Boophis microtympanum (Boettger)

Glos, Julian & Vences, Miguel, 2010, Description of ten tadpoles in the genus Boophis from Madagascar, Zootaxa 2694, pp. 1-25 : 12-14

Boophis microtympanum (Boettger)

The following description refers to one tadpole in developmental stage 35 (ZSM 0622/2008, field number FGZC 2223, TL 57.6 mm, BL 19.1 mm; Table 1 ), from the Ambohitantely Special Reserve. The 16S rDNA sequence of this specimen was 99.4 % identical to a reference sequence of an adult of B. microtympanum (accession FJ559129 ) from the same locality.

In dorsal view, body elliptical, maximal width at midbody (SBW 50% of BL), broadly rounded snout. In lateral view, body depressed (BW 106% of BH), maximal body height attained between the proximal 1/2 and 3/4 of the body (SBH 64% of BL), pointed snout. Eyes of moderate size (ED 12% of BL), not visible from ventral view, positioned dorsally and oriented dorsolaterally, situated between the proximal 3/10 and 4/10 of the body, moderate distance between eyes (IOD 55% of BW). Small oval nares (NS 2% of BL), marked with marginal rim, positioned dorsally and oriented dorsolaterally, situated nearer to snout than to eye (RN 76% of NP), moderately wide distance between nares ( IND 41% of IOD), black spot on the back of the nare present, ornamentation absent. Small sinistral spiracle (SP 7% of BL), directed posteriorly, visible from dorsal view, inner wall free from the body and its aperture opens laterally, situated between the proximal 1/2 and 3/4 of the body (SS 64% of BL), located at the level of the point where the axis of the tail myotomes contact the body. Very long medial vent tube (VL 17% of BL), separated by a web to the ventral fin. Tail of moderate length (TAL 164% of BL), maximal tail height lower than body height (MTH 93% of BH), tail height at midtail lower than body height and maximal tail height (THM 72% of BH and THM 77% of MTH), tail height at the beginning of the tail lower than body height (TH 91% of BH). Moderately developed caudal musculature (TMW 44% of BW, TMH 72% of BH and 77% of MTH, TMHM 56% of THM, TMHM 40% of MTH). Tail muscle reaches tail tip. Very low fins (DF 71% of TMHM, VF 46% of TMHM), dorsal fin higher than ventral fin (DF 155% of VF). Dorsal fin originates on the dorsal body-tail junction, increases to reach maximal height and then declines abruptly up to the tail tip. Ventral fin originates at the ventral terminus of the body, progresses almost constantly and decreases towards the tail tip. Maximal tail height located between the proximal 1/4 and 1/2 of the tail, lateral tail vein visible on the proximal 1/4 of the tail, myosepta visible all along the tail musculature, tail tip narrowly rounded.

Oral disk of moderate size (ODW 43% 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 narrow ventral gap (VG 10% of ODW) and a very wide dorsal gap (DG 85% of ODW), total number of marginal papillae 70 (39 right and 31 left). Thirty-three submarginal papillae positioned laterally (13 in the right and 20 in the left). Moderate long conical papillae with rounded tip, not visible from dorsal view, longest marginal papillae measured 0.26 mm, and 0.13 mm for submarginal papillae. Upper jaw sheath finely serrated, dark color with a brownish basis, moderately wide (JL 44% of ODW) with very small medial convexity (MC 4% of JL). Lower jaw sheath broadly U-shaped, with three different colorations (1/ 3 in the margin black, 1/ 3 in the middle brown and 1/3 on the basis white) with pointed serration. LTRF 6(2–6)/3(1). Single row of keratodonts per ridge. Very large A1 (95% of ODW). Density of keratodonts on A1 59/mm (total 287). Very narrow gap in the first anterior interrupted row (A2gap 7% of A2). Short, discernible keratodonts (0.03 mm). Labial teeth distinguishable from one another. In most of the rows, the size decreases towards peripheries. Narrow space between marginal papillae and keratodont rows.

Coloration in preservative. Dorsally, body brownish with brown and black pigment tasks of different forms which gather in some zones of the body and give dark patches. The dorsolateral part of body is equally colored as dorsally, and ventrolaterally equal to ventrally. Ventrally transparent, intestine visible, regularly spiral shaped. Tail musculature brownish with dark rounded spots dispersed irregularly in the caudal musculature, forming stripes. Fins transparent with dots and lines.

Variation. Based on 39 tadpoles at stages 25–41, from the Ambohitantely Special Reserve (FGZC 2216, 2223, 2226, 2227, 2230) and the Ankaratra massif (FGZC 2233), of which seven are DNA voucher specimens (two DNA vouchers in series FGZC 2226) ( Table 4 ). All the specimens are in the UADBA collection. TL and BL are 26–68 mm and 10–26 mm, respectively. BW 95–153% of BH; ED 8–15% of BL; RN 37–111% of NP; IND 36–55% of IOD; SS 41–67% of BL; TMH 60–105% of MTH; TMW 29–65% of BW; MTH 53–126% of BH; ODW 18–41% of BL; ODW 35–72% of BW; LTRF 4(2–4)/3(1), 5(2–5)/3(1), 6(2–6)/3(1).

For abbreviations, see Material and Methods.