Guibemantis pulcher (Boulenger 1882)

A small green arboreal frog; males 25 mm, females 22-28 mm. Greenish with violet markings and a violet dorsilateral band running from tip of snout to the middle of the flanks. Ventral surface is uniformly light. Skin smooth. Nostrils nearer to tip of snout than to eye. Tympanum poorly distinct, about 1/3 of eye size. Tibiotarsal articulation reaches the eye. Lateral metatarsalia connected. Webbing of fingers rudimentary, webbing of the foot 1(1), 2i(1.5), 2e(1), 3i(2.5), 3e(1), 4i(2.5), 4e(3), 5(1). Males with distinct femoral glands (6x2 mm). Similar species: Other species of the subgenus Pandanusicola are differently coloured.Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).

Ampamakiesiny Pass, An’Ala, Andasibe, Andranomay forest, Andringitra (Sahavatoy river), Ankafana, Ankeniheny, Anosibe, Besariaka near Moramanga, Betatao, Ivohibe, Marojejy, Midongy, Moramanga, Niagarakely, Ranomafana (Maharira forest, Ranomena).It occurs between sea level and 1,400 m asl in pristine and disturbed rainforest and swamp forest. It is often found in the leaf axils of screw pines (Pandanus spp.) (Nussbaum and Raxworthy 2008).

Habits: Arboreal species, only found on Pandanus. Call: Unknown.Eggs and tadpoles: Eggs coloured turquoise with black. Tadpoles are very similar to those of Mantidactylus punctatus, but differ by their colouration with fine green punctuation. However, the possibility that they were the tadpoles of M. flavobrunneus, a species that occurred also in the same Pandanus where the tadpoles were found, can not be ruled out. Tadpoles from Ankeniheny showed greenish-golden punctuations and a light short streak (max. 1 mm) at the tip of snout. Both colour features were already visible in small tadpoles. The eyes are situated dorsally. The tadpoles are smaller and less flattened than those of M. bicalcaratus. Tooth formula is 1/5+5//3.

It occurs in many protected areas (Nussbaum and Raxworthy 2008).