Redescription of the tadpoles of three species of frogs from Uruguay (Amphibia: Anura: Leiuperidae and Leptodactylidae), with notes on natural history

Abstract

In this work the tadpoles of the neotropical frogs Leptodactylus latinasus, Physalaemus biligonigerus and Physalaemus riograndensis are redescribed. Relevant features of L. latinasus tadpoles are a medial vent tube, labial tooth row formula (LTRF) 2(2)/3(1), and oral disc with a single row of marginal papillae interrupted by a dorsal gap, similarly to other species within the L. fuscus species group. Tadpoles of P. riograndensis have a medial vent tube, LTRF 2(2)/2(1), oral disc with single row of marginal papillae, interrupted by a dorsal gap and usually two ventrolateral gaps. The tadpole of P. biligonigerus has a dextral vent tube, the oral disc presents a single row of marginal papillae (sometimes double ventrally) with dorsal gap, and LTRF 2(2)/2(1). Although considered relevant for the taxonomy of Physalaemus, character variation of larval external morphology is incongruous with the phenetic species group arrangements proposed up to date. A reproductive mode previously unreported for P. riograndensis and P. henselii was observed: foam nests in the humid ground outside ponds. We also report the display of deimatic behavior in L. latinasus, L. ocellatus, P. henselii, and P. biligonigerus, in the last case with exhibition of the eye-like inguinal glands.