Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2006-08-14
Page range: 41–60
Abstract views: 34
PDF downloaded: 3

Two new species of large green canopy-dwelling frogs (Anura: Hylidae: Litoria) from Papua New Guinea

Vertebrates Department, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Vertebrates Department, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Amphibia Hylidae Litoria graminea new species Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Litoria graminea is a large green canopy-dwelling frog originally described from a single specimen from an unknown locality in Papua New Guinea. We demonstrate that this species as currently recognised contains at least three distinct taxa. We restrict the name L. graminea to a population of animals occurring south of New Guinea’s main cordillera and describe two new species of large green arboreal frogs, one from the Kikori River Basin (Southern Highlands and Gulf Province) and one from the Huon Peninsula (Morobe Province). The two new species can be distinguished from each other by differences in iris and sclera colouration, and both can be distinguished from L. graminea by their narrower heads, different iris colouration and by their small round (vs elongate) nuptial pads.

References

  1. Allison, A., Bickford, D., Richards, S. & Torr, G. (1998) Appendix 15—Herpetofauna Species Accounts. In: Mack, A. & Alonso, L. (Eds.), RAP Working Paper # 9: A biological assessment of the Lakekamu Basin, Papua New Guinea. Conservation International, Washington, D.C., pp. 159–172.

    Austin, C.C. (2000) Molecular phylogeny and historical biogeography of Pacific Island boas (Candoia). Copeia, 2, 341–352.

    Boulenger, G.A. (1905) Description of new tailless batrachians in the collections of the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 7, 16–20. 180–184.

    De la Riva, I., Bosch, J. & Márquez, R. (2004) The advertisement calls of two New Guinea species of Litoria (Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 25, 173–78.

    Inger, R.F. & Stuebing, R.B. (1997) A field guide to the frogs of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu, 205 pp

    Kays, R. & Allison, A. (2001) Arboreal tropical forest vertebrates: current knowledge and research trends. Plant Ecology, 153, 109–120.

    Menzies, J.I. (1976) Handbook of common New Guinea Frogs. Wau Ecology Institute, PNG, 75 pp.

    Parker, H.W. (1936) A collection of reptiles and amphibians from the Mountains of British New Guinea. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 17, 66–93.

    Rawlings, L. & Donnellan, S. (2003) Phylogeographic analysis of the Green Python, Moreilia viridis reveals cryptic diversity. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 27, 36–44.

    Richards, S.J. (2002) Rokrok: An illustrated field guide to frogs of the Kikori Integrated Conservation and Development Project area of Papua New Guinea. WWF, Papua New Guinea, 33 pp.

    Richards, S.J, Oliver, P.M, Dahl, C. & Tjaturadi, B. (2006) A new species of large green treefrog (Anura: Hylidae: Litoria) from northern New Guinea. Zootaxa,1208, 57–68.

    Savage, J.M. (2002) The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica: A herpetofauna between two continents between two seas. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 934 pp.

    Tyler, M.J. (1968) Papuan hylid frogs of the genus Hyla. Zoologische Verhandelingen, 96, 1–203