Austrochaperina archboldi, ZWEIFEL, 2000

ZWEIFEL, RICHARD G., 2000, Partition Of The Australopapuan Microhylid Frog Genus Sphenophryne With Descriptions Of New Species, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (253), pp. 1-130 : 14-20

Austrochaperina archboldi , new species Figure 6

HOLOTYPE: AMNH A66719 , collected at Arau , Kratke Mountains, 1400 m, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, October 14–24, 1959 by Hobart M. Van Deusen on the Sixth Archbold Expedition.

PARATYPES: AMNH A66720–66734, bearing the same data as the holotype.

ETYMOLOGY: The patronymic honors Richard Archbold, sponsor and early leader of a series of seven expeditions to New Guinea (1933–1964) that contributed immeasurably to knowledge of the biota of that island. Profitable mining of the collections for material of value to systematic biology will doubtless continue for decades.

DIAGNOSIS: An Austrochaperina of moderate size (males to 35, females to 38 mm SVL) with relatively wide internarial spacing (IN/SVL> 0.103), large eyes (EY/SVL ± 0.105), and a dorsal pattern of tiny irregular brown markings on a paler background.

DESCRIPTION OF HOLOTYPE: Adult male (vocal slits present) with the following measurements and proportions: SVL 34.7, HW 13.8, TL 16.0, EY 3.7, EN 2.5, IN 3.9, HD 8.0, FT 15.6, disc of third finger 1.1 (penultimate phalanx 0.8), disc of fourth toe 1.6 (0.8); HW/SVL 0.398, TL/SVL 0.461, EY/ SVL 0.107, IN/SVL 0.112, EN/SVL 0.072, EN/IN 0.641, HD/SVL 0.231, FT/SVL 0.450, FD/SVL 0.032, TD/SVL 0.046.

Head slightly narrower than body; snout bluntly rounded seen from above, rounded and slightly projecting in lateral view; canthus rostralis rounded; loreal region steeply sloping, shallowly concave; nostrils a little closer to end of snout than to eye, just visible from above. Eyelid narrower than interorbital space (2.4 vs. 3.5 mm); tympanum scarcely distinguishable externally, about 1.6 mm horizontal diameter. Relative lengths of fingers 3> 4> 2> 1, the first relatively long, when appressed extending past subarticular elevation of second; all fingers with grooved terminal discs slightly broader than penultimate phalanges, disc of third finger about 1.4X as broad as penultimate phalanx; subarticular and metacarpal tubercles low, rounded, indistinct. Toes unwebbed, relative lengths 4> 3> 5> 2> 1, the first less than half length of appressed second; well-developed terminal discs on all toes, that of the fourth broadest and almost 1.5X as broad as that of third finger; subarticular elevations low, rounded, indistinct; inner metatarsal elevation (no out- er) low, rounded, elongate. Dorsal and ventral skin surfaces smooth, a very weak postocular-supratympanic fold.

The dorsal surfaces of head, body, and limbs are pale brown with tiny, irregular, darker brown spots, less numerous on the limbs. The loreal region is slightly darker and unspotted, with the tip of the snout being a little paler than the top of the head. The anterior and posterior surfaces of the thighs are tan; the posterior has a few small, dark spots, and the anterior is slightly more heavily mottled. The throat is mottled dark and light brown, with the pattern changing on the chest to dark with lighter spots. On the sides of the body, where the light brown ground color of the dorsum pales into the abdominal ground color, the dorsal spotting overlaps and appears more distinct. Otherwise, the abdomen and undersides of the thighs are pale and unmarked; the undersurfaces of more distal limb segments are obscurely mottled, with soles and palms darker brown.

VARIATION IN TYPE SERIES: Means and ranges of selected proportions are in table 2, and regression statistics are in table 3. The largest specimen is a female 38.4 mm SVL with ova 2 mm in diameter; another adult female is 36.9 mm, and one possibly just maturing is 33.4 mm. Three adult males measure 34.7–35.1 mm, and the largest immature is 29.8 mm.

