The species was first discovered in 1996 and named Limnonectes ovovivipar . The species name indicates an egg-bearing characteristic of the species, in which the tadpoles hatch from the eggs without leaving the mother's body. In the source of 2001, he appeared under the name Limnonectes larviparus . However, both of these names were not official scientific names of the species, but only nomen nudum . In 2014, he was named Limnonectes larvaepartus and Indonesian herpetologist , as well as Ben Evans and Jim McGuire. The new species name is derived from lat. larva "evil spirit; ghost; mask, mask ”and parere “ to give birth ”. Researchers collected more than 100 individuals of the species to study, and in 19 cases they observed the direct birth of tadpoles or tadpoles in the oviducts. In addition, they saw live tadpoles in silted streams [1] .
In 2015, the included this species in the list of “ Ten Most Wonderful Species ” among the species described in 2014 [3] .
Limnonectes larvaepartus . (a) male (left) and female (right);
(b) Female and larvae extracted from oviducts;
(c) Adult male. Tadpoles are visible in the circled area;
(d) tadpoles, view from the dorsal and ventral sides
Males reach an average length of 37.4 mm, while in females an average of 40.2 mm. Thus, Limnonectes larvaepartus is one of the smallest frog species on the island of Sulawesi. The membranes between the toes are well developed. The color of the back varies greatly, as a rule, it is brownish-gray, sometimes dark brown on the sides or reddish-brown. In 23% of individuals, a wide dark stripe runs in the middle of the back. The belly is yellowish or cream in color. A bright streak passes under the eye from the muzzle to the ear, and the muzzle is also often much lighter than the back. The drum cavity is often black in the upper half and only in the lower half of the same color as the surrounding skin. The upper half of the iris is golden orange [1] .
Limnonectes larvaepartus lives in the forests of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. At the same time, the frog avoids quickly flowing and deep bodies of water, some of which are inhabited by other species of Limnonectes . It lives in a layer of fallen leaves or grass . Males scream on the banks of small ponds in which several species of tadpoles are already swimming. Scientists believe that males and females visit the corresponding reservoirs several times during the breeding season [1] .
The breeding of Limnonectes larvaepartus is unique to frogs and has not yet been fully studied. In most other frog species, eggs are fertilized by males when females lay them. Thus, external fertilization occurs. Limnonectes larvaepartus must have internal fertilization so that the larvae can develop in the oviducts from the eggs. However, in males and females, no anatomical devices were found that could provide this type of insemination [2] .
In two fallopian tubes , about 100 larvae can develop simultaneously. Fallopian tubes have very thin and transparent walls, and their diameter can be up to one centimeter. The tadpoles in them are very tightly packed and feed on the yolk of their yolk sacs . When the yolk ends, they are born and further develop in water. At birth, their tail is fully formed, and they can eat on their own with the help of their mouth and teeth [2] .
In Limnonectes larvaepartus, there was no further development of larvae in frogs in the womb, as in Eleutherodactylus jasperi from Puerto Rico or African toads from the genera Nectophrynoides and Nimbaphrynoides , therefore this is the only species in which females give rise to well-developed tadpoles [1] ] .
