Saturday, May 17, 2014

[Herpetology • 2005] Scaphiophryne menabensis • A New Species of Scapiophryne from western Madagascar


Scaphiophryne menabensis Glos , Glaw & Vences 2005

 Abstract
We describe the adult and larval morphology, advertisement call, ecology, and life history of a new species of Marbled Toad from the dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar on the basis of eight specimens from Kirindy Forest C. F. P. F. in the central Menabe area. Scaphiophryne menabensis n. sp. is larger, but morphologically similar to S. marmorata from the eastern rainforests. However, DNA sequence analysis of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene resulted in a clear differentiation from this species. The strongest mitochondrial affinities are with S. madagascariensis, a morphologically highly divergent species occurring in montane savanna and forest areas on the high plateau of Madagascar.

Julian Glos , Frank Glaw and Miguel Vences. 2005 A New Species of Scapiophryne from western Madagascar. Copeia. 2005(2): 252-261
doi: dx.doi.org/10.1643/CH-04-238R2 jstor.org/stable/4098531