Platypelis tsaratananaensis Guibe , 1974

Rakotoarison, Andolalao, Scherz, Mark D., Koehler, Joern, Ratsoavina, Fanomezana M., Hawlitschek, Oliver, Megson, Steven, Vences, Miguel & Glaw, Frank, 2020, Frogs of the genus Platypelis from the Sorata massif in northern Madagascar: description of a new species and reports of range extensions, Zoosystematics and Evolution 96 (1), pp. 263-274 : 263

Platypelis tsaratananaensis Guibe, 1974

Identity.

Platypelis tsaratananaensis was originally described by Guibé (1974) from the holotype specimen MNHN 1993.685 (originally A685). Rakotoarison et al. (2012) re-examined the holotype and studied newly observed and newly collected specimens from Tsaratanana. They stated that the species is characterised by "medium body size (adult SVL 22-33 mm), most specimens with colored patches above the eyes, absence of reddish or yellowish ventral color, no sharp border between dorsal and lateral color, third toe distinctly shorter than fifth, vomerine teeth present, males with prepollical tubercle but lacking a finger-like prepollex as typical for Anodonthyla ."

Based on our molecular phylogeny we here extend this definition to also encompass specimens from the Sorata Massif (Fig. 7 ), as well as to those from the Marojejy Massif (the latter had previously been referred to as P. sp. 7 or P. sp. Ca7; Vieites et al. 2009; Perl et al. 2014), despite the substantial divergence among these populations of 3.0-5.6% p-distance in the 16S segment studied herein (see molecular results above). The Marojejy population had also been tentatively assigned to the species by Rakotoarison et al. (2012). These populations will require thorough taxonomic revision in the future.

Scherz et al. (2016) referred to the population from Sorata as P. sp. CaNEW1. They found these samples to be the sister clade to the sample AMNH 167233 PT-240, referred to as " Cophyla occultans Vohemar KM509119" by Peloso et al. (2016). The latter specimen is presumably from the Vohemar district in general, which includes part of Sorata.

New material examined.

UADBA-A specimens (FGZC 3646, FGZC 3765), and ZSM 5654/2012-5656/2012 (FGZC 3647-3649), collected on 28 November 2012 above the camp site on Sorata massif (close to 13.6817S, 49.4411E, 1339 m a.s.l.), northern Madagascar, by F. Glaw, O. Hawlitschek, T. Rajoafiarison, A. Rakotoarison, F.M. Ratsoavina, and A. Razafimanantsoa.

Distribution.

This species is known from Tsaratanana Strict Nature Reserve ( Raxworthy et al. 2008; Rakotoarison et al. 2012) as well as several nearby sites (Bemanevika, Andrevorevo), the Sorata Massif, and the Marojejy Massif (Fig. 2 ). Rakotoarison et al. (2012) reported additional sites in need of confirmation (Tsararano and Anjanaharibe-Sud) based on photographs only.

Natural history.

Widely distributed in Tsaratanana Strict Nature Reserve, these frogs inhabit bamboo holes ( Raxworthy et al. 2008; Rakotoarison et al. 2012). The specimens collected in the Sorata Massif were also discovered in bamboo holes, and some specimens were ovigerous or found with eggs in such holes (as in Tsaratanana; see also Rakotoarison et al. 2010). In Tsaratanana, calling activity was mostly observed at night and in the early morning ( Rakotoarison et al. 2012), but no calls were heard in Sorata. As known from the Tsaratanana Massif, the dorsal pattern of the encountered specimens at Sorata was highly polymorphic (Fig. 7 ).

Undescribed candidate species

Figures

Figure 2. Approximate geographical location of occurrence records of the focal Platypelis species in our study (modified from Rakotoarison et al. 2012; showing only records for which molecular data are available). The map indicates elevation (green, lowest; red-yellow, highest). Localities and species occurring at these sites are as follows: (1 - 4) campsites on the Mangindrano-Maromokotro trail, Tsaratanana Massif (Antevialambazaha, Matsabory Maiky, Bepia, Andranomadio); (5) Bemanevika forest; (6) Andrevorevo; (7) Marojejy; (8) Sorata; (9) Andravory. Occurrence records of P. alticola (at sites 1 - 3, and a deep genetic lineage at 8), P. tsaratananaensis (at sites 1 - 3, and deep genetic lineages at 7 and 8), P. olgae (between sites 3 and 4), P. laetus sp. nov. and P. Ca 12 (site 8), and P. sp. Ca 13 (site 9).

Figure 7. Photographs in life of Platypelis tsaratananaensis from the Sorata Massif. a, b ZSM 5655 / 2012 (FGZC 3648); c, d ZSM 5654 / 2012 (FGZC 3647); e, f ZSM 5656 / 2012 (FGZC 3649).