A new yellow-toed Platypelis species (Anura, Microhylidae, Cophylinae) from the Maroantsetra region, northeastern Madagascar

Gray versus yellow ventral coloration: Identity, distribution, color polymorphism and molecular relationships of the microhylid frog Platypelis mavomavo Andreone, Fenolio & Walvoord, 2003

The Malagasy frog Platypelis mavomavo from Ambolokopatrika in the North East of Madagascar was originally diagnosed based on its bright yellow venter, but only limited information on this species has become available after its initial description in 2003. Several Platypelis specimens with yellow ventral color have been erroneously assigned to this species due to a lack of DNA sequences from the P. mavomavo type series. On the other hand, the candidate species Platypelis sp. Ca10 from Andranomapanga in the Northern Central East of Madagascar with gray ventral color has been defined based on its genetic differentiation from other nominal Platypelis species. Here we study the genetic variation of P. mavomavo and P. sp. Ca10 based on mitochondrial (16S rRNA) and nuclear-encoded (RAG-1) genes, including a newly determined sequence from the P. mavomavo holotype, which was studied using a museomics approach. We find only limited genetic variation among the samples studied, and this variation is unlinked to ventral coloration but instead reflects geographic distribution. We, therefore, conclude that P. sp. Ca10 is a gray-colored variant of P. mavomavo, and that P. mavomavo is rather widespread in the North East and Northern Central East of Madagascar, with populations in areas bordering the North West (Ambohitantely) and Sambirano (Ampotsidy) geographic regions, and the yellow-bellied morph restricted to the North East (Makira, Ambolokopatrika). Due to the range extension of P. mavomavo, the conservation status of the species requires re-assessment.

Frogs of the genus Platypelis from the Sorata massif in northern Madagascar: description of a new species and reports of range extensions

We describe a new species of arboreal microhylid frog, genus Platypelis, from northeastern Madagascar and report the expansion of distribution ranges of two other species. Platypelis laetussp. nov. is small to medium-sized (24.3–25.6 mm snout-vent length) compared to other Platypelis, exhibits a greenish colored throat and was found in bamboo forest of the Sorata Massif. Its advertisement call consists of a single short tonal note repeated at regular intervals in long call series. Based on DNA sequences of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, the new species was placed in a clade with Platypelis olgae from the Tsaratanana Massif, and with two other, unconfirmed candidate species from the Sorata Massif and from Andravory, herein named Platypelis sp. Ca12 and Ca13. Molecular divergences among these lineages were substantial, amounting to 7.6‒8.1% uncorrected 16S p-distance to the closest nominal species, P. olgae, from which the new species is also distinguished by a lack of allele sharing in the nuclear RAG-1 gene. We also provide new records of Platypelis alticola and P. tsaratananaensis from the Sorata Massif, supported by molecular analysis. This confirms a wider distribution of these two species that previously were considered to be endemic to the Tsaratanana Massif. However, their populations in Sorata were characterized by a certain degree of genetic differentiation from Tsaratanana populations suggesting they require more detailed taxonomic assessment.