The larger specimens of the paratype series closely resemble the holotype in color and pattern. The chin and chest may appear either more spotted or more mottled, probably a metachromatic effect, and a mottled pattern may be present on the underside of the thigh. Three juveniles of 16–19 mm SVL lack the dorsal spotting characteristic of larg- er specimens. Three adult males have the snout tip slightly paler than the top of the snout, whereas in two juveniles the tip is undifferentiated.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Hand and foot, fig. 55C.

CALL: The call has not been described.

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: Austrochaperina archboldi is most similar to A. guttata ; the two are compared in the account of the latter. Relatively large eyes, broad internarial spacing, and aspects of color pattern should differentiate most or all archboldi from derongo and hooglandi , the other species with which it is most likely to be confused.

HABITAT AND HABITS: Brass (1964: 201) characterized the forest at Arau as ‘‘a transition between mid-mountain fagaceous forest and a lower montane mixed rain forest... rich in herbaceous undergrowth.’’ Nothing specific is known of the habitat or habits. One of the paratypes had been eaten by a snake, Tropidonophis statisticus .

DISTRIBUTION: The species is known only from the type locality (fig. 19).

Austrochaperina basipalmata (van Kampen) , new combination

Chaperina basipalmata van Kampen, 1906: 169 (type localities, ‘‘Tawarin’’ and ‘‘Timena-

Fluss,’’ Irian Jaya; syntypes ZMA 5875 , 5876 ,

and RMNH 4628 from Timena River [see Type

Material], collected April 6–7, 1903, by the

Netherlands New Guinea Expedition).

Chaperina quatuorlobata Wandolleck, 1911: 9

(type locality, ‘‘Torricelligebirge,’’ West Sepik

Province, Papua New Guinea; syntypes [2],

MTKD D2215, destroyed in World War II

[Obst, 1977: 173], collected in 1909 by Otto

Schlaginhaufen).

Sphenophryne basipalmata : van Kampen, 1919:

54 (first use of combination, treats punctata as a synonym). Nieden, 1926: 46.

Sphenophryne macrorhyncha : van Kampen,

1923: 107 (part, basipalmata considered a synonym). Parker, 1934: 155 (part).

TYPE LOCALITIES: The Tawarin River is on the north coast of Irian Jaya, entering Walckenaer Bay at about 139°48′E (Wichmann, 1917, fig. 108). The Timena River is in the vicinity of Lake Sentani, southwest of Jayapura in the northwest coastal region of Irian Jaya. Schlaginhaufen’s collections in the Torricelli Mountains were made in the area southeast of Aitape (Schlaginhaufen, 1914, fig. 1); see also account of Liophryne schlaginhaufeni .

TYPE MATERIAL: Of the four syntypes of basipalmata , the juvenile from Tawarin is missing ( Dann and Hillenius , 1966). Among the remaining three (from Timena River), the syntype for which van Kampen (1906) provided measurements and illustrated is ZMA 5875 ; ZMA 5876 was skeletonized, and RMNH 4628 is much smaller ( SVL 23 vs. 31 mm). I designate ZMA 5875 lectotype of Chaperina basipalmata ; ZMA 5876 and RMNH 4628 automatically become paralectotypes .

DIAGNOSIS: The possession of toe webbing distinguishes A. basipalmata from all Austrochaperina except A. palmipes , the only other congener with more than a trace of toe webbing. The greater amount of webbing (figs. 56C and 56D) distinguishes palmipes from basipalmata , as does the former’s possession of vomerine spikes. Smaller eyes also characterize basipalmata (EY/SVL 0.094 –0.112 vs. 0.115 –0.144).

MORPHOLOGY: Head slightly narrower than body; hind limbs moderately long (TL/SVL 0.429). Snout bluntly pointed seen from above, the same and projecting in profile; nostrils lateral, just visible from above, slightly closer to tip of snout than to eye; loreal region nearly vertical and flat, canthus rostralis distinct but rounded. Eyes moderately small (EY/SVL 0.103), eyelid half interorbital distance. Tympanum scarcely visible, less than half eye diameter. Relative lengths of fingers 3> 4> 2> 1, first more than half length of second, all with expanded, rounded, terminally grooved discs, that of third finger about twice width of penultimate phalanx; subarticular and metacarpal elevations low, rounded, indistinct. Toes with basal webs, reaching almost half length on first toe and on inside of second; relative toe lengths 4> 3> 5> 2> 1, first less than half second, all with rounded, expanded, terminally grooved discs broader than those on fingers, that of fourth toe about twice width of penultimate phalanx; subarticular tubercles rounded, indistinct; inner metatarsal tubercle low, rounded, elongate, no outer tubercle. Body smooth to slightly rugose dorsally, smooth beneath; a weak, curved postorbital-supratympanic fold.

