New microhylid Frogs from the Muller Range, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

We describe, from the Muller Range of New Guinea, three new species of microhylid frogs, one each in the genera Albericus, Cophixalus, and Oreophryne. Th e new Albericus is unique in its combination of having an infrequent peeping call, oblique lores, wide snout and fi nger discs, and distinct tympanum. Th e new Cophixalus is distinguished by its combination of fi nger discs larger than toe discs, third toe longer than fi fth, distinct tympanum, curved scapular ridges, dark postocular stripe, dark W-shaped mark above the shoulders, and having a call consisting of a rapid series of 6-9 musical peeps. Th e Oreophryne is unique in its combination of having a cartilaginous connection of the procoracoid to the scapula, no webbing between the toes, fi fth toe longer than third, short snout, dark face, and call consisting of an extended multi-note chuckle or cackle. Each species was either common or abundant. Th e new Cophixalus shows a predilection for caves, although it is not restricted to them. Many frogs occurring in the central highlands of New Guinea are wide-ranging across much of this high-elevational region, but others are of restricted distribution. Th e species described herein are likely members of the latter group, although it remains to be determined whether each will prove endemic to the Muller Range.

Morphological and genetic evidence for a new karst specialist lizard from New Guinea (Cyrtodactylus: Gekkonidae)

“…Second, most taxa from New Guinea are very poorly known, and in the absence of studies of functional specialization and adaptation, the number of karst specialists is likely to be underestimated. For instance, a number of frog taxa collected in sympatry with Cyrtodactylus tanim are only known from scattered karst in the southern fold mountains, including Callulops medioclivus [ 61 ], Choerophryne gracilirostris [ 62 ], Cophixalus caverniphilis [ 63 ], Cophixalus wempi [ 64 ] and Copiula annanoreenae [ 65 ]. Indeed, compared to most other frogs with free-living tadpoles, these direct-developing microhylid species are potentially pre-adapted to heavily dissected karst country with high rainfall but little standing water.…”

Three new species of Oreophryne (Anura, Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea

“…This pattern also holds true for the Oreophryne of the Vogelkop Composite Terrane: the calls of Oreophryne sibilans and Oreophryne unicolor are peeps, those of Oreophryne atrigularis , and Oreophryne clamata are rattles. Both call types also occur among Oreophryne species in the central cordillera, but call types there are more diverse and include calls not easily placed in either of the preceding two categories (Zweifel et al 2005; Kraus and Allison 2009a). More interesting is that most Oreophryne species from the East Papuan Composite Terrane have calls that represent two additional call types: either the high-pitched, rapid whinny found in Oreophryne gagneorum and a number of other, current undescribed, species, or a short honk (F. Kraus, unpubl.…”

Three new species of the microhylid frog genus Choerophryne (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea

“…Additional comparisons with other "short-nosed" Choerophryne relied on the papers by Kraus and Allison (2005a, 2005b, 2009) and Kraus (2010 Description of the holotype. Adult male with a SUL of 14.9 mm.…”