Betsileo Golden Frog

M ca. 18-21 mm, F ca. 19-26 mm. Back yellowish to reddish or light brown, usually with diamond shaped markings. Strong border between dorsal colouration and the blackish flanks. Light frenal stripe along the upper lip usually until snout tip. Ventral colouration black with blue spots, which are extended onto the throat. Upper half of the iris golden. Tibiotarsal articulation mostly reaches the eye.Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).

Ambatondradama, Ampoza, Antratrabe, Isalo, Kirindy, Morondava, Tsingy de Bemaraha.It occurs from sea level to 900m asl in open areas, dry forest, savanna woodland, and degraded habitats (Nussbaum et al. 2008).

Habits: Calling and foraging both during day and night. In Kirindy, highest levels of calling activity were recorded at night near pools. One clutch, containing 35 yellowish eggs was found under a fallen log close to a forest pond. Calls: Series of short double-click notes. Breeding occurs in permanent and temporary still waters. The eggs are laid on land near water, and the larvae develop in temporary and permanent pools, and sometimes in brooks (Nussbaum et al. 2008).

It occurs in many protected areas (Nussbaum et al. 2008).

The brown mantella (Mantella betsileo) is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, ponds, and canals and ditches. It is threatened by habitat loss.