Two new species of the bushfrog genus Philautus are described from the Western Ghats, southwestern India. Philautus luteolus is a medium-sized (ca. 27mm SVL in males) yellowish frog with a few indistinct markings. From the most similar species P. travancoricus, P. luteolus can be distinguished by the lack of conspicuous black markings and by the rather pointed longer snout. Advertisement calls are long trills consisting of a short introductory phase with fast-repeated pulses and a long main phase with slowly repeated pulses. Philautus tuberohumerus is a tiny (ca. 18mm SVL in males) dark brown frog and its humerus bone has a unique conspicuous tubercle projecting anteroventrally. From the similar species P. bombayensis, it is easily distinguishable by its distinctly small size and absence of a papilla on the tongue. Advertisement calls are sharp, metallic sounds composed of short pulses which are repeated very slowly.

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Japalura polygonata, occurring in the East Asian islands, is currently divided into three subspecies-J. p. polygonata from the Amami and Okinawa Groups of the central Ryukyus, J. p. ishigakiensis from the Miyako and Yaeyama Groups of the southern Ryukyus, and J. p. xanthostoma from northern Taiwan. A new subspecies is described for this species from Yonagunijima Island of the Yaeyama Group. This subspecies differs from other conspecific subspecies in having distinctly enlarged and irregularly arranged scales on the dorsolateral surface of the body. In other subspecies, the degree of enlargement of such scales is smaller, and they usually form somewhat regular rows in a transverse direction on the flanks, and in a longitudinal direction in the paravertebral region. Males of the present subspecies differ from those of other subspecies in having a series of large white spots against a dark grayish tan on the dorsolateral surface of the body, whereas the females are characterized by brilliant green dorsal coloration.

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Developmental changes in external morphological characters were examined for the whole embryonic-larval period of Microhyla ornata from Okinawajima Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. By considering the extent of morphological changes observed and compatibility with standard developmental tables hitherto proposed for other anuran groups, a developmental table consisting of 45 developmental stages was proposed for this species. Eight developmental terms, each consisting of several successive stages, were also defined-Cleavage-Blastula [stages 1-10], Gastrula [stages 11-14], Neurula [stages 15-18], Tail bud [stages 19-21], External gill [stages 22-28], Hind limb bud [stages 29-33], Hind limb formation [stages 34-41], and Metamorphosis [stages 42-45]). From previously described conspecific samples from other localities, our sample exhibited appreciable differences in the egg diameter, timing of pigmentaion at the position of the stomodium, and a few other tadpole characters.

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Two new arboreal microhylid frogs are described from the rainforests of northeastern Madagascar. Platypelis tetra is a very small frog, reaching about 20mm SVL, and inhabits phytotelms in screw Pandanus pines. It was found in some low and mid-altitude rainforests, such as Anjanaharibe-Sud, Besariaka, Tsararano, and Masoala Peninsula. This species diverges from the other Platypelis by its small size and colouration, with a series of whitish spots on the back, of which four are more evident. Furthermore, its advertisement call is composed by a long series of discrete notes at about 3.5-4KHz of frequency, and a repetition rate of about 3.0 notes/s. The second species, Platypelis mavomavo, reaches a larger size (about 30mm SVL), and is characterized by a yellowish colouration of the ventral surface, and a dorsal surface with a network of dark spots on a beige-yellow background. It is currently known from Anjanaharibe-Sud and Ambolokopatrika, around the Andapa water-basin, but is expected to have a wider distribution.

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