Redescription and geographic distribution of Raorchestes shillongensis (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India

Abstract

Redescription and geographic distribution of Raorchestes shillongensis (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Raorchestes shillongensis is a threatened rhacophorid frog endemic to Northeast India. The species is poorly known and systematic information is lacking. We redescribe here the morphology of the species from topotypic material and compare with other Bush Frogs of the region. The locality records from the state of Meghalaya are new. We describe its advertisement call and discuss its phylogenetic position.Keywords: advertisement call, conservation, morphology, phylogeny, Rhacophorinae. ResumoRedescrição e distribuição geográfica de Raorchestes shillongensis (Anura: Rhacophoridae) de Meghalaya, nordeste da Índia. Raorchestes shillongensis é um anuro racoforídeo ameaçado e endêmico do nordeste da Índia. A espécie é pouco conhecida, não havendo informação sistemática. Redescrevemos aqui a morfologia da espécie a partir de material topotípico e a comparamos com outros racoforídeos da região. O registro da localidade no estado de Meghalaya é novo. Descrevemos ainda seu canto nupcial e discutimos sua posição filogenética.

A new species of cryptic Bush frog (Anura, Rhacophoridae, Raorchestes) from northeastern Bangladesh

“…Raorchestes rezakhani sp. nov. is also similar to R. shillongensis (Pillai & Chanda, 1973) but differs in: SVL of male 20.06 ± 0.87 (vs. 16.51 ± 1.29); head wider than long, HL/HW = 61% (vs. length slightly greater than the width, HW/HL = 98%); snout length shorter than the eye diameter (vs. slightly longer than eye diameter); subarticular tubercles in finger weakly distinct, I = 1, II = 1, III = 1, IV = 1 (vs. distinct, I = 1, II = 1, III = 2, IV = 1) [Pillai and Chanda 1973;Boruah et al 2018]. Raorchestes rezakhani sp.…”

“…Raorchestes Biju et al, 2010, is a genus of bush frogs belonging to the family Rhacophoridae, that extends in distribution from southwestern India through northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, and into Laos, Vietnam, and Peninsular Malaysia (Biju and Bossuyt 2009;IUCN 2016;Vijayakumar et al 2016;Frost 2019). The genus is particularly speciose in the Western Ghats of India, where more than 50 of the 63 recorded species occur (Biju et al 2010;Vijayakumar et al 2014;Priti et al 2016;Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018). In addition, a few species have been recorded from the Eastern Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, and northeastern India, southern China and adjoining regions (Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018;Wu et al 2019, Frost 2020.…”

“…The genus is particularly speciose in the Western Ghats of India, where more than 50 of the 63 recorded species occur (Biju et al 2010;Vijayakumar et al 2014;Priti et al 2016;Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018). In addition, a few species have been recorded from the Eastern Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, and northeastern India, southern China and adjoining regions (Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018;Wu et al 2019, Frost 2020. Many species in the genus are cryptic (morphologically difficult to distinguish from congenerics) and, as a result, remain undescribed (Priti et al 2016;Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018;Wu et al 2019).…”

“…In addition, a few species have been recorded from the Eastern Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, and northeastern India, southern China and adjoining regions (Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018;Wu et al 2019, Frost 2020. Many species in the genus are cryptic (morphologically difficult to distinguish from congenerics) and, as a result, remain undescribed (Priti et al 2016;Vijayakumar et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018;Wu et al 2019). The genus is characterized within the Rhacophoridae by small size (15-45 mm snout-vent length), absence of vomerine teeth, transparent gular pouch, and direct development (Biju et al 2010).…”

“…Their advertisement calls consists of repetitive 'treenk.. treenk.. treenk' with variation in number of pulses, duration of calls, interval between calls and amplitude, which may be used to distinguish between species (Priti et al 2016). Thus, an integrative approach using morphological traits, bioacoustics and molecular variation has been used to distinguish cryptic species (Priti et al 2016;Boruah et al 2018).…”