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| Kaloula assamensis
Das, Sengupta, Ahmed & Dutta, 2004
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Abstract
A new species of microhylid of the genus Kaloula is described from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states, north-east India. Kaloula assamensis new species, is compared with congeners from south and south-east Asia. The new species is diagnosablein showing the following combination of characters: SVL up to 38.0 mm; tympanum notexternally visible; choanae rounded, moderately large, at anterolateral edge of palate,separated by a distance greater than twice their length; postnarial ridges across palatenot curving backwards towards inner edge of choanae; finger tips slightly dilated; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded; webbing on pes to level of distal subarticular tubercles, except on toe IV, where it is to the medial tubercle, reaching tips of all toes asa narrow sheath; toe tips slightly rounded; supernumerary tubercle at base of each digitof manus; tarsus smooth, lacking folds; supratympanic fold extends from posterior edgeof eye to above insertion of forelimbs; lateral glandular flank ridge absent; abdomen coarsely granular; pale brown dorsally, with a dark-edged bright yellow vertebral stripe,commencing from tip of snout and terminating near vent, where it becomes less distinct;a dark-edged broad dark brown lateral stripes, commencing from the postocular region,and extending to inguinal region; stratified colouration on posterior face of thighs and flanks; and light pericloacal ring present.
Keywords: Kaloula, new species, Kaloula assamensis, Microhylidae, systematics, new species, India.
Diagnosis.- A small (SVL up to 38.0 mm) species of Kaloula, diagnosable from congeneric species in showing the following combination of characters: tympanum not externally visible; choanae rounded, moderately large, at antero-lateral edge of palate, separated by a distance greater than twice their length; postnarial ridges across palate not curving backwards towards inner edge of choanae; finger tips slightly dilated; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded; webbing on pes to level of distal subarticular tubercles, except on toe IV, where it is to the medial tubercle, reaching tips of all toes as a narrow sheath; toe tips slightly rounded; supernumerary tubercle at base of each digit of manus; tarsus smooth, lacking folds; supratympanic fold ex-tends from posterior edge of eye to above insertion of forelimbs; lateral glandular flank ridge absent; abdomen coarsely granular; pale brown dorsally, with a dark-edged bright yellow vertebral stripe, commencing from tip of snout and terminating near vent, where it becomes less distinct; a dark-edged broad dark brown lateral stripes, commencing from the postocular region,and extending to inguinal region; stratified colouration on posterior face of thighs and flanks;and light pericloacal ring present.
Natural History Notes
The holotype of the new species was unearthed in a field of mustard (Brassica juncea). The Nameri paratype was found sitting on an herba-ceous plant, ca. 0.3 m above substrate, at 1830h, within an evergreen forest. Other amphibian species found in sympatry with the new speciesat this site include Megophrys parva, Rana humeralis, R. leptoglossa, Fejervarya aff. limnocharis, Microhyla ornata and Uperodon globulosum. The Sirajuli paratype was found under herbaceous moist vegetation. The eggs, larvae stages and call of the new species remain un-known. The two Orang paratypes were collected during the post-monsoon season, while sittingon blades of the grass Saccharum spp., ca. 1 mabove ground. Seven other species of anurans (including the type series of Kalophrynus orangensis Dutta et al., 2000) were found at this lo-cality. The Pakhui paratype was collected froma fern within a waterlogged area, while sitting ata height of ca. 0.6 m above substrate, at 1920 h.In sympatry were Chirixalus simus, C. vittatus, Polypedates leucomystax and Rana humeralis.
Das, I., Sengupta, S., Ahmed, M.F. and Dutta, S.K. 2004. A New Species of Kaloula (Anura: Microhylidae) from Assam State, north-eastern India. Hamadryad. 101-109.
Saibal Sengupta, Abhijit Das, Sandeep Das, Balhtiar Hussain, Nripendra Kumar Choudhury and Sushil Kumar Dutta. 2009. Taxonomy and Biogeography of Kaloula Species of Eastern India. The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University. 9(2): 209-222.
http://www.biology.sc.chula.ac.th/TNH/archives/v9_no2/7.209-222%20Sengupta.pdf
Anukul Nath, Firoz Ahmed and Hilloljyoti Singha. 2011. Record of Kaloula assamensis (Das et al., 2004) (Anura: Microhylidae) from Bongagaon District, Assam, India. frog leg [Newsletter of the Amphibian Network of South Asia and Amphibian Specialist Group - South Asia]. 17.
