Thursday, September 12, 2013

[Herpetology • 2013] Kaloula indochinensis | อึ่งอินโดจีน | Indochina Narrow-mouthed Frog • A new species of Narrow-mouthed Frog of the Genus Kaloula from Eastern Indochina


FIG. 3.— Kaloula indochinensis sp. nov. from Krong Pa Village, K’Bang District, Gia Lai Province, Vietnam (Photo by Robert W. Murphy);
(C) Nakai District, Khammouan Province, Laos (Photo by David A. Emmett);
(D) Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia (Photo by Channa Phan).

Abstract
We describe a new species of frog of the genus Kaloula (family Microhylidae) from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia based on morphological evidence. The new species has previously been mistaken with K. baleata, which it most closely resembles. Kaloula indochinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: maximum snout–vent length 53.7 mm; finger tips expanded into wide discs; the majority of specimens with two subarticular tubercles on the fourth toe; inner and outer metatarsal tubercle slightly raised, inner metatarsal tubercle shorter than first toe; absence of dorsolateral stripe; and large, bright, orange-yellow axillary and inguinal spots.

Key words: Amphibia, Anura, Linear discriminant analysis, Principal component analysis, Southeast Asia, Systematics


Kaloula indochinensis
Chan, Blackburn, Murphy, Stuart, Emmett, Ho & Brown 2013

Distribution.— The new species is known to occur at five localities from southern Vietnam through eastern Cambodia to central Laos. The record from Cambodia is based on a photograph of an individual from Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia (Fig. 3D).

Etymology.— The specific epithet refers to the new species’ distribution in Indochina, a geographic area containing the modern-day countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

Discussion
The known distribution of K. indochinensis is restricted to eastern Indochina. Other cooccurring congeners in this region include K. mediolineata from Dac Lac Province, Vietnam (Nguyen et al., 2009), K. aureata from southern Peninsular Thailand (Nutphund, 2001), and K. pulchra, which is ubiquitous throughout disturbed habitats in Asia (Frost, 2011). Based on geographic proximity, it is possible that K. indochinensis occurs in sympatry with K. pulchra and K. mediolineata.


Kin Onn Chan, David C. Blackburn, Robert W. Murphy, Bryan L. Stuart, David A. Emmett, Cuc Thu Ho, and Rafe M. Brown. 2013. A New Species of Narrow-mouthed Frog of the Genus Kaloula from Eastern Indochina. Herpetologica. 69(3); 329-341. DOI: 10.1655/HERPETOLOGICA-D-12-00094