Landdroskop Mountain Toadlet

description

Description of holotype. A male, 19.6 mm SUL, in breeding condition, robust, widest at mid-body; head wide (SUL / HW 2.6), not wider than trunk, as long as wide (HW / HL 1.1); snout long (SL / HL 0.4), bluntly rounded in dorsal view, angular in profile, slightly projecting beyond lower jaw, shorter than wide (SL / IO 0.73); canthus rostralis rounded; loreal region slightly concave; nostrils with a low rim, situated closer to tip of snout than eye (EN / SNO 1.67), separated from each other by distance about equal to distance between eye and nostril (IN / EN 1.07; eyes directed anterolaterally, relatively small (EYE / HL 0.38); eye diameter less than snout length (EYE / SL 0.77); a small angular umbraculum is present; interorbital distance less than eye diameter (IO / EYE 0.77), and greater than internarial distance (IO / IN 1.25; tympanum absent; choanae small, round, located far anterolaterally at margins of roof of the mouth; no vomer processes; median lingual process of tongue absent. Viewed from below the upper lip protrudes beyond the lower jaw. Lateral and dorsal surfaces of trunk smooth; ventral surfaces of limbs and gular smooth; parotid elongated, smooth, narrow anteriorly,

Taxonomy of the Capensibufo rosei group (Anura: Bufonidae) from South Africa

diagnosis

Diagnosis. There is no visible tympanum in C. magistratus, which distinguishes it from C. tradouwi and C. deceptus. In preservative, the dorsal spots consist of a grey center, with incomplete dark rings, sometimes with thin white outer margins. The umbraculum is angular, separating it from those species with rounded umbracula: C. rosei, C. selenophos, and C. tradouwi. The center third of the parotid is usually expanded, while the anterior third is usually wider in C. rosei. The parotid of C. deceptus is not expanded. There is a broad very diffuse pale vertebral band, sometimes with a thin white mid-dorsal line. The vertebral stripe is usually absent in C. rosei. The ventral markings consist of white spots on a darker background, distinguishing it from those species with immaculate bellies, that are sometimes flecked or marbled: C. deceptus, C. rosei, and C. selenophos. The ratio of parotid length / SUL is usually greater than 0.18, while it is 0.18 or less in C. tradouwi. The intraspecific uncorrected p distances for 16 S are 0 – 1.4 (n = 14), and 2.5 – 4.0 between C. magistratus and the other three species previously included in C. rosei and 3.2 – 4.5 from C. tradouwi (Table 1).

Taxonomy of the Capensibufo rosei group (Anura: Bufonidae) from South Africa

distribution

Distribution. Landdroskop (on the Hottentots-Holland Mountains), Groenlandberg Mountain, and Limietberg (part of the Hawekwas Mountains), and Jonaskop (on the Riviersonderend Mountains) (Fig. 1).

Taxonomy of the Capensibufo rosei group (Anura: Bufonidae) from South Africa

etymology

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the Latin magister (magistrate), referring to the type locality, Landdroskop. The Afrikaans Landdroskop = Magistrates Peak. It is used as a noun in apposition.

Taxonomy of the Capensibufo rosei group (Anura: Bufonidae) from South Africa