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Happy February! We continue our #FrogOfTheDay adventure through the #MadagascarFrogs with #32 Mantidactylus (Brygoomantis) betsileanus (Boulenger, 1882)! A widespread species that is highly variable in colouration.
In the Addenda to his catalogue of the Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia s. Ecaudata in the collection of the British Museum, George Albert Boulenger added a whole BUNCH of new species, and 'Rana betsileana' was the first of them.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8307#/summary
#MadagascarFrogs
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/8307#/summary
#MadagascarFrogs
The new species was described from East Betsileo, which, as I've talked about on other #MadagascarFrogs tweets, is more or less useless as biogeographic information goes, as the Betsileo region is massive.
Mantidactylus betsileanus can be tough to identify, as there are currently 15 species of these LBJs (little brown jobs). Many specimens have a white snout-tip, as noted by Boulenger, but this is not always there, and other species have it too.
#MadagascarFrogs
#MadagascarFrogs
To make matters worse, when the DNA barcoding work by David Vieites, @cybokat, et al. came out, it was revealed that the subgenus Brygoomantis has more undescribed species than described ones! So currently, you can never be SURE of an ID #MadagascarFrogs https://www.pnas.org/content/106/20/8267
To add insult to injury, although these frogs call often, their calls are a challenge to analyse and take a lot of experience to ID in the field. They sound like creaking doors! Have a listen via @FonoZoo :
http://www.fonozoo.com/fnz_detalles_registro_eng.php?tipo_registro=1&id=93596&id_sonido=261#player93596
http://www.fonozoo.com/fnz_detalles_registro_eng.php?tipo_registro=1&id=93596&id_sonido=261#player93596
Fortunately, we are currently working on a taxonomic revision of the group, which will resolve most of these problems, and clarify the distribution and identity of Mantidactylus (Brygoomantis) betsileanus.
#MadagascarFrogs
#MadagascarFrogs
Here you can get stickers and magnets of #FrogOfTheDay #32 Mantidactylus (Brygoomantis) betsileanus (Boulenger, 1882) to beautify your life! #MadagascarFrogs https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/69780444?ref=studio-promote
