21-27 mm. Dorsum light brown with regular dark brown pattern (triangular, Y-shaped, and heart-shaped markings) and two spots in the cloacal region. Flanks dark brown, with a sharp dorsolateral colour border. Hindlimbs yellowish-brown with indistinct crossbands. Forelimbs cream to beige. No flashmarks; posterodorsal part of femur and knee hollow orange. Upper part of iris light. Ventrally black with many small rounded whitish blue spots. Throat without continuous horseshoe marking, lower legs orange-red.
Similar species: M. bernhardi.
Distribution and Habitat
Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Madagascar
Ambana, Andohahela, Bekazaha, Chaines Anosyennes, Manantantely, Nahampoana, Soavala. It occurs between 300-950m asl in rainforest and slightly degraded forest (Nussbaum and Raxworthy 2008).
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Habits: Found only in or near forests. Males call during the day along streams.
Calls: Series of short single-click notes.
Breeding takes place along brooks and streams. The eggs are laid on land and the larvae develop in streams (Nussbaum and Raxworthy 2008).
Trends and Threats
Vulnerable: extent of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2. All individuals are in fewer than ten locations, and there is likely to be continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat in southeastern Madagascar. It occurs in Parc National d'Andohahela (Nussbaum and Raxworthy 2008).
Possible reasons for amphibian decline
General habitat alteration and loss
Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities
Intensified agriculture or grazing
Taken with permission from Glaw and Vences (2007).
Glaw, F., and Vences, M. (2007). Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Third Edition. Vences and Glaw Verlag, Köln.
Nussbaum, R. and Raxworthy, C. (2008). Mantella haraldmeieri. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 22 April 2009.
Originally submitted by: Miguel Vences and Frank Glaw (first posted 2000-12-13)
Edited by: Henry Zhu (2009-05-06)
Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Mantella haraldmeieri <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4566> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 5, 2022.
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2022. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 5 Dec 2022.
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