Description M 23-28 mm, F 28-35 mm. A widespread species in the mid-altitude rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Tibiotarsal articulation can reach the tip of the snout. Hand without webbing, foot webbing 1(1), 2i(1), 2e(0.5-1), 3i(2), 3e(1-1.5), 4i/e(2), 5(0-1). Terminal discs of fingers and toes slightly enlarged. Dorsal skin moderately granular, usually with well-visible dorsolateral folds. Colouration dorsally very variable, often light brown with darker patches, with or without vertebral stripes, sometimes with orange flanks. Typical for this and related species is a distinct white tip on the snout. Males with a weakly distensible single subgular vocal sac, distinct femoral glands, these are relatively small and widely separated from each other.
Distribution and Habitat
Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar
Andasibe, Besariaka near Moramanga, Fierenana, Mandraka, Ranomafana (Ranomafana village, Ranomafanakely, Vohiparara). It occurs between sea level and 1,500m asl in both intact and degraded rainforest and occasionally in deforested agricultural areas (Vences and Nussbaum 2008).Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors Habits: Along slow-moving streams in rainforest and in secondary and disturbed vegetation at mid-elevations, also occurring in swampy areas, ditches and at the edges of ricefields. Not observed in fully deforested areas. Males call during day and (mostly) night from positions on the ground, often from within small open cavities.
Calls: A long and fastly pulsed note.
Breeding takes place in streams, pools, puddles, and rice fields (Vences and Nussbaum 2008)
Trends and Threats It occurs in many protected areas (Vences and Nussbaum 2008). Possible reasons for amphibian decline General habitat alteration and loss Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities Habitat fragmentation
Comments Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007)
References
Glaw, F., and Vences, M. (2007). Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Third Edition. Vences and Glaw Verlag, Köln.
Vences, M. and Nussbaum, R. (2008). Mantidactylus betsileanus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 29 April 2009.
Originally submitted by: Miguel Vences and Frank Glaw (first posted 2000-11-27)
Edited by: Henry Zhu (2009-05-06)Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Mantidactylus betsileanus <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4582> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Oct 11, 2024.
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 11 Oct 2024.
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