Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Frogs of Borneo
Filter
Leptomantis gadingensis
The tadpoles of Leptomantis gadingensis have so far been found at approximately 100–300 m elevation. They are adapted to clear cascading streams and are dispersed within the stream, making them sometimes difficult to locate. Tadpoles have been observed in pebble and rock pools with moderate current. They cling to rocks using their sucker mouth, but appear to avoid strong currents or cascades.
-
Family:Rhacophoridae
-
Genus:Leptomantis
-
Ecomorph:adherent-suctorial, exotrophic, lotic
-
Waterbody Type:flowing
-
Water Column:bottom
-
Feeding Type:feeding, hard surface grazer, omnivorous, rasping
-
Size:30 mm
-
Development:larva, tadpole
-
Adult:Leptomantis
Coloration
The general coloration is dark brown on the head and trunk, transitioning to beige on the muscular part of the tail. The body is finely stippled with bright iridophores over the dark background. Dark brown pigmentation extends from the trunk onto the muscular tail. Gills and heart are visible through the translucent ventral skin, with a patch of iridophores covering the heart and additional iridophore stippling over the gill areas. The abdomen is opaque silver laterally, with a transparent streak along the midline through which gut coils are visible. Tail fins are mostly clear with scattered melanophores and iridophores. The major lateral tail vein and some myosepta are discernible.
Snout
The oral disc is expanded, broadly rounded, and ventral. The snout profile slopes in a smooth convex curve, with the slightly elevated nostrils giving a subtle angular appearance in lateral view.
Oral Disc
The disc is ventral and wide, approximately 85% of maximum body width, without emargination between upper and lower lips. Lips bear multiple rows of papillae, with a marginal row of fine papillae and shorter, blunt papillae toward the mouth. The keratodont formula is LTRF 4(3–4)/3(1), with outer upper and lower lip keratodont rows long, spanning most of the disc width. Jaws are small but robust, black, V-shaped, subequal in width, and bear coarse blunt serrations along their edges.
Body
The body is streamlined. In dorsal view, the body contour is oval to rectangular, dorsoventrally depressed, with the head broader than the trunk and widest posterior to the eyes. Spiracle is sinistral and low, well below mid-body axis in lateral view, free from the body wall and directed posteriorly.
Eyes & Nostrils
Nostril is approximately midway between the eye and snout. Eyes are dorsolateral, not projecting beyond the body contour from above, with a black iris, a narrow golden ring around the pupil, and dense golden stippling beyond. The scleral region is densely stippled with iridocytes, more concentrated ventrally than dorsally.
Tail
The tail is strongly muscular, with the base nearly as deep as the trunk. The dorsal fin originates just posterior to the trunk-tail junction, slightly higher than the lower fin, with maximum height at mid-tail. Fins are shallowly convex and taper gradually to a broadly rounded tip.
Similar Species
Little is known about the tadpoles of the “Leptomantis complex”, which includes the closely related species L. gauni, L. gadingensis, L. belalongensis, and L. malkmusi. Some of these species have been questioned regarding their species status. For those species with known tadpoles, clear distinguishing features have not yet been established. In body shape, tadpoles of L. gadingensis are similar to those of L. penanorum and L. angulirostris, although the latter two have conspicuous black spots on the tail.
Literature
Mating pairs have been observed perching 2–6 m above a stream. Small foam nests are produced and attached to overhanging vegetation. After initial development, tadpoles hatch from the nest and drop into the stream below. The number of eggs in the nest has not been reported.
Das, I., Haas, A. (2005) A new species of Rhacophorus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Gunung Gading, Sarawak. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 53: 257–263.