Description of the tadpole of Cochranella resplendens and redescription of the tadpole of Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum (Anura, Centrolenidae)

Abstract

The tadpole of Cochranella resplendens is described and that of Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum is redescribed; information on their ontogenetic variation also is included. Cochranella resplendens is characterized by having a non-emarginated oral apparatus and an upperjaw sheath nearly straight with a smooth arch in the middle. Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum has an emarginated oral apparatus with a characteristic M-shaped upper jaw sheath and bears few (1–5) submarginal papillae on the upper labium. Although the two species show few changes in the oral apparatus during their development(except for changes in Gosner Stages 24 and 42 in C. resplendens and 23–24 in H. aureoguttatum), there are major ontogenetic changes in size and coloration.

Keywords

• Anura
• Centrolenidae
• larvae
• ontogeny
• Ecuador