Beautiful Mantella

General body shape rather stout, 21-25 mm (M 22-23 mm). Dorsum and flanks dark brown to black. On the upper head surface, the dark colour of the dorsum gradually fading into light brown. Dorsolateral colour border present; indistinct in the inguinal region, but very distinct in the head and shoulder region. Hand, fibula, foot, tarsus and tibia light brown, with few dark brown crossbands. Humerus and femur yellow to green, in some specimens (locality unknown) blue. This colour extending as relatively large flank blotches onto the flanks. Flank blotches delimited by the dorsolateral colouration border and not extending onto the dorsum. Bright red flash marks present. Iris with light pigment in its upper part. Venter, throat, forelimbs and femur dark brown to black with small, generally regularly rounded whitish-blue spots and a distinct horseshoe marking, which in males can cover nearly the complete throat. Tibia with a distinct orange marking, sometimes continued on the knee, distal part of femur and foot. In preservative, this colouration changes, becoming partly bright red and partly white, with a sharp border between both colouration. A similar but less distinct change is also observed in specimens of M. madagascariensis. Similar species: M. madagascariensis.Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).

Ambavala, An’Ala, Andekaleka, Antsihanaka, Fierenana, Folohy. It occurs between300-950m asl in swampy rainforest (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

Habits: Along rainforest streams and associated swamps. Active during the day on the ground. Calls: Short chirps, arranged in less regular series. Breeding takes place in swamps in forest (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

Vulnerable: extent of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat in northeastern Madagascar. It occurs in the Reserve De Biosphere De Mananara Nord and the Réserve Spéciale d' Ambatovaky. There is a need for careful regulation of the trade in this species (Raxworthy and Glaw 2008).

The beautiful mantella, Parker's mantella, or splendid mantella (Mantella pulchra) is a species of frogs in the family Mantellidae.

It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss. It may be threatened by the pet trade, but too little is known about commercial collections.