Quasipaa verrucospinosa ( Bourret, 1937 )

Nguyen, Tan Van, Brakels, Peter, Maury, Nathanael, Sudavanh, Somchit, Pawangkhanant, Parinya, Idiiatullina, Sabira, Lorphengsy, Sengvilay, Inkhavilay, Khamla, Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon & Poyarkov, Nikolay A., 2020, New herpetofaunal observations from Laos based on photo records, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 248) 14 (2), pp. 218-249 : 222

Quasipaa verrucospinosa ( Bourret, 1937)

Granular Spiny Frog ( Fig. 3B–C )

Two individuals of Q. verrucospinosa were observed in Longcheng District , Xaisomboun Province: on 27 April 2019 by P. Brakels and N. Maury (19°00.782’N, 102°39.337’E; elevation 975 m asl) at Longcheng site 2; and on 17 July 2019 by T. V. Nguyen, P. Brakels, P. Pawangkhanant, and N.A. Poyarkov (19°00.983’N, 102°59.645’E; elevation 1,370 m asl) at Longcheng site 1 .

Morphological characters of the individuals from Xaisomboun Province agreed well with the descriptions of Bourret (1937), Inger et al. (1999), and Fei et al. (2010). The photographed individual ( Fig. 3B–C ) agrees with the diagnosis of Q. verrucospinosa in the following characters: large body size; snout round; canthus rostralis indistinct; loreal region slightly flat; eye large, pupil oval; tympanum small, distinct; supratympanic fold present; tips of fingers and toes without discs, toe webbing complete; dorsal surface with very rough back covered by short, thick ridges, and round tubercles, and sides covered by oval tubercles with dark spines; coloration of dorsum gray-brown with dark brown spots; ventral surface cream; iris dark green.

Ecological notes. The first individual was found at ca. 1900 h in a fast-flowing stream between boulders under a small waterfall in evergreen forest with an abundance of banana plants; while the other individual was found on top of a small waterfall along the road. The surrounding habitat was mixed secondary submontane to montane forest.

Distribution. This species is known from northern and central Vietnam and southern China ( Frost 2020). This is the first country record for Laos, ca. 291 km southwest from the type locality in Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam ( Bourret 1937).

Figures

Fig. 3. (A) Nanorana aenea in Mork District, Xiangkhouang Province; (B) dorsal view and (C) ventral view of Quasipaa verrucospinosa in Longcheng District, Xaisomboun Province; (D) dorsal view and (E) ventral view of Leptobrachella eos in Bortaen District, Xaignabouli Province; (F) Leptobrachium smithi in Xay District, Oudomxai Province. Photos: P. Brakels (A–B, D, F) and N. Maury (C, E).