Elachistocleis helianneae

Schiesari, Luis, Rossa-Feres, Denise De Cerqueira, Menin, Marcelo & Hödl, Walter, 2022, Tadpoles of Central Amazonia (Amphibia: Anura), Zootaxa 5223 (1), pp. 1-149 : 99-100

Elachistocleis helianneae

External morphology. Description based on one tadpole at Stage 34 (LCS 603). Total length 15.4 mm. Body rounded in dorsal view and triangular/depressed in lateral view ( Fig. 65A, B ). Snout truncated in dorsal and lateral views. Eyes small, positioned and directed laterally. Nostrils not peforated. Mouth terminal ( Fig. 65C ). Anterior lip large, fleshy, notched medially, and not covering the oral opening; posterior lip narrow, generally with an arched border. Jaw sheaths, papillae, and tooth rows absent. Spiracle single, long and wide, positioned ventromedially, with distal border projecting over the vent tube. Vent tube medial, fused to the ventral fin, with a medial opening. Caudal musculature of moderate width; in lateral view gradually tapering to a pointed tip. Dorsal fin of moderate height, originating at the tail-body junction, convex; ventral fin of moderate height, convex. Tail with pointed tip.

Colour. In preservative dorsum and caudal musculature brown; venter lighter, grayish brown; fins translucent; caudal musculature and fins with irregular large brown patches.

Natural history. Clutches contain about 1,400 eggs and are laid on the water surface ( Lima et al. 2012). Tadpoles are found in temporary ponds in open areas; tadpoles remain in the water column and eat suspended particles ( Lima et al. 2012).

Comments. Tadpoles of E. helianneae were described by Dias-Souza et al. (2019) from northern Amazonia, Amapá, Brazil. They differ from those herein characterized by presenting body elongate oval in dorsal view, and snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views.

Genus Synapturanus . Tadpoles of genus Synapturanus found in the Central Amazonia share the following combination of morphological characteristics: body ovoid in dorsal view and globular in lateral view; spiracle absent; tail fins shallow; vent tube absent; spiracle absent; oral disc absent; oral aperture as a simple terminal slit.

Figures

FIGURE 65. Tadpole of Elachistocleis helianneae (LCS 603) at Stage 34: (A) lateral view, (B) dorsal view (scale = 10 mm), and (C) mouthparts (scale = 1 mm).