Diversity, elevational variation, and phylogeographic origin of stump-toed frogs (Microhylidae: Cophylinae: Stumpffia) on the Marojejy massif, northern Madagascar

Stump-toed frogs (genus Stumpffia Boettger, 1881) are a diverse group of small-bodied frogs endemic to Madagascar. Seven species of this genus occur on Marojejy, a steep massif in northeastern Madagascar. Here we examine the elevational distribution, phylogenetic position, biogeographic origin, and genetic differentiation of this Stumpffia assemblage. We show that none of these species is another’s closest relative, but rather they are all independent lineages that probably colonised the Marojejy Massif through repeated immigration events. All of the lineages on Marojejy are most closely related to species south and southwest of the massif, except one lineage, formerly known as Stumpffia sp. Ca07, but here assigned to S. sorata as a deep conspecific lineage (and referred to as S. cf. sorata), which occurs also in Sorata, 90 km north of Marojejy. The species on Marojejy are typically restricted to narrow elevational ranges, but at least two species, S. cf. sorata and S. tridactyla, occur over elevations spanning 1000 metres. We assessed the genetic variability of these populations, and found considerable haplotype separation in fragments of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear Rag-1 genes, suggesting some disruption of gene flow associated with elevation. We discuss the biogeographic implications of our findings and, based on previously published data, the evolution of non-overlapping bioacoustic parameters among the diverse assemblage of Stumpffia species on the Marojejy massif

A distinctive new frog species (Anura, Mantellidae) supports the biogeographic linkage of two montane rainforest massifs in northern Madagascar

We describe a new species of the genus Gephyromantis, subgenus Vatomantis (Mantellidae, Mantellinae), from moderately high elevation (1164–1394 m a.s.l.) on the Marojejy, Sorata, and Andravory Massifs in northern Madagascar. The new species, Gephyromantis (Vatomantis) lomorina sp. n. is highly distinct from all other species, and was immediately recognisable as an undescribed taxon upon its discovery. It is characterised by a granular, mottled black and green skin, reddish eyes, paired subgular vocal sacs of partly white colour, bulbous femoral glands present only in males and consisting of three large granules, white ventral spotting, and a unique, amplitude-modulated advertisement call consisting of a series of 24–29 rapid, quiet notes at a dominant frequency of 5124–5512 Hz. Genetically the species is also strongly distinct from its congeners, with uncorrected pairwise distances ≥10 % in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene to all other nominal Gephyromantis species. A molecular phylogeny based on 16S sequences places it in a clade with species of the subgenera Laurentomantis and Vatomantis, and we assign it to the latter subgenus based on its morphological resemblance to members of Vatomantis. We discuss the biogeography of reptiles and amphibians across the massifs of northern Madagascar, the evidence for a strong link between Marojejy and Sorata, and the role of elevation in determining community sharing across this landscape

Discovery of frogs of the Stumpffia hara species group (Microhylidae, Cophylinae) on Montagne d’Ambre in northern Madagascar, with description of a new species

The stump-toed frogs of the Madagascar-endemic genus Stumpffia are mostly diminutive in size, but there is one group of comparatively large frogs within the genus, which we herein refer to as the Stumpffia hara species group. Each of the four known members of this species group is endemic to a single location of deciduous dry forest with exposed karstic limestone rock. Here, we report on the discovery of members of this species group on Montagne d’Ambre, a rainforest-covered extinct volcano in the North of Madagascar that has a rich Stumpffia fauna but has been thought to lack members of the S. hara species group until now. We found two members of the species group, one at the peak, and one in transitional and dry deciduous forest on the west and northern slopes of the mountain. The high-elevation species is new to science, and we here describe it as Stumpffia bishopi sp. nov. It occupies a highly distinct position in the phylogeny of these frogs, characterized by ≥ 9.8% uncorrected pairwise distance from all other nominal Stumpffia in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. It is also the smallest of the members of the S. hara species group. Our genetic results show that the low-elevation species is Stumpffia megsoni, constituting a range expansion of that species and considerably expanding our understanding of its morphology and ecology. We report its advertisement call for the first time. Our results highlight the importance of continued surveys of even well-sampled localities, with special attention on the high elevation sites of northern massifs and collection of voucher specimens, and how much there still remains to understand about even the largest of Madagascar’s small frogs

Description of the lucky Cophyla (Microhylidae, Cophylinae), a new arboreal frog from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar

Rakotoarison, Andolalao, Scherz, Mark D., Bletz, Molly C., Razafindraibe, Jary H., Glaw, Frank, Vences, Miguel (2019): Description of the lucky Cophyla (Microhylidae, Cophylinae), a new arboreal frog from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa 4651 (2): 271-288, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4651.2.

Finaritra! A splendid new leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) species from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar

Ratsoavina, Fanomezana Mihaja, Raselimanana, Achille P., Scherz, Mark D., Rakotoarison, Andolalao, Razafindraibe, Jary H., Glaw, Frank, Vences, Miguel (2019): Finaritra! A splendid new leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) species from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa 4545 (4): 563-577, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4545.4.

FIGURE 3 in Yet another small brown frog from high altitude on the Marojejy Massif, northeastern Madagascar (Anura: Mantellidae)

FIGURE 3. Adult male specimens of Gephyromantis tohatra sp. nov. and syntopic G. schilfi from Marojejy National Park in life, in dorsolateral and ventral views. (a,b) Holotype of G. tohatra (ZSM 422/2016, field number ZCMV 15245, SVL 32.7 mm); (c,d) paratype of G.tohatra (UADBAuncatologued, field number ZCMV 15236, SVLunknown). (e,f) call voucher of G. schilfi (ZSM 415/2016, field number ZCMV 15246, SVL 29.8 mm)

FIGURE 5 in Yet another small brown frog from high altitude on the Marojejy Massif, northeastern Madagascar (Anura: Mantellidae)

FIGURE 5. Audiospectrogram (above) and oscillogram (below) of a call of a specimen of G. schilfi (ZSM 415/2016 = ZCMV 15246), recorded on 19 November 2016 in proximity of the G.tohatra type locality on the Marojejy Massif.Calls were filtered with a high pass filter to remove frequencies below 1000 Hz inorder to reduce wind artefacts

Supplementary material 1 from: Hutter CR, Andriampenomanana ZF, Andrianasolo GT, Cobb KA, Razafindraibe JH, Abraham RK, Lambert SM (2021) A fantastic new species of secretive forest frog discovered from forest fragments near Andasibe, Madagascar. Zoosystematics and Evolution 97(2): 483-495. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.97.73630

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