COLOR AND PATTERN: In preservative, these frogs are brown above, sometimes virtually patternless but more often with indistinct darker spotting or mottling. A small proportion have well-defined darker spots. The undersides are pale tan with variably distinct darker mottling on the chin, chest, and hind legs. The abdomen is unmarked except laterally. The posterior surfaces of the thighs are brown and the groin is much the same.

VARIATION IN SIZE AND PROPORTIONS: Adult males (those with vocal slits) range from 31.6 to 34.4 mm SVL, adult females from 33.3 to 39.0 mm. Males as large as 29.0 mm lack slits, and females appear to mature at about 30–32 mm. Variation in proportions is summarized in table 2; see table 3 for regression statistics.

Adult males have the tip of the snout somewhat pointed and conspicuously whitened. Adult females have a rounded snout and rarely show even a trace of white, and juveniles of both sexes have dark snouts.

ILLUSTRATIONS: 3rd finger terminal phalanx, fig. 71N; premaxilla, fig. 64E; sacral region, fig. 73B; vomer, fig. 65M; hand and foot, fig. 56C.

CALL: Vocalizations are unknown.

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: Austrochaperina derongo is the species most similar morphologically to A. basipalmata . They are of the same size and, apart from the toe webbing, there is little to distinguish them. The hands and digital discs of basipalmata tend to be slightly larger, and a simultaneous comparison of the HL/SVL and FD/SVL ratios of the two species provides a fairly good separation (fig. 8). See the account of A. macrorhyncha for a comparison of that species with basipalmata .

HABITAT AND HABITS: Nothing has been published in this regard. However, Allen Allison (personal commun.) has informed me that basipalmata is closely associated with small mountain streams.

DISTRIBUTION: Localities for this species span about 300 km in the north coast ranges, from the Tawarin River in Irian Jaya to the Torricelli Mountains southeast of Aitape, Papua New Guinea (fig. 24).

LOCALITY RECORDS AND SPECIMENS EXAMINED: IRIAN JAYA: Tawarin River (van Kampen, 1906: 169); Timena River (RMNH 4628, syntype of Chaperina basipalmata ; ZMA 5875, 5876, syntypes of Chaperina basipalmata ); Mt. Nomo, 16 km SSW Mt. Bougainville (BMNH 1913.10.31.248). PAPUA NEW GUINEA: West Sepik Prov.: Mt. Somoro, Torricelli Mtns., 730–1420 m, 9 km N, 11 km E Lumi (AMNH A78176–78181); Mt. Nibo, Torricelli Mtns., 700–1550 m, 9 km N, 15 km E Lumi (AMNH A78158– 78175 [78163 C&S], A129480 –129513 [129495 C&S]).

REMARKS: Van Kampen (1906) described this species and macrorhyncha in the same paper. He later (1919) considered punctata (van Kampen, 1913) a synonym of basipalmata , but in 1923 placed basipalmata and punctata in the synonymy of macrorhyncha , citing intermediate specimens as the basis. Nieden (1926) followed van Kampen’s 1919 arrangement. Van Kampen (1919, 1923) included quatuorlobata in the synonymy of basipalmata (1919) and of macrorhyncha (1923), but with question. Parker (1934) examined a syntype of quatuorlobata and (presumably) compared it with a macrorhyncha from Mimika River and a syntype of punctata (which he thought erroneously to be a syntype of basipalmata ), and referred all three specimens to Sphenophryne macrorhyncha .

Figures

Fig. 6. Paratype of Austrochaperina archboldi, AMNH A66723, SVL 38.4 mm.