Dendropsophus walfordi (Bokermann, 1962)

Schiesari, Luis, Rossa-Feres, Denise De Cerqueira, Menin, Marcelo & Hödl, Walter, 2022, Tadpoles of Central Amazonia (Amphibia: Anura), Zootaxa 5223 (1), pp. 1-149 : 58-59

Dendropsophus walfordi

External morphology. Description based on one tadpole at Stage 37 (CZPB-LA 279/622). Total length 25.0 mm. Body elongate oval in dorsal view and triangular/depressed in lateral view ( Fig. 31A, B ). Snout pointed in dorsal view and truncate in lateral view. Eyes small, positioned and directed laterally. Nostrils small, oval, laterally positioned near to snout, anterolaterally directed, without a projection on the marginal rim. Oral disc ( Fig. 31C ) terminal, non-emarginate, modified into an oral tube; marginal papillae, ridges and labial teeth absent. Jaw sheaths narrow, both finely serrated; anterior jaw sheath arch-shaped, posterior jaw sheath U-shaped. Spiracle single, sinistral, conical, short and wide, posterodorsally directed, opening in the medial third of the body, with the centripetal wall fused to the body wall and longer than the external wall. Vent tube dextral and fused to the ventral fin, with a dextral opening. Caudal musculature of moderate width; in lateral view gradually tapering to a pointed tip. Dorsal fin of moderate height, convex, originating on the posterior third of the body; ventral fin shallow, convex. Tail with flagellum.

Colour. In preservative dorsum and caudal musculature light brown, with dark stripes between the eye and the snout; venter whitish with light brown small marks; fins translucent light brown, with non-pigmented area forming blotches.

Natural history. Gravid females contain on average 181 ovarian eggs (Ĥdl 1990). Tadpoles are found in permanent ponds of open and disturbed areas and in lakes of várzea and igapó floodplains.

Comments. This is the first description of Dendropsophus walfordi tadpoles.

Genus Lysapsus . Only one species of Lysapsus is found in the Central Amazon.

Figures

FIGURE 31. Tadpole of Dendropsophus walfordi (CZPB 279/622) at Stage 37: (A) lateral view, (B) dorsal view (scale = 10 mm), and (C) oral disc (scale = 1 mm).