Bernhard's Mantella

The smallest known Mantella, M 19 mm, F 19-22 mm. Head and dorsum dark grey or brown, sometimes with a fine mid-dorsal line. Flanks black. No frenal stripe. Upper forelimb yellowish, upper hindlimb bright yellow, lower arms and legs brown. Upper part of iris with light pigment. Venter black with few large, irregular, blue markings. Throat with distinct horseshoe-marking. Ventral surface of legs orange. Similar species: M. haraldmeieri is larger and has no horseshoe marking on the throat.Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).

Mangevo (Ranomafana), Manombo, near Tolongoina, Vevembe, and some additional unnamed localities. It occurs between 60-629m asl in degraded rainforest, including very tiny patches. It is not found in open areas or littoral forest on a sandy substrate (Cadle and Raxworthy 2008).

Habits: Known from several, often fragmented low-altitude rainforest areas, sometimes associated with swamps. Active during the day on the ground. Calls: A short trill, different from other Mantella calls, and reminding a cricket. One single note that is a short trill consisting of 2-8 clicks. Click duration 11-19 ms, duration of intervals 8-15 ms. Frequency is between 4.8 and 5.7 kHz. Calls are repeated after irregular intervals. Eggs and tadpoles: Unknown.

Endangered: area of occupancy is probably less than 500km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and the extent of its forest habitat in east-central Madagascar is declining, and the number of mature individuals might also be declining through over-exploitation. It is found in the Manombo Special Reserve and Parc National de Ranomafana. There is a need for trade in this species to be carefully regulated (Cadle and Raxworthy 2008).

The Bernhard's mantella (Mantella bernhardi) is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, swamps, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. Collection for the pet trade is strictly limited, as it could pose a threat to the species.