A new stump-toed frog from the transitional forests of NW Madagascar (Anura, Microhylidae, Cophylinae, Stumpffia).

Angelica Crottini,Franco Andreone,Marc W Holderied,Lovasoa M S Rakotozafy,Samuel G Penny,Walter Cocca,Gonçalo M Rosa

doi:10.3897/zookeys.933.47619

Abstract

A new species of the miniaturised microhylid frog genus Stumpffia, from north-western Madagascar, is described. Stumpffia froschauerisp. nov. differs from all other described Stumpffia species in colouration and morphology and is genetically divergent (≥ 7% uncorrected p-distance to all other nominal species of the genus) in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and in a segment of the nuclear Rag-1 gene. The new species is reliably known only from a few specimens collected in the Sahamalaza (and surroundings) region. Its known distribution is limited to three forest patches severely threatened by fire, drought and high levels of forest clearance, thus suggesting a classification of “Critically Endangered” according to IUCN Red List criteria.

Highlights

Madagascar is the fourth largest island and known for its high biodiversity, hosting an exceptional concentration of endemic fauna and flora
A recent revision based on a combination of molecular, bioacoustic, and morphological data, revealed 26 new species (Rakotoarison et al 2017), providing the opportunity to further develop the knowledge on this group and other miniaturised frog species of Madagascar (e.g., Scherz et al 2019)
In this paper we describe a new species of Stumpffia belonging to Clade A2 discovered in a limited region of the transitional forest of north-western Madagascar, and provide indications towards establishing its conservation status

Summary

Introduction

Madagascar is the fourth largest island and known for its high biodiversity, hosting an exceptional concentration of endemic fauna and flora (de Wit 2003; Wilmé et al 2006). Cophyline frogs show a high diversity of ecological adaptations (with terrestrial, arboreal, fossorial and rupicolous species; Glaw and Vences 2007) and strong microendemism (Wollenberg et al 2008; Rakotoarison et al 2017). They are currently divided into nine genera (Scherz et al 2016, 2017, 2019). A recent revision based on a combination of molecular, bioacoustic, and morphological data, revealed 26 new species (Rakotoarison et al 2017), providing the opportunity to further develop the knowledge on this group and other miniaturised frog species of Madagascar (e.g., Scherz et al 2019)

Methods

Results

Conclusion