oliveira, Maciel, Natan Medeiros, Nomura, Fausto & Pezzuti, Tiago Leite, 2018, The larvae of two species of Bokermannohyla (Anura, Hylidae, Cophomantini) endemic to the highlands of central Brazil, Zootaxa 4527 (4), pp. 501-520 : 506-507

Bokermannohyla sapiranga

External morphology (individuals from Brasília; Table 1). Body depressed (BH/BW = 0.72–0.81; Fig. 1A, B ), BL 0.34–0.37 times TL; elongated-elliptical in dorsal view; in lateral view, ventral contour flat in the peribranchial region, slightly convex in the abdominal region. Snout rounded in dorsal (BWN/BWE = 0.73–0.78) and lateral views. Nostrils small (ND/BL = 0.02–0.03), elliptical, dorsally positioned (IND/BWN = 0.47–0.53), dorsolaterally directed, located halfway between eyes and tip of snout (NSD/ESD = 0.49–0.53); poorly developed fleshy projection present on medial margin. Eyes medium-sized (ED/BWE = 0.17–0.19), dorsally located (IOD/BWE = 0.59–0.67), dorsolaterally directed. Spiracle sinistral, lateral, visible in dorsal and ventral views (SVD/BH = 0.44– 0.56), short (SL/BL = 0.07–0.11), posterodorsally projected; inner wall with distal portion free from body and slightly longer than external wall; opening elliptical, slightly narrower than anterior portion of spiracular tube, located at medial third of body (SSD/BL = 0.62–0.65). Vent tube short (VTL/BL = 0.13–0.16), dextral ( Fig. 1C ); ventral wall fused to ventral fin and slightly longer than dorsal wall. Tail moderately high (MTH/TAL = 0.34– 0.40), higher than body (MTH/BH = 1.20–1.48); tail musculature robust (TMH/BH = 0.59–0.63) reaching tip of pointed tail. Dorsal and ventral fins moderately high (DFH/TAL = 0.12–0.15; VFH/TAL = 0.09–0.12), with convex external margins; dorsal fin originating on posterior third of body at a low slope (DFiA = 6°–15°); maximum height at middle third of the tail; ventral fin origin concealed by vent tube. Oral disc ( Fig. 2B ) ventrally positioned (ODP = 4°–22°), large (ODW/BW = 0.41–0.44, measured with oral disc folded); posterior margin with three emarginations (one medial and two lateral); marginal papillae alternate, conical, arranged in a single row interrupted anteriorly by a narrow gap (AGL/ODW = 0.07–0.09; Fig. 2B ). Few submarginal papillae (2–4) scattered laterally in angular region. Labial tooth row formula 2(2)/5(1); gaps in A-2 and P-1 corresponding to 7 and 1% of the oral disc width, respectively. Flaps with labial teeth absent. Jaw sheaths dekeratinized, lacking darkcolored regions of beaks and serrations on margins. Lateral line system evident in preserved specimens and very similar to that of B. pseudopseudis , with the following exceptions: dorsal line with 12–15 stitches, and angular line curving less abruptly towards the venter. Ventral body-line with more stitches (35–37) extending from near vent tube to above spiracle.

Coloration. In life, body reddish-brown marbled with uniformly distributed cream-colored dots ( Fig. 3C, D ). Iridophores sparsely distributed, but more concentrated on the snout. Spiracle brown and covered by iridophores. Eyes with black pupil surrounded by an inner cream-colored ring and an outer reddish-brown ring. Well-defined whitish spots anterolateral to the base of the vent tube, commonly above the ventral line; similar spots are also scattered on the venter. Tail musculature reddish-brown gradually darkening throughout its length, with sparser cream-colored spots than on the body. Fins dark brown marbled with black and golden blotches and with reddish borders, resembling decaying leaves. Iridophores densely grouped at the insertion of the dorsal fin. In preservative, coloration like that in life but without the golden spots and reddish tones ( Fig. 1 ).

Variation. Individuals at Stage 25 exhibited considerable variation in size, reaching a maximum of 57 mm ( Table 1). Submarginal papillae absent in two specimens at Stage 26 (UFMG 2287). One specimen at Stage 25 and other at Stage 26 had very reduced flaps with labial teeth in the infra-angular region ( UFMG 2287 ) . Smaller tadpoles had darker coloration, especially the tail, while larger tadpoles tended to be lighter. Translucency of venter varied among individuals; in the smallest the intestinal tube could be seen through the m. rectus abdominis, while in larger individuals the intestine is not visible due to the robustness of the muscle. Tadpoles from Cocalzinho ( UFMG 2037-38 ) and Pirenópolis ( ZUFG 217-18 ) were very similar to those from the type locality, with only two specimens having few flaps with teeth scattered laterally in the oral disc and four small flaps with teeth anterior to A1 (not considered as a complete row); five specimens had darkly pigmented jaw sheaths with small conical serrations, while one was partially dekeratinized. In specimens with normal jaw sheaths, the medial portion of the upper sheath was slightly convex and the lateral processes medially directed, while the lower jaw sheath was Vshaped. The tadpole from Silvânia ( ZUFG 3125 ) had LTRF 2 (1-2)/5(1) .

Natural history notes. Bokermannohyla sapiranga tadpoles are benthic. They are found throughout the year in well-preserved permanent streams and rivulets associated with open canopy forests or flooded forests close to headwaters. Adult males call in association with small waterfalls formed on rocks, roots or fallen logs, while tadpoles occur in downstream backwater pools; these environments possess clear, cold, and slow-flowing water. Larvae are often camouflaged among submerged litter or roots. In Pirenópolis, the tadpoles were frequently found in association with streams with quartzitic beds, while in Silvânia and Brasília they were more commonly found in rivulets with mud beds. Syntopic tadpoles included Aplastodiscus lutzorum Berneck, Giaretta, Brandão, Cruz , & Haddad; Boana lundii ; Odontophrynus cultripes Reinhardt & Lütken ; and Ololygon skaios .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tadpoles of Bokermannohyla pseudopseudis (top, UFMG 1972) and B. sapiranga (bottom, UFMG 2287), at Stage 25: (A) lateral, (B) dorsal, and (C) ventral views. Scale bars = 10 mm.

FIGURE 2. Oral discs of (A) Bokermannohyla pseudopseudis (UFMG 1972) and (B) B. sapiranga (UFMG 2287) at Stage 25, representing the most common configurations: LTRF with three anterior and six posterior rows in B. pseudopseudis; two anterior and five posterior rows in B. sapiranga. Several small flaps with labial teeth appear in B. pseudopseudis but are absent in B. sapiranga; the jaw sheaths are partially or totally dekeratinized. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Lateral view and detail of the body of the tadpoles of Bokermannohyla pseudopseudis (A, B) and B. sapiranga (C, D) photographed in life (unvouchered specimens). Typical slow-flowing backwater of permanent streams that tadpoles of B. pseudopseudis (E) and B. sapiranga (F) inhabit.