Leptodactylodon boulengeri Nieden, 1910

Leptodactylodon boulengeri Nieden, 1910 View in CoL

We examined sixteen individuals collected near Fotabong and on Mount Manengouba: ZMB 78466 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 25, Manengouba village, 4°58’23.76”N, 9°52’31.8”E, 1290 m, 21 November 2010); ZMB 78469–71 (two tadpoles, Gosner stages 36 & 40, respectively; one tadpole Gosner stage not assessable; five tadpoles, Gosner stage 25; Fotabong, 5°28’36.12”N, 9°55’25.08”E, 1272 m, 3 November 2011); ZMB 78476 (seven tadpoles, Gosner stage 25–37, Fotabong, 5°28’38.88”N 9°55’24.48”E, 1267 m, 2 November 2011). All tadpoles of L. boulengeri were found on soaked sandy soil along small rivers or buried in sandy ground of these rivers in mid altitude ( 1267–1290 m), the sand being only covered by a very thin film of water.

The description is based on four genotyped tadpoles (ZMB 78466, 78470, 78471, 78476) at Gosner stage 25. Body length/total length ratio, maximum tail length and height; as well as description of tail tip was based on nongenotyped specimens of the same developmental stage.

Morphology. Long slender tadpole with narrow and long muscular tail; body elongate, elliptical in dorsal and depressed in lateral view ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 a, b); body length 29.9 ± 2.0% (N= 10) of total length; body height 40.6 ± 7.5% (N= 4) of body length; body width 52.2 ± 3.8% (N= 4) of body length; maximum body width on level of spiracle insertion; snout nearly rounded to truncate in dorsal view; nostrils oval, situated laterally; nostrils equidistant from eye and snout tip; eye diameter 8.3 ± 2.7% (N= 4) of body length; inter-orbital distance equals inter-nostril distance (inter-orbital distance of ZMB 78470 slightly exceeds inter-nostril distance); tail fins narrow; dorsal fin originating 0.3–1.0 mm (N= 3) anterior to tail base, narrow, reaching maximum depth after about first quarter, as high or only slightly deeper as ventral fin; ventral fin narrow, originates on level with tail base, almost parallel to tail axis; tail tip pointed; tail axis slender, edges almost parallel towards tail tip; body height 97.4–98.5 (N= 2) of total tail height; maximum height of tail axis 57.7 ± 2.7% (N= 5) of total 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 at app. mid-body; mouth opening frontal; labial tooth row formula 0/0; both jaw sheaths fully keratinized and of narrow almost rectangular shape; upper jaw distinctly serrated, serrations almost uniform, slightly larger serration towards edges; lower jaw flat U-shaped, distinctly serrated with a lateral pair of caniniform projections (fangs), median part with six to seven needle-like cusps ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 d); one distinct serration abaxial to fangs; large semicircular posterior lip covered with 18 papillae; papillae symmetrically arranged along body axis; most papillae arranged in two semicircular rows, one near the lower jaw sheath, the second closer to posterior margin of lower lip ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 c); distinct short skin fold on lower lip, just posterior to lower jaw sheath; oral disc width 35.5–48.5% (N= 3) of body length; mouth width 23.1–31.8% (N= 3) of oral disc width.

The largest tadpole at Gosner stage 25 (ZMB 78471) measured 24.4 mm total length (body length: 7.7 mm; tail length: 16.7 mm). The most advanced/developed individual (ZMB 78476, Gosner stage 37) measured 52.1 mm (body length. 14.1 mm; tail length: 38.0 mm). The smallest juveniles reported by Amiet (1980) measured 16–19 mm SVL.

Coloration in preservation. Pale brown; dorsal parts of body and tail with irregular dark speckling; lower part of body and tail paler; anterior part of tail with longitudinal black line (not visible in life); only few dark spots on venter and on the last third of ventral tail fin; dorsal fin with dark spots, fins otherwise translucent cream-white.

Coloration in life ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). Pale brown with dark brown speckles, some of them lighter brown; funnel dark, almost black; tail axis with whitish-blue spots; ventral fin with yellow spots; tail tip almost white; venter with light reddish coloration; some individuals with cream-white snout (like some L. bicolor and L. ventrimarmoratus ).