ABSTRACT
A new species of cascade ranid belonging to the Rana livida species complex is described from Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Nayok Provinces, eastern Thailand. The new species is differentiated from other cascade ranids by the following combination of characters: males with snout-vent length 54.3–69.1 mm (mean 61.8 mm), females 92.8–101.0 mm (mean 96.9 mm); males with gular pouches; finger II shorter than I; all digit tips expanded, with circummarginal grooves; no outer metatarsal tubercle; smooth dorsal skin, dorsolateral folds weak or absent; legs banded; males with white spinules on dorsal and ventral surfaces; posterior portion of thigh creamy white with brown marbling in preservative; and eggs without pigment. New data are presented for two similar, recently described species in the complex that also bear white spinules, Rana banaorum and Rana morafkai.
Key words: Laos, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Rana indeprensa, Rana livida, species complex
Figure 5: Rana indeprensa, new species from Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand: (left) FMNH 183666, holotype, an adult male; (right) FMNH 183662, female paratype. Photographs by W. Ronald Heyer.
Photographs by M. Cota.
Etymology.— The specific name is derived from the Latin indeprensus, meaning unobserved or undiscovered, in reference to the hidden identity of this new species for over 35 years in a natural history collection.
Distribution and Ecology.— Currently, R. indeprensa is only known from Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and Sarika Waterfalls, Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. Specimens were collected at night (1830–2003 h) in dry evergreen and gallery evergreen forest on rocks, vines, trees, and stream banks within 4.5 m of 3.5–18 m wide streams, except for FMNH 183657, which was taken on the forest floor away from water. Vertical position of specimens varied from ground level to ∼1.5 m height. Tadpoles are unknown.
Figure 1: Map of mainland Southeast Asia with collection localities for referable specimens. 1) Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, 2) Sarika Waterfalls, Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand, 3) Huong Son Forest Reserve, Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, 4) Xe Sap National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Xe Kong Province, Laos, 5) Dong Hua Sao National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Champasak Province, Laos, 6) Ngoc Linh Mountain, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam, 7) An Khe District, Gia Lai Province, Vietnam.
Bain, R.H. and Stuart, B.L. 2005. A new species of cascade frog (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Thailand, with new data on Rana banaorum and Rana morafkai. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society 53: 3-16.: http://cbc.amnh.org/center/pubs/pdfs/5-BainandStuartNHBSS2006.pdf
