Boophis englaenderi Glaw & Vences

Glos, Julian & Vences, Miguel, 2010, Description of ten tadpoles in the genus Boophis from Madagascar, Zootaxa 2694, pp. 1-25 : 11-12

Boophis englaenderi Glaw & Vences

The following description refers to one tadpole in developmental stage 41 (ZSM 0623/2008, field number FGZC 2244, TL 31.3 mm, BL 11.8 mm; Table 1 ), from Marojejy National Park. The 16S rDNA sequence of this specimen was 99.5 % identical to a reference sequence of an adult B. englaenderi (accession FJ559124 ) from Marojejy.

In dorsal view, body elliptical, maximal width attained between the proximal 1/2 and 3/4 of the body (SBW 60% of BL), almost aligned snout. In lateral view, body depressed (BW 133% of BH) maximal body height attained between the proximal 1/2 and 3/4 of the body (SBH 67 % of BL), rounded snout. Eyes large (ED 16% of BL), not visible from ventral view, positioned dorsally and oriented laterally, situated between the proximal 3/10 and 4/10 of the body, wide distance between eyes (IOD 74% of BW). Moderately large elliptical nares (NS 4% of BL), marked with marginal rim, positioned dorsally and oriented anterodorsally, situated nearer to snout than to eye (RN 57% of NP), moderately wide distance between nares ( IND 55% of IOD), black spot on the back of the nare present, ornamentation absent. Moderately long sinistral spiracle (SP 11% of BL), directed posteriorly, visible from dorsal and ventral views and perceptible from lateral view, inner wall free from body and aperture opens posteriorly, elliptical opening, situated between the proximal 1/ 2 and 3/4 of the body (SS 69% of BL), located below the level of the point where the axis of the tail myotomes contact the body. Short medial vent tube (VL 9% of BL), not attached to ventral fin. Tail of moderate length (TAL 155% of BL), maximal tail height lower than body height (MTH 90% of BH), tail height at midtail lower than body height and maximal tail height (THM 82% of BH and THM 92% of MTH), tail height at the beginning of the tail lower than body height (TH 88% of BH). Moderately developed caudal musculature (TMW 54% of BW, TMH 74% of BH and 85% of MTH, TMHM 66% of THM and 61 % of MTH). Tail muscle reaches tail tip. Very low fins (DF 34% of TMHM, VF 18% of TMHM), dorsal fin higher than ventral fin (DF 189% of VF). Dorsal fin originates on the proximal 1/10 of the tail musculature, progresses parallel to the margin of the tail muscle up to the proximal 3/10 where it increases up to maximal tail height, then declines up to the tail tip. Ventral fin originates on the ventral terminus of the body, progresses parallel to the margin of the tail muscle up to maximal tail height, then decreases towards the tip of the tail. Maximal tail height between the proximal 1/4 and 1/2 of the tail, lateral tail vein visible on the 1/2 proximal of the tail, myosepta visible on the proximal 3/4 of the tail, tail tip narrowly rounded.

Oral disk of moderate size (ODW 56% of BW), positioned and oriented ventrally, not emarginated, maximal width in the middle. Oral disk not visible from dorsal view, upper labium is a continuation of snout. Single row of marginal papillae interrupted by a very wide dorsal gap (DG 85% of ODW), total number of marginal papillae 128. Thirty-three submarginal papillae positioned laterally. Moderately long conical papillae, rounded tips, not visible from dorsal view, longest marginal and submarginal papillae measured 0.12 mm and 0.09 mm, respectively. Jaw sheaths fully keratinized with rounded serrations, moderately wide (JL 46% of ODW) with very small medial convexity (MC 3% of JL). Lower jaw sheath U-shaped. LTRF 6(2–6)/ 3(1). Single row of keratodonts per ridge. Very wide A1 (90% of ODW). Density of keratodonts on A1 76/mm (total 236). Short, discernible keratodont (0.10 mm). Labial teeth are distinguishable from each other, their size decreases towards the periphery. Narrow space between marginal papillae and keratodont rows.

Coloration in preservative. Dorsally, body and tail brownish, dark pigmentation of different forms distributed all over the body and tail, in particular around the eyes, above the nares, and on the intestine. Dorsolaterally body is brownish, ventrolaterally transparent, with black round spots that are irregularly distributed, except on the intestine. Tail musculature whitish with brownish round spots, some distributed irregularly in the caudal musculature and some form stripes. Fins translucent with some spots. Ventrally, the intestine is visible.

Variation. Based on 10 tadpoles at stages 25 all from Marojejy (FGZC 2258, 2272), of which two are DNA voucher specimens ( Table 3 ). All the specimens are in the UADBA collection. TL and BL are 18–25 mm and 7–12 mm. BW 100–143% of BH; ED 9–16% of BL; RN 58–107% of NP; IND 47–52% of IOD; SS 50–79% of BL; TMH 100% of MTH; TMW 47–67% of BW; MTH 69–90% of BH; ODW 53–86% of BW; LTRF: 6(2–6)/3, 6(3–6)/3, 7(3–7)/3.