Comparative tadpole morphology in three species of frogs of the genus Spinomantis (Amphibia: Mantellidae)

We describe the tadpoles of three species of Malagasy frogs, classified in the genus Spinomantis, based on specimens identified by DNA barcoding. The tadpole of Spinomantis aglavei is a typical Orton type IV larva. The oral disc is not emarginated laterally, but has two mid-ventral folds and a labial tooth row formula of 3(2- 3)/2(1). The tadpole of S. phantasticus is similar, the oral disc being laterally emarginated and having one medial fold; LTRF is 3/3(1). A third species, S. cf. fimbriatus is also similar to the other two species; the oral disc is not laterally emarginated but has three medial folds and LTRF is 3(2-3)/3(1). One shared character is a median fold or emargination in the lower part of the oral disc, although the shape of this fold is different in each of the three species. Only single specimens were available for examination in S. aglavei and S. phantasticus, preventing a further discussion of intraspecific morphological variation and of possibly diagnostic characters of larval morphology.