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 perreti Amiet, 1971 Three tadpoles of L. perreti were examined and genotyped. All were found on Mount Oku in the Emfveh-mi forest, near Elak. ZMB 79084–86 (Gosner stages 25, 35, 37, respectively; Mount Oku, 6°13’42.4”N , 10°31’17.4”E , 2269 m , 23 August and 2 September 2012 ). Tadpoles were collected in a stream in montane forest, ca. 300 m from the farm-forest boundary. The description is based on all three tadpoles. Morphology. Long and slender tadpoles with long, muscular tail; body elliptical in dorsal and narrow elliptical lateral view (see Fig. 3 in Cruz et al. 2013 ); body length 36.2–39.3% (N= 3) of total length; body width 47.2– 57.9% (N= 3) of body length; body widest at level of spiracle; snout rounded in dorsal view; nostrils oval and situated lateroventrally; nostrils equidistant from eye and snout tip (closer to eye Cruz et al. 2013 ); eye diameter 11.7–12.4% (N= 3) of body length; inter-orbital distance slightly exceeds inter-nostril distance; tail fins narrow; narrow dorsal fin originates distinctly posterior to tail base ( 3.1–3.5 mm ), running almost parallel to muscular tail axis; ventral fin originates at tail base, only slightly narrower than dorsal fin, runs parallel to tail axis; tail tip roundish to slightly pointed; tail axis broad, continuously converging towards tail tip; body height equal to or slightly less than total tail height; maximum height of tail axis 67.2–70.7% (N= 3) of total tail height; vent tube dextral; lateral sacs present, extending from spiracle to end of body, covering lower two thirds of flanks; short spiracle, sinistral, translucent, opening lateral, not visible in dorsal view, originating slightly anterior (N= 1) or posterior (N= 2) of mid-body; mouth opening frontal; labial tooth row formula 0/0; both jaw sheath completely keratinized, serrated, almost straight and narrow; two small caniniform projections (fangs) towards edges of lower sheath; lower jaw slightly bent; median part of lower jaw with indistinct needle-like cusps ( Fig. 11 b; Channing et al. 2012 : 8); four distinct serrations abaxial to fangs; broad semicircular posterior lip covered with 21 large papillae ( Fig. 11 a; Channing et al. 2012 : 30); arrangement of papillae symmetrical to vertical body axis; papillae arranged in two semicircular rows; short, very depressed w-shaped skin fold on lower lip, just posterior to lower jaw sheath; oral disc width 29.8–33.3% (N= 3) of body length; mouth width 22.2–28.6% (N= 2) of oral disc width. ZMB 79084 (Gosner stage 25) had a total length of 38.3 mm (body length: 10.8 mm ; tail length: 27.5 mm ). Our most advanced tadpole (ZMB 79086, Gosner stage 37) measured 48.2 mm total length (body length: 12.8 mm ; tail length: 35.4 mm ). Cruz et al. (2013) report total lengths of 45.1 and 51.6 mm in Gosner stage 25 tadpoles. Metamorphs with completely resorbed tails measure 15.5–17.5 mm SVL ( Amiet 1980 ). Coloration in preservation. Pale to deep dark brown dorsal parts of body and tail, dense irregular dark mottling; venter slightly lighter; fins with irregular dark mottling, more pronounced in dorsal parts, otherwise translucent cream-white; fins lighter than in other species.