Raorchestes (Philautus) ochlandrae sp. nov. Holotype in life
on Ochlandra setigera reeds (SVL = 25.6 mm)
Raorchestes ochlandrae
(Gururaja, Dinesh, Palot, Radhakrishnan & Ramachandra, 2007)
Abstract
A new species of the oriental shrub frog genus Philautus is described from Kakkayam Reserve Forest of Calicut district, Kerala state, in the southern Western Ghats. This species is distinguished from congeners by the combination of characters such as body small, elongate, squat and flat; head arched, wider than long; snout short rounded, equal or sub equal to diameter of eye; canthus rostralis rounded; tympanum indistinct but visible; eyes protruding, pupil with striking golden yellow dentition like marks; belly granular; vocal sac unpigmented; fleshy brown to cream yellow dorsum with two distinct golden yellow lateral bands bordered by dark brown from upper eyelid to the posterior part of flanks. A description of the advertisement calls and ecology and natural history notes are also provided for the new species which so far is only known from the type locality.
Key words: Philautus ochlandrae sp.nov., shrub frogs, Western Ghats, Ochlandra setigera Gamble, advertisement calls
Type locality: "Kakkayam Reserve Forest, Calicut District, Kerala State,... (11°33´16 N, 75°55´12 E, altitude 745 m above mean sea level)".
Holotype: ZSI-WGFRS V/A 632.
Synonyms:
Philautus ochlandrae — Gururaja, Dinesh, Palot, Radhakrishnan & Ramachandra, 2007
Raorchestes ochlandrae — Biju, Shouche, Dubois, Dutta & Bossuyt, 2010
References:
Gururaja K.V., Dinesh K.P., Palot M.J., Radhakrishnan C. & Ramachandra T.V. 2007. A new species of Philautus Gistel (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from southern Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa, 1621: 1-16. PDF: http://wgbis.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/water/paper/pc-z016/TVR05_P6_z01621p016p519%5B1%5D.pdf
