Aglyptodactylus securifer Glaw, Vences & Böhme, 1998

Aglyptodactylus securifer Glaw, Vences & Böhme, 1998 View in CoL

Identity. The species was described and diagnosed from Kirindy Forest in western Madagascar. It is well distinguished from A. laticeps by its narrower head, and from all other Aglyptodactylus by its larger inner metatarsal tubercle. Specimens from other western and northern localities (see below) generally agree in morphology with topotypic specimens. However, across its range as well as within single populations, the species exhibits considerable variation in dorsal colouration (see Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 d‒f, j‒l). Molecular data from the type locality are still unavailable.

Call. Call recordings of A. securifer were provided by Vences et al. (2006: CD1/Track 3), but have not yet been described in detail. Calls recorded at Ankarana on 13 February 2003 ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ) have a duration of 474‒509 ms and consist of a series of 2‒3 distinctly pulsed notes, with the initial note being the longest (note duration 277‒334 ms) followed by one or two shorter secondary notes (note duration 79‒134 ms). The last note usually is the shortest in all calls. Pulse rate is very similar in long and short notes, resulting in longer notes containing more pulses than shorter notes. Within notes, amplitude increases moderately from beginning to the end of notes, most distinctly in initial long notes. The dominant frequency range is approximately 2000‒3500 Hz, with maximum call energy at around 3000 Hz. Pulse repetition rate generally is in a similar range as in calls of A. australis and A. madagascariensis , but the calls of these species consist of one note type only, have longer inter-note intervals and longer call duration. The only other species of Aglyptodactylus emitting two note types is A. inguinalis but its note duration is very short and pulse rate within notes distinctly higher compared to A. securifer . For comparative numerical call parameters see Table 2.

Natural history. Glos (2003) and Glos & Linsenmair (2004) provided life history notes. The latter authors also described the tadpole. Randrianiaina et al. (2011) provided figures of A. securifer tadpoles and their mouthparts. A mating aggregation with numerous couples in axillary amplexus (males yellow, females brown) was figured by Goodman & Benstead (2003: back cover) and Glos (2003). Explosive breeding at Kirindy has furthermore been documented in a BBC film.

Distribution. This species is distributed at low-altitude localities in western and northern Madagascar ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). For localities confirmed by genetic data see Figure 1 View FIGURE 1 . Total reported localities are as follows: Ampombofofo ( Megson et al. 2009), Analamera, two survey sites ( Rakotondravony 2006b), Andavakoera, Forêt classée ( Rakotondravony 2006b), Andranomanintsy ( Raselimanana 2008), Ankara ( Rakotondravony & Goodman 2011), Ankarana (Glaw & Vences 2007, Raselimanana 2008), Beanka ( Raselimanana 2013), Berara ( Andreone et al. 2001), Forêt d’Ambre (D’Cruze et al. 2008), Kelifely ( Rakotondravony & Goodman 2011), Kirindy (Glaw et al. 1998, Glos 2003), ten survey sites in the Loky-Manambato region ( Rakotondravony 2006a), Makay ( Rakotondravony & Goodman 2011), Manongarivo (Glaw & Vences 2007), Montagne des Français (D’Cruze et al. 2007), Sahamalaza ( Raselimanana 2008); Tsingy de Bemaraha ( Raselimanana 2008, Bora et al. 2010), and Windsor Castle (ZSM 2206/2007; unpublished).