Mantidactylus brevirostris Scherz & Crottini & Hutter & Hildenbrand & Andreone & Fulgence & Köhler & Ndriantsoa & Ohler & Preick & Rakotoarison & Rancilhac & Raselimanana & Riemann & Rödel & Rosa & Streicher & Vieites & Köhler & Hofreiter & Glaw & Vences 2022, sp. nov

Mantidactylus brevirostris sp. nov. Identity and justification.—A deep genetic lineage of the M. biporus clade known from Betampona, and Sahavontsira. This lineage has been considered as unconfirmed candidate species M. sp. 31 by Vieites et al. (2009) and M. sp. Ca31 by Perl et al. (2014). It was referred to as ‘ M. sp. aff. biporus [Ca FJ559260]’ by Rosa et al. (2012). According to the phylogenomic analysis, it represents the sister taxon of another lineage named below (M. eulenbergeri sp. nov.) but differs from that lineage by a 16S distance of 8.6–9.1%, and possibly by at least one morphological difference in foot webbing, suggesting a status as distinct species. Diagnosis.— Mantidactylus brevirostris sp. nov. is a member of the M. biporus clade, sister to the new species M. eulenbergeri sp. nov. (described below) according to our phylogenomic analysis. See Table 4 for a list of diagnostic morphological characters. The combination of a small body size (male SVL 23 mm, female SVL 28 mm), rather smooth dorsal skin without dorsolateral ridges, large tympanum size in males (12% of SVL), presence of white spots on flanks, and absence of a white marking on the snout tip, distinguishes M. brevirostris sp. nov. from species of the M. betsileanus, M. curtus, M. fergusoni, M. tricinctus, and M. ulcerosus clades. The distantly related M. inaudax (M. inaudax clade) is morphologically very similar but appears to reach larger body sizes, has more developed foot webbing, and has in many individuals a pattern where the colour of flanks differs from that on the dorsum; M. biporus occurs syntopically with M. brevirostris sp. nov. but has a larger body size and a more developed foot webbing; M. augustini has longer hindlimbs and a more developed foot webbing; M. bletzae has a more granular dorsal skin with dorsolateral ridges and a more developed foot webbing (Table 4). For a distinction from the other new species in the M. biporus, M. stelliger and M. inaudax clades, see the diagnoses in the respective species accounts below. A full list of molecular diagnostic sites in the 16S gene of M. brevirostris sp. nov. in pairwise comparisons to all other Brygoomantis species is provided as Supplementary appendix. Holotype.— MRSN A6257 (FAZC 13581), adult male, collected by G.M. Rosa, and F. Andreone on 9 February 2007 at Sahambendrana, Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Betampona (17.8984°S, 049.2154°E, 458 m a.s.l.), Antsinanana Region, Madagascar. A 16S barcode sequence of the holotype is available from GenBank (accession HM364736). Paratypes.—A single paratype: ZSM 185/2021 (ACZCV 265, extraction ACP 2211; tissue ACZC 6309), adult female, collected by A. Crottini, D. Salvi, E. Scanarini, George, J. N̂el, and F. Andreone on 22 November 2013 at Betampona (Sahabefoza). Description of the holotype.—Adult male in good state of preservation (Fig. 62). Fourth and fifth finger from right foot missing (taken as tissue sample). Body rather stout. Head as wide as body. Snout rounded in dorsal view, somewhat truncate in lateral view. Nostrils directed laterally, not protuberant, nearer to tip of snout than to eye. Canthus rostralis weakly recognisable, slightly concave; loreal region slightly concave. Tympanum distinct, large, as wide as high, horizontal diameter of tympanum 89% of horizontal eye diameter. Supratympanic fold not clearly recognisable, basically corresponding to outer edge of tympanum. Tongue ovoid, bifid posteriorly. Maxillary teeth present. Vomerine teeth form two somewhat elongate aggregations, positioned posterolateral to choanae. Choanae rounded. Subarticular tubercles single. Inner and outer metacarpal tubercles present. Fingers without webbing. Relative length of fingers: IVariation.—Variation in measurements is given in Table 10. See Fig. 68 for colouration in life and its variation. Too few specimens have been sexed to assess the degree of sexual size dimorphism. Femoral glands in life are not documented (no photographs of the ventral side available). Natural history.—Species usually observed in slowrunning parts of streams and other small courses. Active both day and night. Quite shy and able to hide under the mud or actively swimming when disturbed. Calls.— The call of this species has not been recorded. Tadpoles.— The tadpole of this species has not been described. Distribution.— Endemic to low-elevation (Etymology. — The species epithet is a Latin thirddeclension two-termination adjective, derived from the adjective ‘brevis’, meaning short, and ‘rostrum’, meaning snout, in the genitive singular, and refers to the short snout observed in several individuals of this species.
Published as part of Scherz, Mark D., Crottini, Angelica, Hutter, Carl R., Hildenbrand, Andrea, Andreone, Franco, Fulgence, Thio Rosin, Köhler, Gunther, Ndriantsoa, Serge Herilala, Ohler, Annemarie, Preick, Michaela, Rakotoarison, Andolalao, Rancilhac, Loïs, Raselimanana, Achille P., Riemann, Jana C., Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Rosa, Gonçalo M., Streicher, Jeffrey W., Vieites, David R., Köhler, Jörn, Hofreiter, Michael, Glaw, Frank & Vences, Miguel, 2022, An inordinate fondness for inconspicuous brown frogs: integration of phylogenomics, archival DNA analysis, morphology, and bioacoustics yields 24 new taxa in the subgenus Brygoomantis (genus Mantidactylus) from Madagascar, pp. 113-311 in Megataxa 7 (2) on pages 273-275, DOI: 10.11646/megataxa.7.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7441023
{"references":["Vieites, D. R., Wollenberg, K. C., Andreone, F., K ˆ hler, J., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2009) Vast underestimation of Madagascar's biodiversity evidenced by an integrative amphibian inventory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 106, 8267 - 8272. https: // doi. org / 10.1073 / pnas. 0810821106","Perl, R. G. B., Nagy, Z. T., Sonet, G., Glaw, F., Wollenberg, K. C. & Vences, M. (2014) DNA barcoding Madagascar's amphibian fauna. Amphibia-Reptilia, 35, 197 - 206. https: // doi. org / 10.1163 / 15685381 - 00002942","Rosa, G. M., Andreone, F., Crottini, A., Hauswaldt, J. S., Noel, J., Rabibisoa, N. H., Randriambahiniarime, M. O., Rebelo, R. & Raxworthy, C. J. (2012) The amphibians of the relict Betampona low-elevation rainforest, eastern Madagascar: an application of the integrative taxonomy approach to biodiversity assessments. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21, 1531 - 1559. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10531 - 012 - 0262 - x"]}