Description
A medium-sized terrestrial microhylid, 35-45 mm. Brown with irregular light brown markings. Flanks and inguinal region are with yellow or white spots. Venter yellowish or light brown, with light round spots, more intensely on the throat of males. Skin is granular. Tympanum rather indistinct, about 3/5 - 3/4 of eye diameter. Tibiotarsal articulation sometimes reaches insertion of arm. Fingertips are not enlarged and finger 2 is as long as finger 4 (slightly shorter in the types). Hands and feet are both without webbing. Call is unknown.
Tadpoles found in nests at Manjakatompo measure 16-17 mm in total length (5.5 mm in body length) at stage 34. They are of the non feeding type. The body is dark pigmented above. The belly is yellowish. The eyes are relatively small. Eggs are yellowish, egg diameter is 3-4.5 mm; 10 mm with jelly.
Similar Species: Other medium-sized Plethodontohyla have less granular skin. The most similar species is P. guentherpetersi. Rhombophryne testudo has short barbels around the lower lip.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (4 records).

Terra Typica: Madagascar; Angavokely; Ankaratra mountains; Manjakatompo; Zanzinakely; Chaines Anosyennes.
Observed at elevations up to about 2000 m. A terrestrial species, active in the rainy season during the evening and night. During the day it shelters under stones or fallen wood. In the dry season it hides burrowed 30-60 cm in the ground. Found in native forest as well as in cleared areas and at the edges of pine forest.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Eggs are laid in January, in a slimy mass, hidden in the leaf litter. At eclosion time the slimy mass liquefies and the tadpoles develop in it. One nest contained 45 eggs and 9 embryos in a different stage of development. A second nest contained 28 eggs.

Comments
For references in the text, see here

References

Glaw, F. and Vences, M. (1994). Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. M. Vences and F. Glaw Verlags GbR., Köln.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2010 Plethodontohyla tuberata <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/2357> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Feb 7, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 7 Feb 2025.

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