Friday, July 1, 2011

[Herpetology • 2005] 27 new Pseudophilautus (firstly: Philautus) • Sri Lankan Shrub Frogs (Rhacophorinae)


*this 25 new species firstly designed as Philautus until 2009 they has been transfer into Pseudophilautus (Li, et al, 2009)


Abstract
All 30 nominal species assigned to the shrub-frog genus Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Anura: Ranidae: Rhacophorinae) in Sri Lanka are reviewed, and their name-bearing types redescribed. Twenty-seven new species of Philautus endemic to Sri Lanka are described, together with diagnoses and illustrations, and a key provided to all valid species in the island. As presently understood, the genus Philautus in Sri Lanka contains 57 nominal species, of which 52 are valid, four are junior subjective synonyms and one is incerte sedis. A conservation assessment using the IUCN’s global Red List criteria shows that 17 species are Extinct; seven Critically Endangered; 19 Endangered; one Vulnerable; four Near Threatened; four Least Concern; and one data deficient. The extant new species described here are a part of those discovered in an amphibian survey of Sri Lanka from 1993–2003, selected for reasons of conservation priority, distribution, the availability of molecular data and colour photographs in life. A neotype is designated for Polypedates schmarda Kelaart, 1854; and lectotypes designated for Ixalus temporalis Günther, 1864; Ixalus oxyrhynchus Günther, 1872; and Ixalus hypomelas Günther, 1876.

Keywords: Taxonomy, Sri Lanka, Rhacophoridae, Philautus, new species, conservation.

Checklist:
• Hortons Plains Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus alto
Asankas's Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus askankai
• Golden Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus auratus
• Blue Thigh Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus caeruleus
• Hollow-snouted Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus cavirostris
• Sharp-snouted Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus cuspis
• Elegant Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus decoris
Blunt-snouted Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus extirpo (extinct)
Leaf Dwelling Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus folicola
Knuckles Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus fulvus
Anthropogenic Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus hoipolloi
• Haycock Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus limbus
• Handapan Ella Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus lunatus
• Southern Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus nanus
• Golden-eyed Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus ocularis
• Papillated Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus papillosus
• Common Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus popularis
• Cheeky Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus procax
• Polonnaruwa Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus regius
• Kandian Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus rus
• Pug-nosed Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus silus
• Forest Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus silvaticus
• Sinharaja Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus simba
• Grubby Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus sordidus
• Dull-green Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus viridis
• White Blotched? Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus zal
• Gannoruwa Shrub Frog | Pseudophilautus zorro


Pseudophilautus procax (Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2005)

Type locality: "Morningside Forest Reserve (near Rakwana), alt. 1060 m (06° 24´ N, 80° 38´ E)", Sri Lanka.Holotype: WHT 3279.

Synonyms:
Philautus procax Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2005
Pseudophilautus procax — Li, Che, Murphy, Zhao, Zhao, Rao & Zhang, 2009


Molecular systematics, evolution, and ecology of Sri Lankan shrub-frogs (Rhacophorinae: Pseudophilautus)
by Meegaskumbura, Madhava, PhD, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 2007: http://gradworks.umi.com/32/59/3259857.html


Manamendra-Arachchi, K. & Pethiyagoda, R. (2005) The Sri Lankan shrub frogs of the genus Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Ranidae: Rhacophorinae), with description of 27 new species. In: Yeo, C. J., Ng, P. K. L. & Pethiyagoda, R. (Ed.),Contributions to biodiversity exploration and research in Sri Lanka. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 12,163–303.: http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s12/s12rbz163-303.pdf


Meegaskumbura, M., F. Bossuyt, R. Pethiyagoda, K. Manamendra-Ararchchi, M. Bahir, M. C. Milinkovitch & Schneider, C. J. (2002) Sri Lanka: an amphibian hotspot. Science, 298, 379. : DOI: 10.1126/science.298.5592.379

Meegaskumbura M. & Manamendra-Arachchi K. (2005) Description of eight new species of shrub frogs (Ranidae: Rhacophorinae: Philautus) from Sri Lanka. In: Yeo, C. J., Ng, P. K. L. & Pethiyagoda, R. (Ed.), Contributions to biodiversity exploration and research in Sri Lanka. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 12, 305–338.:PDF | http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s12/s12rbz305-338.pdf