152
M. Vences and F. Glaw
Further material. UADBA-RD 1724 and 1732 (Vinanitelo, 15.5 km SE Vohitrafeno,
21°46.5’S, 47°20.8’E, 1100 m elevation); UADBA-MICET 19-21 (Mandriandry forest, 4.4 km
SW Tolongoina, 21°35.3’S, 47°29.1’E, 750 m elevation); UADBA-MICET 144 and 147 (Amba-
haka forest, 9 km NW Ambatofotsy, 21°44.2’S, 47°24.5’E, 750 m elevation). As no bioacoustic
data of these specimens are known, we do not include them in the type series; they agree,
however, with the type material in morphology and colouration.
Description of the holotype. SVL 24.2 mm. For measurements, see Table 1.
Body slender; head wider than long, much wider than body; snout rounded in dor-
sal and lateral views, nostrils directed dorsolaterally, slightly protuberant, nearer to
tip of snout than to eye; canthus rostralis moderately distinct, curved; loreal region
concave; tympanum distinct, rounded, 41% of eye diameter; supratympanic fold
rather indistinct and straight; tongue ovoid, distinctly bifid posteriorly; vomerine
teeth distinct, in two elongate aggregations, positioned posterolateral to choanae;
choanae rounded. Arms slender, subarticular tubercles single; metacarpal tubercles
not recognizable; fingers webbed; webbing formula 1 (1), 2i (1.5), 2e (1), 3i (2.25),
3e (1), 4 (1); relative length of fingers 1 < 2 < 4 < 3, finger 2 distinctly shorter than
finger 4; finger disks distinctly enlarged; unpigmented nuptial pads recognizable on
the inner side of first finger. Hindlimbs slender; tibiotarsal articulation reaches
beyond snout tip when hindlimb is adpressed along the body; lateral metatarsalia
separated by the webbing; inner metatarsal tubercle recognizable, no outer
metatarsal tubercle; webbing formula between toes 1 (0), 2i (0.5), 2e (0), 3i (0.5), 3e
(0), 4i (1.5), 4e (1), 5 (0.25). Skin on the upper surface smooth; ventral skin smooth
on throat where the presence of a vocal sac is clearly recognizable, slightly granu-
lar on belly; no distinct enlarged tubercles in the cloacal region.
After 5 months in preservative, the basic colour is beige-whitish. No further
pigments are present on the flanks, while the whole dorsal side is irregularly cov-
ered with more or less intense dark pigment. This dark colour is interrupted by a
pattern of small pigmentless spots. The area above the eyes is beige to reddish. The
dorsal side of the legs is covered by few small dark pigment cells. The venter is
unpigmented, the inner organs are visible through the translucent belly skin.
Variation. The paratypes agree largely in morphology and colouration with the
holotype. The dark dorsal pattern is strongly expressed in the single female speci-
men (ZFMK 62221) and some males (ZFMK 62220), while in some other males
(ZFMK 60016; Fig. 5) it is less distinct and sometimes relatively faint (ZFMK
60015). A dark inter-ocular stripe or band is always visible, and the dark pattern is
always more intense on the posterior back. Two light dorsolateral bands are visible
in most preserved specimens.
Colour in life. Based on colour slides of several paratype specimens (Fig. 5).
The ground dorsal colour, including limbs, webbing and finger and toe disks is
light greenish, more yellowish towards the flanks. Thin yellow dorsolateral stripes
run from behind the eye to at least the forelimb insertion, sometimes along the
whole body. Additionally, the dorsal surface has a pattern consisting of four general
pigment types, but presence and extent of all of them is very variable. First, a red-
brownish pattern is generally present above the eyes and as an inter-ocular band,
and often as spots and larger markings on the posterior back. Second, a black pat-
tern is often seen as very fine regular spotting on the back (probably consisting of
single melanophores); often, the blackish pigment forms larger and more intense
spots (probably dense layers of melanophores) at the center of the red-brownish