hear call (244.1K MP3 file)

	hear Fonozoo call
[call details here]

Description
A small conspicuously coloured frog; males 22-23 mm, females 25-28 mm. Colour in life unknown. In preservative, dorsum brownish with distinct dark spots, flanks darker with light spots. Dorsal surface of legs white with distinct narrow black bands. Venter white with dark spots, which are more or less circular on the throat and become more oblong towards the abdomen. Skin smooth. Nostrils nearer to tip of snout than to the eye. Tympanum very distinct, about 1/2 of eye diameter. Tibiotarsal articulation reaches the eye. Lateral metatarsalia partly connected. Webbing rudimentary. Fingers with terminal disks. Oblong femoral glands clearly visible in males.

Similar species: Colouration is unique. Morphology is similar to the M. wittei-complex.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Andohahela, Andringitra (East Volotsangana river), Chaines Anosyennes, Isaka-Ivondro, Ivohibe, Marosohy Pass, possibly Maharira summit (Ranomafana). It occurs between 500-1,300m asl in crevices among boulders and rocky areas, near flowing waters of pristine forest (Nussbaum et al. 2008).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Habits: Specimens assigned to the species have been found calling during the day from hidden positions on the ground along small rainforest streams.

Calls: Soft high-pitched trills.

It breeds in streams (Nussbaum et al. 2008).

Trends and Threats
Near Threatened: area of occupancy is less than 2,000 km², and the extent and quality of its habitat is declining, thus making the species close to qualifying for Vulnerable. It occurs in Parc National de Ranomafana, Parc National d’Andringitra and Parc National d’Andohahela, and in the Réserve Spéciale du Pic d'Ivohibe (Nussbaum et al. 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

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.

Nussbaum, R., Cadle, J., and Andreone, F. (2008). Spinomantis bertini. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 05 May 2009.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Spinomantis bertini <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4581> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 17, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 17 Apr 2024.

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