Betsileo Madagascar Frog

M 23-28 mm, F 28-35 mm. A widespread species in the mid-altitude rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Tibiotarsal articulation can reach the tip of the snout. Hand without webbing, foot webbing 1(1), 2i(1), 2e(0.5-1), 3i(2), 3e(1-1.5), 4i/e(2), 5(0-1). Terminal discs of fingers and toes slightly enlarged. Dorsal skin moderately granular, usually with well-visible dorsolateral folds. Colouration dorsally very variable, often light brown with darker patches, with or without vertebral stripes, sometimes with orange flanks. Typical for this and related species is a distinct white tip on the snout. Males with a weakly distensible single subgular vocal sac, distinct femoral glands, these are relatively small and widely separated from each other.Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007)

Andasibe, Besariaka near Moramanga, Fierenana, Mandraka, Ranomafana (Ranomafana village, Ranomafanakely, Vohiparara). It occurs between sea level and 1,500m asl in both intact and degraded rainforest and occasionally in deforested agricultural areas (Vences and Nussbaum 2008).

Habits: Along slow-moving streams in rainforest and in secondary and disturbed vegetation at mid-elevations, also occurring in swampy areas, ditches and at the edges of ricefields. Not observed in fully deforested areas. Males call during day and (mostly) night from positions on the ground, often from within small open cavities. Calls: A long and fastly pulsed note. Breeding takes place in streams, pools, puddles, and rice fields (Vences and Nussbaum 2008)

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

Mantidactylus betsileanus is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, and seasonally flooded agricultural land.

Breeding takes place in streams, pools, puddles, and rice fields (Vences and Nussbaum 2008)

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss

Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities

Habitat fragmentation