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Breeding specimens of Polypedates teraiensis are commonly seen during monsoon among vegetation near lentic water bodies in Assam, northeastern India. Early life history stages, the normal development, is described and illustrated based on GOSNER's (1960) 46 developmental stages. The morphology and the buccal features of a stage 38 tadpole are described in detail and illustrated. At ambient temperature (26°C to 32°C), completion of the entire development from ovum fertilization up to emergence of the froglet took 58 days (1392 hours). A comparison with larvae of congeneric species is provided, including a discussion on the advantages of their embryonic development in a foam nest.
INTRODUCTION
Polypedates leucomystax (Gravenhorst, 1829) has long been thought to be a very widely distributed species. Modern methods, such as bioacoustics and molecular techniques, allowed recognizing cryptic species (e.g., M atsui et al., 1986; N arins et al., 1998). Taxonomic revisions of this species complex remain to be done in various parts of its range. They will likely result in description of new species (B rown et al., 2010). This complex has not been well-studied in northeastern India where at least six species are currently recognized: Polype-dates assamensis Mathew & Sen, 2009; Polypedates maculatus (Gray, 1830); Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell, 1861; Polypedates subansiriensis Mathew & Sen, 2009; Polypedates taeniatus (Boulenger, 1906); and Polypedates teraiensis (Dubois, 1987). The status of Polype-dates maculatus himalayensis (Annandale, 1912), which is either considered as a synonym of P. maculatus, P. leucomystax or P. teraiensis (F rost, 2010 [http://research.amnh.org/vz/ herpetology/amphibia/; accessed on 24 th April 2010]), a subspecies of P. maculatus (A NNAN-DALE , 1912; D UBOIS , 1987), or a valid species (A HMED et al., 2009; M ATHEW & S EN, 2009) remains to be solved. Adults of P. teraiensis are morphologically closer to Polypedates mutus (Smith, 1940) than to P. leucomystax (D UBOIS &O HLER , pers. comm.). Adults of P. teraiensis and P. mutus are large, have co-ossified skulls, have always longitudinal stripes on their backs, and large spots on back of thighs. However, P. teraiensis has vocal sacs whereas they are absent in P. mutus (D UBOIS , 1987; D UBOIS & O HLER , pers. comm.). Additional characters of adult morphology are particularly needed to understand this di ff icult group....