Derived reproductive modes in New Guinean anuran amphibians and description of a new species with paternal care in the genus Callulops (Microhylidae)

Abstract

The diversity, distribution, ecology and reproductive biology of the New Guinean anuran amphibians are still poorly known. Recent fieldwork in the western part of New Guinea (Papua, Province of Indonesia, formerly West Irian or Irian Jaya) has documented many new species and revealed derived reproductive modes in some taxa. These strategies are all associated with the liberation of early developmental stages from permanent water. Litoria cf. havina attach comparatively few eggs on the leaves of shrubs or herbs above the water surface. Larvae of Litoria arfakiana have strongly reduced jaws, and at least some older individuals occupy semiterrestrial habitats. Oreophryne clamata deposits its eggs on leaves c. 2 m above the ground, making it the third species known to have arboreal eggs in this speciose genus. In addition to guarding terrestrial eggs, a male of Oreophryne cf. wapoga transported juveniles on its back. The same behaviour was observed in a species of Callulops (the first case in the subfamily Asterophryinae, family Microhylidae), which is here described as new to science. This new species is closely related to C. eurydactylus and was found in lower montane tropical rainforest at the base of the Wandammen Peninsula. Despite having unusually large terminal discs on the fingers and toes for its genus, it was never found climbing on vegetation. Its terrestrial eggs are probably guarded by the male parent and hatchlings are carried around by the male for some days. Through this paternal care, the offspring have a greater chance of survival than do unattended eggs and froglets, and guarding males have, in this way, a greater genetic fitness than males who do not provide this care. It may be supposed that the latter fact was chiefly responsible for the evolution of paternal care in frogs.

Metamagnusia and Pseudocallulops, two new genera of microhylid frogs from New Guinea (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae)

“…Morphological differences between P. eurydactylus and P. pullifer are small, but the following ones should be mentioned: SUL, TL/SUL, T4D/ SUL, ED/SUL, and T4D/F3D are greater in P. eurydactylus. While morphological and molecular differences between P. eurydactylus and P. pullifer are relatively insignificant, there are clear differences in their advertisement calls (compare Figs 8a, b with figs 20-23 in Gçnther 2006). Both species utter a series of loud, croaking, heavily pulsed notes.…”

“…Hitherto published data on that species (then called Phrynomantis eurydactyla or Callulops eurydactylus) concern only two specimens (Zweifel 1972;Gçnther 2006;Menzies 2006). A third specimen was mentioned by Kaehler & Gçnther (2008).…”

“…Pseudocallulops pullifer (Gçnther, 2006) comb. n. Morphology, anatomy, and biology of this species are circumstantially described in the original description by Gçnther (2006).…”

“…A study of two mitochondrial genes by Kaehler & Gçnther (2008), as well as morphological and osteological investigations, revealed that not only does this new species not fit into the genus Callulops, but also that the hitherto-known Callulops eurydactylus (Zweifel, 1972) and Callulops pullifer Gçnther, 2006 do not meet important criteria of the genus Callulops. Both species form a sister clade to a clade which includes the genus Asterophrys (Tschudi, 1838) and the new genus mentioned above.…”

Four New Species of Lobulia (Lacertilia: Scincidae) From High Altitude in New Guinea

“…However it is a species 'complex' and the nominate species may be restricted to far-western New Guinea. Günther (2006) has provided a description of the call and tadpole of what is probably 'true' L. arfakiana. The Kaijende Highlands population is poorly known, and call data and genetic studies are required.…”