The tadpoles of nine Cameroonian Leptodactylodon species (Amphibia, Anura, Arthroleptidae) Author Mapouyat, Lissa Author Hirschfeld, Mareike Author Rödel, Mark-Oliver Author Liedtke, H. Christoph Author Loader, Simon P. Author Gonwouo, L. Nono Author Dahmen, Matthias Author Doherty-Bone, Thomas M. Author Barej, Michael F. text Zootaxa 2014 3765 1 29 53 journal article 36900 10.11646/zootaxa.3765.1.2 d7ac8ea4-79e3-4375-a4f6-a5bf6922b5e1 1175-5326 285560 BBD41CC5-D3E4-4FEF-B06D-6977693270AE Leptodactylodon erythrogaster Amiet, 1971 We examined 11 tadpoles that all originated from Mount Manengouba: ZMB 78479 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°1’50.5”N , 9°48’38.5”E , 1959 m , 30 September 2010 ); ZMB 78481 (two tadpoles, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°0’51.78”N , 9°49’24.24”E , 2114 m , 8 November 2010 ); ZMB 78482 (seven tadpoles, Gosner stage 25, Caldera, 5°1’50.5”N , 9°48’38.5”E , 1959 m , 31 August 2011 ); ZMB 78483 (one tadpole, Gosner stage 36, near summit, 5°2’24”N , 9°51’39.3”E , 2012 m , 26 September 2011 ). All individuals were captured in small forest streams and rivers between 1959 m and 2114 m altitude ( Fig. 2 ). The description is based on two genotyped tadpoles (ZMB 78481–82) at Gosner stage 25. Body length/total length ratio and description of tail tips was based on non-genotyped specimens of the same developmental stage. Morphology. Long slender tadpole with narrow and long muscular tail; body elliptical in dorsal and depressed in lateral view ( Fig. 7 a, b); body length 28.8 ± 1.7% (N= 8) of total length; body height 39.6–46.5% (N= 2) of body length; body width 50.0–57.4% (N= 2) of body length; maximum body width on level of spiracle insertion; snout nearly rounded in dorsal view; nostrils oval and situated laterally; nostrils equidistant from eye and snout tip; eye diameter 8.3–11.9% (N= 2) of body length; inter-orbital distance slightly exceeds inter-nostril distance; tail fins narrow; dorsal fin originates slightly anterior ( 1.1 mm in ZMB 78481) or posterior ( 0.2 mm in ZMB 78482) to tail base, reaching deepest point at mid-tail or posterior to it, almost as deep or slightly narrower than ventral fin; narrow ventral fin originates at level of tail base, runs almost parallel to tail axis, reaches deepest point slightly anterior to tail tip; tail tip rounded; tail axis broad and muscular; body height 90.5–94.0% (N= 2) of total tail height; maximum height of tail axis 61.9–62.0% (N= 2) of maximum tail height; vent tube dextral; lateral sacs present, extending from spiracle to end of body, covering lower two thirds of flanks; short sinister spiracle, translucent, opening lateral, not visible in dorsal view, originating slightly posterior to mid-body; mouth opening frontal; labial tooth row formula 0/0; both jaw sheaths fully keratinized; upper jaw of narrow almost rectangular shape, distinctly and uniformly serrated; lower jaw more massive, depressed U-shaped; distinctly serrated, with a lateral pair of caniniform projections (fangs), median part with four to seven needle-like cusps ( Fig. 7 d); two distinct serrations abaxial to fangs; posterior lip large and semicircular to kidney shaped, covered with 20 papillae; arrangement of papillae symmetrical along vertical body axis; papillae arranged in two semicircular rows ( Fig. 7 c); short almost straight skin fold on lower lip, just posterior to lower jaw sheath; oral disc width 31.3–51.5% (N= 2) of body length; mouth width 18.0–25.0 (N= 2) of oral disc width. The largest tadpole at Gosner stage 25 (ZMB 78481) measured 40.7 mm total length (body length: 11.2 mm ; tail length: 29.5 mm ). The most developed individual (ZMB 78483, Gosner stage 36) had a body length of 13.2 mm (tail incomplete). Amiet (1980) measured metamorphs, still possessing 2–18 mm tails, with 13.5–15 mm SVL. Coloration in preservation . Pale brown, dark brown mottling irregularly spread over dorsal body parts and tail; snout may be darker or lighter in some individuals; tail axis with black line in anterior two thirds; ventral parts and last fourth of ventral fin with some darker speckling; dorsal fins darker spotted, otherwise translucent creamwhite.