Melanophryniscus stelzneri

[Niels D]

I've found some CB bumblebee toads this week, and I couldn't help myself so I bought 5 of them. My gf and I agreed not to buy anymore animals this year, because we just got ourselves 5 Salamandra infraimmaculata 2 weeks ago.... Too bad they can't be kept in the same tank, because they've got the same look.

[Kurt]

Nice. Yeah, their markings are similar, but thats where it ends.

[wesleybrouwer]

Nice additions.
Name of the toads by the way should be M.klappenbachi ;-)

[Kurt]

Klappenbachi? If this is a joke, I don't get it.

[dimitri J]

Wesley is right, this isn't M. stelzneri, but M. klappenbachi

[wesleybrouwer]

Klappenbachi? If this is a joke, I don't get it.

No i'm not joking Kurt, most of the stelzneri sold are in fact Melanophryniscus klappenbachi,
only know rather few people owning the real M.stelzneri.
The care and breeding reports are mostly based upon klappenbachi anyways, so caresheets should apply just fine.

It used to be in the stelzneri group, but it became it's own species.
I mentioned it on different sites already, showed some pdf's, but i believe that most people like to stick to stelzneri since it is sold that way.
In Holland, gladly, most sellers/breeders have changed the name to the proper one.

I know that there are still some reference sites that didn't update this.
If you look here:

CalPhotos

and look at the descriptions i gave, it's clear that under the stelzneri pictures, there are 3 different species.
Namely, M.stelzneri, M.fulvoguttatus and M.klappenbachi.

Top 4 on that page, with lots of small round dots is the fulvoguttatus.
Then bottom 2 are stelzneri, you may seperate them from klappenbachi by looking at the yellow pattern.
As you might see, the yellow blotches aren't present on the entire back, so isn't the typical mustache.
Another possible identifier is the presence of black within the yellow dots and blotches, this may occur in klappenbachi, but doesn't show in stelzneri.

[wesleybrouwer]

Here you may compare the klappenbachi picture archive of those in stelzneri.
It's the same site used for reference, so you see not all sources are as reliable on every species or change.
CalPhotos

KLAPPENBACH´S RED-BELLY TOAD Melanophryniscus klappenbachi FAUNA PARAGUAY

And some real stelzneri

TERRA TYPICA - Melanophryniscus stelzneri


In this thread, you may see the difference between the yellow mustache i mean, and the placement of yellow on the toads.

Melanophryniscus stelzneri; Bumble Bee Toad - talk to the frog