[Herpetology • 2015] A Reappraisal of The Rhacophorid Bush Frog Raorchestes flaviventris (Boulenger, 1882), with An Evaluation of The Taxonomic Status of R. emeraldi Vijayakumar, Dinesh, Prabhu and Shankar, 2014

FIGURE 1. Raorchestes flaviventris (Boulenger, 1882) (in life); A. male from Valparai; B. male from Kadalar.

ResearchGate.net DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4048.1.5

Abstract

Raorchestes flaviventris, a species of rhacophorid bush frog described from the Western Ghats by George Albert Boulenger in 1882, has never been reported from the region since its description. However, we herewith report a record of the species after almost 132 years and redescribe the species and also clarify confusions that prevailed over the taxonomic status of the species and its closely-related congeners, along with shedding light on literature regarding its distribution. Also, the recently described R. emeraldi Vijayakumar et al., 2014, which we suggest to be the same species, becomes a junior subjective synonym of R. flaviventris.

Keywords: Amphibia, Raorchestes flaviventris, rediscovery, Western Ghats, India

FIGURE 5. Map showing distribution range (marked by blue outline) of Raorchestes flaviventris in the Western Ghats.

Abraham, Robin K., Anil Zachariah & Vivek P. Cyriac. 2015. A Reappraisal of The Rhacophorid Bush Frog Raorchestes flaviventris (Boulenger, 1882), with An Evaluation of The Taxonomic Status of R. emeraldi Vijayakumar, Dinesh, Prabhu and Shankar, 2014.
 Zootaxa. 4048(1): 90–100. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4048.1.5

ResearchGate.net/publication/284458507_A_reappraisal_of_the_rhacophorid_bush_frog_Raorchestes_flaviventris_(Boulenger_1882)_with_an_evaluation_of_the_taxonomic_status_of_R._emeraldi_Vijayakumar_Dinesh_Prabhu_and_Shankar_2014