Sphenophryne mehelyi (Zweifel, 1980)

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 : 49-52

Sphenophryne mehelyi : Zweifel, 1980: 411 (part).

HOLOTYPE: MCZ A89220 (Field No. F 14424), collected by Fred Parker on March 7, 1974, in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, at 4 km north of Lae.

PARATYPES: The holotype is the only specimen of the species.

ETYMOLOGY: The patronym honors Fred Parker who, through his collecting activities, is the peerless contributor to knowledge of the Papuan herpetofauna.

DIAGNOSIS: A species of moderate size (SVL 30.6 mm, one specimen) with relatively small eyes (EY/SVL 0.105), small hands (HD/SVL 0.209), and well- developed digital discs of moderate size (3rd finger disc/SVL 0.031).

DESCRIPTION OF HOLOTYPE: Adult female (ova 3 mm in diameter) with the following measurements and proportions: SVL 30.6, HW 10.7, TL 13.6, EY 3.2, EN 2.15, IN 3.2, HD 6.4, FT 13.0, width of disc of third finger 0.95 (penultimate phalanx 0.55), width of disc of fourth toe 1.3 (0.65); HW/SVL 0.350, TL/SVL 0.444, EY/SVL 0.105, EN/SVL 0.070, IN/SVL 0.105, EN/IN 0.672, HD/ SVL 0.209, FT/SVL 0.425, third finger disc/ SVL 0.031, fourth toe disc/SVL 0.042.

Head conspicuously narrower than body, snout rounded, slightly more bluntly so and projecting a little in lateral view; nostrils lateral, slightly visible from above; loreal region a flat, steep slope passing into the gently rounded canthal region. Eyes moderate, size equal to distance from anterior corner of orbit to tip of snout, visible from beneath, upper eyelid about two-thirds as wide as interorbit. Tympanum scarcely distinct, annulus slightly greater than half eye diameter. Relative lengths of fingers 3> 4> 2> 1, first about half as long as second, all with distinct but not greatly expanded discs, that of third finger about 1.7X as broad as penultimate phalanx; subarticular and metacarpal elevations scarcely evident. Toes unwebbed, relative lengths 4> 3> 5> 2> 1, all with moderately expanded discs, that of fourth toe larger than that on third finger and about 2.7X the penultimate phalanx; subarticular elevations low, rounded; inner metatarsal elevation low, rounded, elongate; no outer elevation. Skin smooth above and below, postocular fold lacking.

This is a light brown frog with nothing in the way of distinguishing markings except for small light dorsal spots more numerous laterally. Such spotting is present on the front legs but scarcely indicated on the hind legs. The facial area is darker than its surroundings. The chin and chest bear somewhat larg- er and denser pale spots than the back, whereas the abdomen is finely mottled with darker on lighter brown. The front legs are brown beneath with light spots, like the chest. The hind legs are patterned beneath like the abdomen, only more coarsely so. The posterior surfaces of the thighs are lightly mottled brown.

VARIATION IN TYPE SERIES: The type is unique.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Hand and foot, fig. 56E.

CALL: The call is unknown.

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: Earlier, I referred the unique specimen of A. parkeri to Sphenophryne mehelyi (Zweifel, 1980: 411) . With several specimens of mehelyi now available (compared to only one before), significant differences between the species are evident. Most conspicuously, mehelyi is a much smaller species, with males being mature as small as 17 mm SVL and the largest specimen, a gravid female, measuring 21 mm SVL compared to the 30 mm length of parkeri .

HABITAT AND HABITS: There is no specific information on the habitat of this species, although its habitus is that of a terrestrial, probably litter-dwelling form. The rainforested area around Lae is one of the wetter parts of Papua New Guinea, with an annual average rainfall of 4581 mm (35 years of data as of 1975; Papua New Guinea National Meteorological Service, 1976).

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the type locality (fig. 28).

Austrochaperina polysticta (Méhelÿ) ,

new combination

Chaperina polysticta Méhelÿ, 1901: 258 (type locality, ‘‘Sattleberg’’ [Morobe Province, Papua

New Guinea]; holotype MNH 2414 /12, collect-

ed by Ludwig Biró [date not given, but see account of A. mehelyi ], destroyed in 1956).

