Günther's High Altitude Toad

description

External morphology. Description of a tadpole at Gosner stage 38. Body ovoid and globular in dorsal and lateral perspectives (fig. 6 a ‒ b). Body length 37.5 % of total length; maximum body diameter at centre of abdomen. Snout rounded in dorsal and lateral perspectives. Eyes large, located and oriented dorsolaterally; distance between eye and nostril 35 % of distance between eye and snout. Nostril opening elliptical, closer to eye than to snout; placed parallel to eye in dorsal view; inter-narial distance 43.2 % of inter-orbital distance, distance between nostril and snout 20.3 % of body length. Spiracle sinistral and short; inner wall of tube not formed; tube orientation posterolateral, its opening located below the medial and above the lateral side of venter. Distance between spiracle and snout 56.2 % of body length. Opening of vent tube medial with a wide aperture. Tail tip broadly rounded; musculature linear on first third length of tail, tapering beyond. Dorsal fin originating at junction between body tail, ventral fin originating at ventral terminus; maximum height of caudal fin at distal end of tail, dorsal and ventral fins of equal heights. Height of tail muscle 1.33 times

Larval morphology of selected anuran species from India

discussion

Notes. The taxonomic identity of the tadpoles was confirmed by partial sequence of 16 S rRNA (OQ 079485) generated from tadpoles of the series WT 160. The sequence showed about 1 % sequence divergence compared to the published Genbank sequence (KT 991345) from taxonomically identified Duttaphrynus himalayanus. Tadpoles of this species were described by Annandale (1906, 1912), Bhaduri (1944 b), Ray (1999) and Khan (2001, 2006).

Larval morphology of selected anuran species from India

materials_examined

Larval series examined. WT 004.27608 (Barot forest guest house, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India; 32.09218 N, 76.85088 E); WT 028.041009 (Baran nala, Askot WLS, Uttarakhand, India; 29.86873 N, 80.37192 E); WT 035.29608 (Ghar nala, Bir, Palampur Himachal Pradesh, India; 32.05299 N, 76.71197 E); and WT 160.2208 (Jolib, Askot WLS, Uttarakhand, India; 29.86873 N, 80.37192 E). Tadpoles of this species were collected in shallow side pools, water puddles and side streams with little or no water current. The substratum of the pools was sandy with little or no emergent vegetation. Algal growth was very minimal.

Larval morphology of selected anuran species from India