New species of frog in Madagascar has unique breeding habit

A) Adult male from Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Betampona B) Adult male from RNI de Betampona, C) Adult male from RNI de Betampona, D) Couple in pre-mating habit from Sahabefoza; E) Two unsexed individuals and some tadpoles within a palm leaf filled with water from Masoala; F) Two egg clutches a few hours after the deposition, from Betampona;

May 2010. A species of previously unrecorded frog has been found in north east Madagascar that lays its eggs and grows its tadpoles in dead palm leaves. The frog was found in the Madagascan rainforest from the protected areas of Ambatovaky, Betampona, Masoala, and Zahamena and it is believed that this breeding habit is unique. 

Many frog species lay their eggs in rainwater pools inside plants, but this new species is the only frog that is known to lay its eggs in fallen leaves.

The new species, named Blommersia angolafa, is a small frog, with a body size of 17-21 mm, expanded finger and toe tips, and colouration ranging from yellow to dark brown, with pale-bluish spots on the flanks and light tips of fingers and toes.

102 known frog species breed in pools of water in living plants, but this species breeds in water that has collected in fallen palm leaves. 

Distribution of B. angolafa , overlaid on a landcover satellite map. The yellow polygons show the combined distribution of the three palm species where B. angolafa has been found. The green polygons highlight the main protected areas.

Our thanks to Gonçalo Miranda Rosa of the University of Lisbon