Microhyla berdmorei ( Blyth, 1856 )

S13. Microhyla berdmorei ( Blyth, 1856) View in CoL ( fig. 28‒29 View Figure 28 View Figure 29 )

Larval series examined. WT 052.19709 ( Durlui bridge, Aizwal, Mizoram, India; 23.89839 N, 92.65204 E); GoogleMaps WT 056.19709 (Sihhmui stream, Aizwal, Mizoram, India; 23.79973 N, 92.64905 E). Tadpoles of this species were collected in water puddles and side pools along streams. Substratum in the water bodies was sandy to gravel GoogleMaps .

Notes. Taxonomic identity of tadpoles was confirmed by partial sequence of 16S rRNA (OQ079495) generated from the tadpole voucher (WT 056). It showed 1 % sequence divergence compared to the published Genbank sequence ( KC 179981 View Materials ) from taxonomically identified specimen of Microhyla berdmorei . Descriptions made on external morphology on tadpoles of the species by Smith (1924), Leong (2004) and by Inthara et al. (2005) fits with the current description.

External morphology. Description of a tadpole at Gosner stage 37. Body rounded with a truncated anterior in dorsal perspective; body triangular and depressed with a rounded anterior and a broadly rounded posterior in lateral perspective ( fig. 28a‒b View Figure 28 ). Body length 37 % of total length; maximum body diameter at the centre of abdomen. Snout broad and truncate in dorsal perspective and acutely rounded in lateral perspective. Eyes moderate, located and oriented laterally; distance between eye and nostril 69 % of distance between eye and snout. Nostril opening imperforate with several melanophores diffused around the location of nares, closer to snout than to eye; placed on either side along medial of dorsum; inter-narial distance is 32 % of inter-orbital distance. Naso-lacrimal gland visible between eye and nostril. Large spiracle located medially on ventral side; inner wall of tube not formed. Distance between spiracle and snout 83 % of body length. Opening of vent tube medial and embedded into ventral fin. Tail tip sharply pointed (flagellated); musculature broad at body tail junction, tapering beyond. Dorsal fin originating anterior to junction between body tail, ventral fin originating at ventral terminus; ventral fin wider than dorsal fin; maximum height of caudal fin at mid-length. Height of tail muscle 1.4 times width of tail muscle at body-tail junction. Tail (caudal) musculature accounting for 40 % of height of tail. Lateral line not visible. Glands absent on outer integument.

Oral opening anterior in location ( fig. 28c View Figure 28 ). Margin of oral opening not emarginated; and visible dorsally; marginal and submarginal papillae absent; upper margin smooth, with no pustules or papillae; lower margin with a medial cleft. Keratinized structures absent.

Measurements of 20 tadpoles of various Gosner stages (34, 37‒39) are summarized in tab. 13 View Table 13 .

Coloration. In life, dorsal integument translucent and white with numerous tiny melanophores; clusters of melanophores present around imperforate openings of nares; jar shaped patch condensed with numerous tiny melanophores present medially parallel to eye on dorsum; small tiny melanophores uniformly distributed on dorsum. Melanophores on outer integument smaller than those on inner integument. Lateral and posterior regions of body darker due to pigmentation of inner integument. Ventral integument milky white and transparent with gut coils visible; few tiny melanophores present on gular region. Larger melanophores seen on both fins; smaller melanophores present on tail musculature.

Buccopharyngeal morphology. Buccal roof ( fig. 29a‒b View Figure 29 ). Prenarial arena of roof with one large papilla medially and two pustules arranged linearly along median axis; anterior region of arena smooth. Internal nares broad; gap between nares narrow; walls of nares tall towards medial and with a gap at lateral corner anteriorly; margin of wall rugose; two broad papillae on posterior narial wall; papilla at lateral corner short and papilla at medial end tall. Post-narial arena poorly defined due to absence of lateral and medial ridge papillae. BRA defined by two pairs of papillae along posterolateral corner of BRA; about four to five tiny papillae spread along lateral wall linear to BRA papillae demarcating border between BRA and glandular zone. Glandular zone prominent with secretory pits. Dorsal velum smooth, tall and continuous with no projections.

Buccal floor ( fig. 29c‒d View Figure 29 ). Prelingual arena smooth and composed of a pair of papillae on the lateral sides medially and a pair of dilated palps on each side at posterolateral corners of prelingual arena; anterior papillae short; posterior palps dilated and oriented anteromedially. Tongue anlage broad; lingual papillae absent. BFA well defined; five pairs of conical papillae beginning posteriorly to buccal pockets converge posteromedially; BFA papillae smooth and unbranched; BFA with about 30 pustules mainly concentrated at posterior region of BFA. Buccal pocket opening broad; five to six pustules occur in region between tongue anlage and buccal pockets; two pre-pocket and two post-pocket papillae present along margins of each buccal pocket. Ventral velum margin smooth without any projections. Median notch prominent. Glottis exposed over ventral velum.