Description Adults up to 100-120 mm, one calling male from Tsaratanana 96 mm. Tibiotarsal articulation can reach the nostril. Hand without webbing, foot completely webbed. Terminal discs of fingers and toes somewhat enlarged. Dorsal skin very granular. Colour dorsally brown with usually indistinct lighter or darker spots and markings. Venter whitish. Males with very distinct femoral glands (small but well visible in females), and a slightly distensible, probably single subgular vocal sac.
Similar species: Besides the two other species in this subgenus, a confusion is also possible with Boehmantis microtympanum (which has a smooth skin and enlarged discs of fingers and toes). Juveniles can be mistaken with species in the subgenus Brygoomantis, especially with Mantidactylus biporus and similar species. Distribution and Habitat
Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar
Andavaka, Anjanaharibe, Tsaratanana (Antsahamanara, Antsahamanintsy), Benavony, Besariaka, Marojejy. It occurs between 200-1,000m asl in streams of pristine rainforest (Andreone and Raxworthy 2008).Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors Habits: Found along small and medium-sized rainforest streams, usually at deep and slow-flowing stretches. Calling males do not aggregate in choruses but may occupy specific territories. During the day and when disturbed, specimens retreat into deep burrows under overhanging slopes at the stream edges.
Calls: A loud and short, guttural, pulsed note, repeated after long and irregular intervals.
Trends and Threats It occurs in many protected areas (Andreone and Raxworthy 2008). Possible reasons for amphibian decline General habitat alteration and loss Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities Intensified agriculture or grazing Habitat fragmentation Intentional mortality (over-harvesting, pet trade or collecting)
Comments Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).
References
Andreone, F. and Raxworthy, C. (2008). Mantidactylus guttulatus. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 29 April 2009.
Glaw, F., and Vences, M. (2007). Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Third Edition. Vences and Glaw Verlag, Köln.
Originally submitted by: Miguel Vences and Frank Glaw (first posted 2000-12-13)
Edited by: Henry Zhu (2009-05-06)Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Mantidactylus guttulatus <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4603> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Oct 3, 2024.
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 3 Oct 2024.
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