Phylogeography of the arid-adapted Malagasy bullfrog, Laliostoma labrosum , influenced by past connectivity and habitat stability

•We examine the phylogeography of an amphibian (frog) from arid western Madagascar.•Low multilocus differentiation may be a consequence of high individual movement.•Sambirano rainforest constitutes a major phylogeographic barrier for this species.•Ancestral distributions of mtDNA clades suggest five potential Pleistocene refugia.•High regional population connectivity essential for long-term persistence.