Account
What the sources say about this taxon, as written.
description · 
Plazi
Identity and justification .—This lineage previously was considered to represent a northern deeply divergent conspecific lineage of M. betsileanus , due to its superficial similarity in advertisement calls, and very similar morphology. However, closer investigation revealed that (i) the mitochondrial divergence is very high (5.1‒ 8.3%), (ii) there is almost no haplotype sharing with M. betsileanus in the nuclear gene Rag-1, (iii) the calls from various sites have a consistently lower pulse repetition rate and lower number of pulses per call, and (iv) the northern specimens are very slightly but consistently smaller than M. betsileanus . Taken together, this is reliable evidence for a distinctness at species level.
description · Plazi
Calls .—Calls recorded on 9 January 2016 , 23:37 h, at Ampotsidy in the Bealanana District from the holotype , air temperature not measured but likely below 20°C, were moderately motivated and consisted of a pulsed note, with pulse repetition rate increasing within the note from its beginning to its end. Numerical call parameters of six analysed calls were as follows: call duration (= note duration) 1589–2120 ms (1899.6 ± 192.9 ms); 44–50 pulses per note (46.3 ± 2.6); pulse duration 4–6 ms (5.1 ± 0.5 ms); pulse repetition rate within notes 13.8–30.2 pulses/s (23.1 ± 6.8); dominant frequency 1464–1550 Hz (1498 ± 33 Hz); prevalent bandwidth 800–4800 Hz. Calls recorded on 20 June 2009 , 20:00 h,at the western slope of the Makira Massif, air temperature estimated at 20–25°C, seemed to be reasonably motivated and generally agreed with calls from Ampotsidy, Bealanana district, described above. The call consisted of a regularly pulsed note ( Fig. 41 ) of rather variable duration. Numerical call parameters of 14 analysed calls were as follows: call duration (= note duration) 1060–2773 ms (1919.9 ± 446.1 ms); 19–45 pulses per note (32.9 ± 7.6); pulse duration 6–12 ms (9.1 ± 1.6 ms); pulse repetition rate within notes 16.6–18.9 pulses/s (17.9 ± 1.0); dominant frequency 1644–1755 Hz (1681 ± 45 Hz); prevalent bandwidth 900–5500 Hz; call repetition rate (= note repetition rate) ca 3–5 calls/min. Calls recorded on 7 June 2010 at Ambatoria, Tsaratanàna, air temperature estimated 20–25°C, also showed a rather low pulse repetition rate, comparable to calls from Makira West and Ampotsidy. Numerical call parameters of six analysed calls were as follows: call duration (= note duration) 2152–2895 ms (2466.3 ± 255.6 ms); 53–72 pulses per note (61.7 ± 7.5); pulse duration 4–6 ms (4.2 ± 0.5 ms); pulse repetition rate within notes 14.7–29.9 pulses/s (25.3 ± 5.4); dominant frequency 1217–1415 Hz (1280 ± 68 Hz), with a second frequency peak of almost identical call energy at ca 2700–2800 Hz; prevalent bandwidth 800–4800 Hz; call repetition rate (= note repetition rate) ca 4–5 calls/min. Tadpoles.— The tadpole of this species has not been described.
diagnosis · Plazi
Diagnosis .— Mantidactylus jonasi sp. nov. is a member of the M. betsileanus clade as revealed by the phylogenomic analysis, and sister to the monophyletic group containing M. betsileanus and M. incognitus . See Table 4 for a list of diagnostic morphological characters. The combination of a relatively small body size in males (SVL 22–25 mm ), slightly to moderately tubercular dorsal skin with distinct continuous dorsolateral ridges, reduced webbing (one phalanx of fifth toe free of web), absence of white spots on flanks, presence of a white marking on snout tip, and advertisement call consisting of a single, long pulsed note distinguishes M. jonasi sp. nov. from species of all other clades. Within the M. betsileanus clade, the new species has long been confused with M. betsileanus from which it cannot be reliably distinguished based on morphology, although it may have a tendency towards a somewhat more tubercular dorsal skin than M. betsileanus ( Figs 40 vs 34), and a slightly smaller body size. It can be distinguished from M. betsileanus by fewer pulses per note, and lower pulse repetition rate, in advertisement calls ( Table 4 ). Mantidactylus jonasi sp. nov. is distinguished from M. noralottae by smaller size of males and presence of a distinct white marking on snout; from M. tripunctatus by a smaller size, and by fewer pulses per note and a lower pulse repetition rate, in advertisement calls; and from M. incognitus by absence of distinct dorsal ridges and less strongly expressed supraocular tubercles. For a detailed distinction from other new species described herein, see the respective species accounts. A full list of molecular diagnostic sites in the 16S gene of M. jonasi sp. nov. in pairwise comparisons to all other Brygoomantis species is provided as Supplementary appendix.
biology_ecology · Plazi
Natural history .—Regularly observed along different kinds of running waters, in primary and degraded rainforest. Males were heard calling from the edges of rainforest streams at night. Despite a superficial similarity with M. betsileanus , this species appears to occur less often in swamps and water bodies such as rice fields. The holotype was collected beside a spring or seep in disturbed forest with little understory, only a few metres from a larger river. Nearby, a nest containing a cluster of eggs and a frog (presumed to be a guarding parent) was observed ~ 1 m above the water line, along the bank of the spring (MDS, pers. obs.).