Boophis septentrionalis

Randrianiaina, Roger-Daniel, Raharivololoniaina, Liliane, Preuss, Claudia, Glaw, Frank, Teschke, Meike, Glos, Julian, Raminosoa, Noromalala & Vences, Miguel, 2009, Descriptions of the tadpoles of seven species of Malagasy treefrogs, genus Boophis, Zootaxa 2021, pp. 23-41 : 28

Boophis septentrionalis

( Figures 3 and 8 )

The following description refers to one tadpole in developmental stage 26 (field number FG/MV 2002.1961 – ZSM 786/2004), TL 37 mm, BL 13.9 mm), from Montagne d’Ambre National Park. The 16S rDNA sequence of this specimen was 100% identical to a reference sequence of an adult specimen (accession AY848507 ) from the same locality.

In dorsal view, body ovoid, snout rounded. In lateral view, body depressed, BW 121% of BH, snout pointed. Eyes of moderate size, ED 14% of BL, not visible in ventral view, positioned dorsally and directed laterally, situated at about 1/3 of body length. Nares elliptical, moderately sized, marked with the black spots, positioned dorsally, oriented anterodorsally and nearer to snout than to eye. RN 67% of NP, NN 49% of PP. Spiracle sinistral, inner wall free from body and formed such that aperture opens posteriorly, visible in dorsal view, spiracular opening oval, positioned ventrolaterally, directed posteriorly, situated under the height of the longitudinal axis of caudal musculature and the aperture is much closer to the end of the body than to the snout, SS 56% of BL. Medial vent tube with web between tube and fin, tubular, short. Caudal musculature well developed, TMH 74% of BH and 81% of MTH, TMW 58% of BW; its height 2/5 of total height at midlength of tail. Upper fin higher than lower fin. Dorsal fin originates at the proximal 1/5 of the tail muscle, increases gradually to attain its maximum height, and then diminishes gradually towards the tail tip. Ventral fin origins at the ventral terminus of the body, diminishes gradually towards the tail tip. Tail tip slightly rounded, MTH 92% of BH, lateral line visible on the proximal 3/4 of the tail, myosepta visible mainly in the proximal half of the tail. Oral disk relatively large, ODW 31% of BL and 53% of BW, positioned ventrally, directed ventrally, not emarginated, elliptical. Two rows of marginal papillae ventrally and dorsolaterally, interrupted by a large gap on the upper labium (DG 77% of ODW), small medial gap on the lower labium; total number of marginal papillae 88 (45 on the left side, 43 on the right side). 25 submarginal papillae positioned in the lateral parts of the anterior and posterior labium. Papillae of moderate size, ventral papillae elongated, lateral papillae elongated or rounded with rounded tip. No denticulate papillae. LTRF 1:4+4/1+1:2 after Dubois (1995) and 5(2–5)/3(1) after Altig & McDiarmid (1999). The density of keratodonts on A1 is about 39 per millimeter (a total of ca. 152). The length of interrupted anterior keratodont rows (A2, A3, A4 and A5) decreases gradually towards the center of the disk, P2 and P3 have the same length. Same sized keratodonts except in A3. Keratodonts are more or less connected, difficult to distinguish. Both jaw sheaths coarsely serrated and completely black; upper jaw sheath with a large medial and rounded serration, surrounded by a smaller serration on each side, more open reversed U-shaped with medial convexity; lower jaw sheath Ushaped. Coloration in preservative. Dorsally: body whitish, with irregular and different sized spots that are condensed forming dark patches between eyes and on the dorsum. Tail musculature whitish, with many irregular and different sized spots that are irregularly scattered, their size and density diminishing towards the tail tip. Laterally: body blackish, intestinal coils not visible, spiracle visible; upper fin transparent with some spots. Ventrally: transparent, intestine visible. Variation: TL and BL of 39 tadpoles at stage 25–28, all from the National Park of Montagne d’Ambre FG/MV 2002.1961- ZSM 787, 788, 1036/2004) are and 36–48.25 mm 13.15–14.60 mm, respectively. BW 117–126% of BH; ED 12–22% of BL; RN 50–65% of NP; NN 48–54% of PP; SS 46–57% of BL; TMH 67–86% of MTH; TMW 56–58% of BW; MTH 83–99% of BH; ODW 20–28% of BL; ODW 38–47% of BW.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Drawings of preserved tadpole specimen of Boophis septentrionalis (ZSM 786 / 2004) from Montagne d'Ambre National Park (developmental stage 26). (a) dorsal view; (b) lateral view; (c) oral disk.

FIGURE 8. Photographs of the preserved DNA voucher specimens of six Boophis tadpoles described herein, in dorsal and lateral views.