Heterixalus alboguttatus (Boulenger, 1882)

Common Names and Taxonomy

Heterixalus alboguttatus, commonly called the Starry Night Reed Frog, is a species of reed frog in the family Hyperoliidae that is endemic to Madagascar.

Sexual Dimorphism

Females of this species have a characteristic dorsal pattern of yellow spots, while males can be almost uniformly solid white.

Species Complex and Hybridization

This species forms a species complex with Heterixalus boettgeri and Heterixalus madagascariensis, and is known to hybridize with H. boettgeri.

Habitat Preferences

H. alboguttatus typically occurs in open habitats, including savannahs, degraded forest, swamps, grasslands, and ricefields.

Conservation Status

Because these habitats are expanding across Madagascar due to human activity, H. alboguttatus is not considered a threatened species.

Female Size

Females reach a snout-vent length of approximately 30 to 33 millimeters.

Breeding Habitat

H. alboguttatus breeds in both temporary and permanent water bodies, including those located in the ricefields it often inhabits.

Reproductive Traits

Females lay around 500 black and white eggs per clutch, and during the breeding period, individuals often perch on sunlit leaves of Pandanus plants and other plant species.