Callulops argus, Kraus, 2019

Kraus, Fred, 2019, A revision of Callulops doriae (Anura: Microhylidae), with descriptions of four new species, Zootaxa 4612 (1), pp. 1-28 : 11-12

Callulops argus , sp. nov.

Fig. 1C

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Xenorhina doriae (part) Zweifel, 1972: 53.

Phrynomantis doriae Burton, 1986: 415 [by implication].

Callulops doriae Dubois, 1988: 3 [by implication].

Holotype. AMNH 82886, immature female, collected by R. Zweifel, Garaina, 700 m a.s.l., Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, 31 August 1969.

Diagnosis. Callulops argus sp. nov. is distinguished from all other members of the genus by its unique combination of large size (immature female SV = 81 mm); all digits lacking circum-marginal grooves; relatively short leg (TL/SV = 0.39); EN approximately equal to IN (EN/SV = 0.067; IN/SV = 0.070, EN/IN = 0.95); relatively long head (HL/HW = 0.88); weakly pustulose dorsum; highly swollen loreal region; relatively small eye (EY/SV = 0.057, EY/SN = 0.60); basal subarticular tubercle of 4th toe absent; dorsum light brown with rows of ocelli having large pale centers and brown margins; limbs same brown color as dorsum, heavily spotted with bluish white; groin, hidden surfaces of legs and feet, and tops of thighs blotched with yellow; venter yellow-brown, darker on chin and throat.

Comparisons with other species. Callulops argus sp. nov. differs from all other species of the genus except C. doriae and C. neuhaussi by it brown dorsum spotted with brown/black and by the large yellow or orange blotches on the hidden surfaces of the groin and hindlimbs. From C. doriae , C. argus sp. nov. differs in having a prominent boss anterior to eye (vs. gently inflated in C. doriae ), longer EN (EN/SV = 0.067 vs. 0.055 –0.061 in C. doriae ), longer head (HW/HL = 0.88 vs. 0.71–0.83 in C. doriae ), large ocelli dorsally (vs. scattered brown flecks and spots in C. doriae ) largely arrayed in a few rows (vs. irregularly scattered across the dorsum in C. doriae ), and brown dorsal ground color (vs. brownish yellow in C. doriae ). From C. neuhaussi , C. argus sp. nov. differs in having a prominent boss anterior to eye (vs. gently inflated in C. neuhaussi ), shorter leg (TL/SV = 0.39 vs. 0.46 in C. neuhaussi ), shorter EN (EN/SV = 0.067 vs. 0.074 in C. neuhaussi , EN/SN = 0.70 vs. 0.80 in C. neuhaussi ), smaller tympanum (TY/SV = 0.049 vs. 0.061 in C. neuhaussi ) and eye (EY/SV = 0.057 vs. 0.071 in C. neuhaussi ), narrower head (HW/SV = 0.30 vs. 0.41 in C. neuhaussi , HL/HW = 0.88 vs. 0.73 in C. neuhaussi ), dorsal ground color same as on sides and limbs (paler in C. neuhaussi ), larger ocelli with larger pale centers (small with tiny pale centers in C. neuhaussi ), dorsum heavily speckled with darker brown between ocelli (vs. uniform brownish yellow in C. neuhaussi ), and proximal dorsum of thigh mottled dark and light brown like dorsum (vs. uniformly dark brown, contrasting with dorsum in C. neuhaussi ). Callulops argus sp. nov. would appear to also differ from C. neuhaussi in its larger body size: The sole specimen of C. argus sp. nov. is an immature female of 81 mm SVL with small, though folded, oviducts; the sole specimen of C. neuhaussi is a female of 59.4 mm SVL with more expanded oviducts full of small, developing oocytes.

