Abstract
Two new species of rhacophorid frogs in the genus Theloderma are described from high-elevation montane forest on the Kon Tum and Langbian Plateaus in Vietnam, on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. Both new species are differentiated morphologically from their congeners by their small body size (<30 mm SVL); absence of vomerine teeth; rugose skin texture with minute, calcified dorsal asperities; no webbing on hands; brownish dorsum; and a bicoloured iris (pale gold in upper third and reddish brown in lower two-thirds). Molecular evidence supports that both new species are members of genus Theloderma, and are distinct from all congeners sampled (uncorrected sequence divergences at the 16S rRNA gene of >8.5% for all Theloderma for which homologous 16S rRNA sequences are available). The new species are differentiated from each other by dorsal pattern, extent of dorsal asperities, and by mitochondrial DNA.
Key words: Anura, Rhacophoridae, Southeast Asia, Vietnam
Cloaked Moss Frog Theloderma palliatum
| The species, known only from high-elevation forest on the Langbian Plateau in Vietnam, is named after its ability to change from a dull brownish colour to reveal this bold, high-contrast pattern.
Photo: Jodi J. L. Rowley | http://australianmuseum.net.au/
Misty Moss Frog Theloderma nebulosum
| The species is named after its habitat- mist-shrouded forest on the moutains of the Kon Tum Plateau, Vietnam.
Photo: Jodi J. L. Rowley | http://australianmuseum.net.au
Jodi J L Rowley, Le T. T. D, Huy Duc Hoang, Dau Q. V. and Thuy Cao. 2011. Two new species of Theloderma (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam. Zootaxa. 3098: 1–20