Leptodactylodon erythrogaster

Leptodactylodon erythrogaster Amiet, 1971

We examined 11 tadpoles that all originated from Mount Manengouba: ZMB 78479 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°1’50.5”N, 9°48’38.5”E, 1959 m, 30 September 2010); ZMB 78481 (two tadpoles, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°0’51.78”N, 9°49’24.24”E, 2114 m, 8 November 2010); ZMB 78482 (seven tadpoles, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°1’50.5”N, 9°48’38.5”E, 1959 m, 31 August 2011); ZMB 78483 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 36, near summit, 5°2’24”N, 9°51’39.3”E, 2012 m, 26 September 2011). All individuals were captured in small forest streams and rivers between 1959 m and 2114 m altitude (Fig. 2).

The description is based on two genotyped tadpoles (ZMB 78481–82) at Gosner stage 25. Body length/total length ratio and description of tail tips was based on non-genotyped specimens of the same developmental stage.

Morphology. Long slender tadpole with narrow and long muscular tail; body elliptical in dorsal and depressed in lateral view (Fig. 7 a, b); body length 28.8 ± 1.7% (N= 8) of total length; body height 39.6–46.5% (N= 2) of body length; body width 50.0–57.4% (N= 2) of body length; maximum body width on level of spiracle insertion; snout nearly rounded in dorsal view; nostrils oval and situated laterally; nostrils equidistant from eye and snout tip; eye diameter 8.3–11.9% (N= 2) of body length; inter-orbital distance slightly exceeds inter-nostril distance; tail fins narrow; dorsal fin originates slightly anterior (1.1 mm in ZMB 78481) or posterior (0.2 mm in ZMB 78482) to tail base, reaching deepest point at mid-tail or posterior to it, almost as deep or slightly narrower than ventral fin; narrow ventral fin originates at level of tail base, runs almost parallel to tail axis, reaches deepest point slightly anterior to tail tip; tail tip rounded; tail axis broad and muscular; body height 90.5–94.0% (N= 2) of total tail height; maximum height of tail axis 61.9–62.0% (N= 2) of maximum tail height; vent tube dextral; lateral sacs present, extending from spiracle to end of body, covering lower two thirds of flanks; short sinister spiracle, translucent, opening lateral, not visible in dorsal view, originating slightly posterior to mid-body; mouth opening frontal; labial tooth row formula 0/0; both jaw sheaths fully keratinized; upper jaw of narrow almost rectangular shape, distinctly and uniformly serrated; lower jaw more massive, depressed U-shaped; distinctly serrated, with a lateral pair of caniniform projections (fangs), median part with four to seven needle-like cusps (Fig. 7 d); two distinct serrations abaxial to fangs; posterior lip large and semicircular to kidney shaped, covered with 20 papillae; arrangement of papillae symmetrical along vertical body axis; papillae arranged in two semicircular rows (Fig. 7 c); short almost straight skin fold on lower lip, just posterior to lower jaw sheath; oral disc width 31.3–51.5% (N= 2) of body length; mouth width 18.0–25.0 (N= 2) of oral disc width.

The largest tadpole at Gosner stage 25 (ZMB 78481) measured 40.7 mm total length (body length: 11.2 mm; tail length: 29.5 mm). The most developed individual (ZMB 78483, Gosner stage 36) had a body length of 13.2 mm (tail incomplete). Amiet (1980) measured metamorphs, still possessing 2–18 mm tails, with 13.5–15 mm SVL.

Coloration in preservation. Pale brown, dark brown mottling irregularly spread over dorsal body parts and tail; snout may be darker or lighter in some individuals; tail axis with black line in anterior two thirds; ventral parts and last fourth of ventral fin with some darker speckling; dorsal fins darker spotted, otherwise translucent creamwhite.