Description of holotype. An immature female with left-lateral incision, corners of jaw cut, mandibles broken. Head narrow (HW/SV = 0.30), wider than long (HL/HW = 0.88), with swollen loreal region, highly inflated immediately anterior to eye, concave posterior to naris; upper lip inflated; canthus absent; nostrils semi-circular, slightly depressed, directed laterally but slightly dorsally too, closer to tip of snout than to eyes; internarial distance slightly broader than distance from naris to eye (EN/IN = 0.95; IN/SV = 0.70; EN/SV = 0.67); snout slightly rounded, almost truncate when viewed from side, rounded when viewed from above; eyes small (EY/SV = 0.057); eyelid less than half interorbital distance; tympanum clearly demarcated, smaller than eye (TY/EY = 0.87; TY/SV = 0.049), annulus bordered posteriorly and dorsally by heavy supratympanic fold that extends from behind eye to posterior of tympanum, where it bends sharply to end in front of forearm insertion below level of jaw; supratympanic fold a clearly demarcated ridge ventrally but evenly continuous with dorsal skin. Dorsum, sides, and tops of limbs mostly smooth, glandular, with shallow warts evident posteriorly on dorsum and sides; ventral surfaces smooth anteriorly, weakly granular on abdomen and under thighs. Fingers unwebbed, thick, all bearing discs without terminal grooves; relative lengths 3>4≈2>1. Finger discs slightly wider than penultimate phalanges (3rdF/SV = 0.026). Subarticular tubercles large, well developed, covering much of phalangeal surfaces; inner metacarpal tubercle large, oval; outer a narrow ellipse; medial large and round. Toes unwebbed, all bearing discs without terminal grooves except shallow grooves present on T3; relative lengths 4>3>5>2>1. Toe discs barely wider than penultimate phalanges (4thT/SV = 0.032), wider than those of fingers (3rdF/4thT = 0.80). Subarticular tubercles well developed, rounded, only two on fourth toe, none present at junction of metatarsal and proximate phalanx on fourth toe; inner metatarsal tubercle a large, prominent oval; outer a poorly defined skin thickening. Legs short (TL/SV = 0.39).

In preservative, dorsal ground color on body and limbs light brown with large ocelli having dark-brown margins and large yellow centers; heavily flecked with dark brown between ocelli. Groin, front and rear of thighs, and hidden surfaces of shanks dark brown with large orange-yellow blotches; posteroventral portion of thighs, remainder of shanks, and tarsi heavily spotted with yellow. Sides of snout, face, and tympanum dark brown. Venter yellow, brown on chin. Palmar and plantar surfaces yellow gray. Iris black.

Measurements of holotype (in mm). —SV = 81.0, TL = 31.4, HW = 24.3, HL = 21.5, IN = 5.7, EN = 5.4, SN = 7.7, EY = 4.6, TY = 4.0; 3rdF = 2.08, 4thT = 2.60.

Color in life. The color pattern of the holotype as determined from a color photo of the animal in life ( Fig. 1C ) is medium brown with several rows of large ocelli and heavily speckled with darker brown between the ocelli; ocelli with large blue-white centers rimmed with dark brown; sides and limbs spotted with blue white; sides of face somewhat darker than dorsum; large blotches on hidden surfaces of thighs yellow; iris brown.

Etymology. The name is a Latinized proper noun in apposition referring to the many-eyed giant of ancient Greek mythology.

Range. Known only from the type locality, 700 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 4 ).

Ecological notes. Zweifel (1972) stated that the sole specimen came from “hilly rain forest”.

Remarks. This specimen had previously been illustrated in black and white by Zweifel (1972: fig. 74).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Portraits in life of (A) adult Callulops doriae, BPBM 38833, Egiaba, Normanby Island, Milne Bay Province, SV = 77.0 mm; (B) juvenile C. doriae, UMMZ 245247, Suau, Milne Bay Province, SV = 18.1 mm; (C) holotype of C. argus sp. nov., AMNH 82886, Garaina, Morobe Province, SV = 81.0 mm, photo by R.G. Zweifel; (D) paratype of C. bicolor sp. nov., BPBM 19236, NW slope Mt. Obree, Central Province, SV = 70.7 mm; (E) paratype of C. stellatus sp. nov., BPBM 37122, SE slope Mt. Victory, Oro Province, SV = 63.6 mm; (F) holotype of C. stellatus sp. nov., BPBM 39980, S slope Mt. Trafalgar, Oro Province, SV = 63.5 mm; (G) adult paratype of C. taxispilotus sp. nov., MCZ 59898, Bomai, Tive Plateau, Chimbu Province, SV = 79.7 mm, photo by F. Parker; and (H) juvenile paratype of C. taxispilotus sp. nov., MCZ 60804, Bomai, Tive Plateau, Chimbu Province, SV = 37.0 mm, photo by F. Parker.

FIGURE 4. Map of southeastern New Guinea showing collecting localities for Callulops argus sp. nov. (diamond), C. bicolor sp. nov. (squares), C. doriae (triangles), C. neuhaussi (X), C. stellatus sp. nov. (stars), and C. taxispilota sp. nov. (circles). Type localities are solids; additional localities are open symbols.