Sphenophryne polysticta : van Kampen, 1923:

108. Parker, 1934: 157 (part, holotype only).

DIAGNOSIS: Possibly the smallest species of Austrochaperina , the sole specimen said to be adult at 16.5 mm SVL; discs of fingers scarcely broader than penultimate phalanges; abdomen unmarked.

MORPHOLOGY: The unique type specimen has been destroyed and I know of no other specimen referable to the species. Hence, I cannot prepare a description in the format followed in other species accounts. What follows is adapted from the descriptions in Méhelÿ (1901) and Parker (1934). Parker discussed polysticta without having examined specimens of the Australian species A. robusta Fry and A. brevipes Fry 8 that he referred to the synonymy of polysticta . If Park- er incorporated in his discussion features of the Australian species (taken from Fry’s descriptions), that could account for discrepancies.

Snout short, somewhat shorter than diameter of eye, bluntly rounded; canthus rostralis rounded, loreal region steeply inclined; nasal opening about as far from tip of snout as from eye (Méhelÿ) or closer to tip of snout than to eye (Parker). Interorbital space almost twice width of eyelid. Tympanum distinct, nearly half length of eye opening. Relative lengths of fingers 3> 4> 2> 1; discs distinct, scarcely broader than penultimate phalanges, disc of first finger narrower. Relative lengths of toes 4> 3> 5> 2> 1, third considerably longer than fourth; discs

8 The latter is now A. fryi (Zweifel) , not A. brevipes

(Boulenger).

broader than those of fingers, but disc of fourth toe no broader than half tympanic diameter; subarticular elevations scarcely evident, inner metatarsal elevation small, elongate. Tarso-metatarsal joint (Méhelÿ) or tibiotarsal joint (Parker) reaches tympanum (TL/SVL probably about 0.39; see below). Skin smooth above and beneath.

The pectoral girdle is typical of Austrochaperina (and the other genyophrynine genera with the primitive girdle), with the clavicle reaching from the scapula almost to the midline (Méhelÿ 1901: 259).

Méhelÿ (1901: 259) described the color and pattern: ‘‘The formalin preserved specimen is bright yellowish red above and below, only the dorsal region somewhat brownish; the upper eyelids, upper and lateral sides of the snout blackish. A light streak on the upper lip passes to and beneath the eye. A dark red-brown stripe with undulating upper and lower edges begins at the posterior corner of the eye, touches the tympanum on its upper edge and rear half, and proceeds about to the middle of the body. The whole dorsum, the sides of the body, as well as the upper and lower sides of the fore- and hind limbs are set with moderately large, irregular red-brown flecks, more or less coalesced on the edges. Throat and anterior chest marmorated red-brown; abdomen and underside of forelimbs unmarked, some small red-brown speckles are on the undersides of the hind limbs.’’

VARIATION IN SIZE AND PROPORTIONS: Both Méhelÿ (1901) and Parker (1934) gave the size (presumably SVL or close to that measurement) as 16.5 mm. Parker noted ‘‘ad.’’ but did not specify the sex.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Whole body, dorsal aspect (Méhelÿ, 1901: pl. XII, fig. 4); pectoral girdle (Méhelÿ, 1901: pl. X, fig. 3).

CALL: This has not been described.

COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: This species must be compared with the sympatric A. mehelyi , but critical data are lacking. With only one specimen known, the possibly smaller size of polysticta cannot be confirmed. Méhelÿ’s description and illustration suggest that polysticta has a shorter, blunter snout than mehelyi , and the mottled venter of that species contrasts with the unmarked abdomen of polysticta . If the illustration of polysticta is correctly proportioned, the legs are relatively shorter than those of mehelyi (TL/ SVL 0.39 vs. minimum of 0.42 in mehelyi ).

HABITAT AND HABITS: Nothing is on record.

DISTRIBUTION: Sattleberg, the type and only locality, is the site of a mission station near the tip of the Huon Peninsula, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea (fig. 28).

REMARKS: I have considered but rejected the possibility that Austrochaperina polysticta and A. mehelyi , small species of similar configuration with the same type locality, are synonyms. Both Méhelÿ and Parker, with specimens in hand, considered them as different taxa, and the geographically pertinent specimens I examined are closer to mehelyi in most respects. I prefer to maintain the status quo pending the acquisition of new material that favors reconsideration.