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Issue: Vol. 5661 No. 2: 15 Jul. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-07-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5661.2.4
Page range: 221-236
Abstract views: 58
PDF downloaded: 1

A new montane species of stream-dwelling treefrog (Pelodryadidae) from the Star Mountains, Papua New Guinea

Herpetology Department; South Australian Museum; North Terrace; Adelaide; South Australia 5000; Australia; Australian Museum Research Institute; Australian Museum; Sydney; Australia and Binatang Research Center; Madang; Papua New Guinea
College of Science & Engineering; Flinders University of South Australia; Bedford Park; South Australia; 5042; Australia; and Natural Sciences; South Australian Museum; North Terrace; Adelaide; South Australia; 5000; Australia
School of Environment and Science; Griffith University; 170 Kessels Rd; Brisbane; Queensland 4121; and Biodiversity and Geosciences Program; Queensland Museum; South Brisbane; Queensland; 4101 Australia
Amphibia alpine fernlands Central Cordillera frog karst habitats Litoria stellarum sp. nov. Strickland Divide taxonomy

Abstract

We describe a new species of pelodryadid treefrog from a montane stream traversing karst terrain in the Star Mountains of western Papua New Guinea. Litoria stellarum sp. nov. is morphologically similar to L. becki (Loveridge, 1945), a species that is widespread in montane grassland habitats in central Papua New Guinea, but can be distinguished by its more angular snout and the presence of vocal slits in adult males (absent in L. becki). Based on its morphology and ecology we are confident the new species belongs to a monophyletic clade of torrent-breeding Litoria that reaches its greatest diversity in the rugged mountains of New Guinea’s Central Cordillera. Litoria stellarum sp. nov. is the second species in the radiation of torrent-breeding Litoria to be described from high-elevation karst habitats in Papua New Guinea, however in the absence of better ecological data it is not clear whether these species can be considered karst specialists. The single known locality for the species is in a restricted high elevation habitat suggesting it might be vulnerable to climate change. However, we suggest it should be considered Data Deficient until such time as its distribution and ecology can be better assessed.

 

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How to Cite

Richards, S.J., Johnston, G.R. & Oliver, P.M. (2025) A new montane species of stream-dwelling treefrog (Pelodryadidae) from the Star Mountains, Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa, 5661 (2), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5661.2.4