Scinax boesemani (Goin, 1966)

Schiesari, Luis, Rossa-Feres, Denise De Cerqueira, Menin, Marcelo & Hödl, Walter, 2022, Tadpoles of Central Amazonia (Amphibia: Anura), Zootaxa 5223 (1), pp. 1-149 : 69-70

Scinax boesemani

External morphology. Description based on one tadpole at Stage 32 (CZPB-LA 338/784). Total length 19.1 mm. Body ovoid in dorsal view and triangular in lateral view ( Fig. 39A, B ). Snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views. Eyes medium-sized, positioned and directed laterally. Nostrils small, circular, dorsolaterally positioned, near to eyes, with opening anterolaterally directed, without a projection on the marginal rim. Oral disc ( Fig. 39C ) anteroventral, emarginate ventrolaterally; marginal papillae triangular, uniseriate, with a dorsal gap. Submarginal papillae present lateroventrally. LTRF 2(2)/3(1); A1 and A2 of the same length; P2 slightly longer than P1; P3 shorter than P2. Jaw sheaths wide, finely serrated; anterior jaw sheath arch-shaped, posterior jaw sheath V-shaped. Spiracle single, sinistral, conical, short and wide, posterodorsally directed, opening in the posterior third of the body, with the centripetal wall fused to the body wall, with a free distal edge and the same length as the external wall. Vent tube dextral, fused to the ventral fin, with a dextral opening that does not reach the margin of the lower fin. Caudal musculature of moderate width; in lateral view gradually tapering to a pointed tip. Dorsal fin high, originating on the medial third of the body, convex; ventral fin of moderate height and convex. Tail tip pointed.

Colour. In preservative body light greenish yellow; venter translucent with digestive tract dark gray; caudal musculature cream, with melanophores forming transverse bars; fins translucent with scarce melanophores. In life body light green; caudal musculature light brown; fins translucent with a light green coloration near to caudal musculature; iris silvery white with a red horizontal streak (D.J. Rodrigues, pers. comm.).

Natural history. Eggs were not observed in Central Amazonia. Gravid females contain on average 480 ovarian eggs (Ĥdl 1990). Tadpoles are found in isolated temporary ponds in terra-firme forest clearings or forest edge.

Comments. Tadpoles of S. boesemani from Guyana were described by de Sá et al. (1997) but their identity was questioned by Faivovich (2002). Those tadpoles differ from these herein characterized by presenting a uniseriate row of marginal papillae, A2 and P2 widely separately, P3 very short and positioned in an extended arm that does not interrupt the row of marginal papillae, and by possessing a V-shaped anterior jaw sheath.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Tadpole of Scinax boesemani (CZPB 338/784) at Stage 32: (A) lateral view, (B) dorsal view (scale = 10 mm), and (C) oral disc (scale = 1 mm).