Description, microhabitat and temporal distribution of the tadpole of Proceratophrys tupinamba Prado and Pombal, 2008

摘要

We present a description of the external morphology of the tadpoles of Proceratophrys tupinamba, and provide information on its temporal distribution and microhabitat use. Proceratophrys tupinamba differs from other larvae of species in the genus Proceratophrys described by the tooth row, which is similar to that of P. appendiculata. Comparing our description to the description of P. appendiculata, some differences are observed in the body proportion. Tadpoles were most abundant during the wet season(October-March), and it was positively related with average monthly rainfall. Tadpoles of P. tupinamba are benthonic and occur more often in lentic portions of the stream. They were found most frequently exposed on the sand, which also represented the most available microhabitat among those sampled in the stream studied.