Wednesday, April 12, 2023

[Herpetology • 2023] Amolops siju • A New Species of Amolops (Anura: Ranidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India


 Amolops siju 
Saikia, Sinha, Shabnam & Dinesh, 2023

Siju Cascade Frog  ||  JAD.LU.ac.ir 

 Abstract
Seventeen nominal species of the ranid frog genus Amolops, some of which are based on unverified historical records, are reported from India. Herein, we describe a new species of Amolops of the marmoratus group from a cave ecosystem. This is an uncommon habitat for this group of frogs, which is commonly found around cascades. The Siju Cave, from which four specimens of the new species were collected is a natural limestone cave located in the South Garo Hills District of Meghalaya, Northeast India. The new species is separated from other congeners based on morphological and genetic differences and is also geographically isolated from it's sister species.

Keywords: Amolops siju sp. nov., cryptic species,  Garo Hills, Siju Cave, subterranean frog

Siju Cave entrance photographed from the inside.

The cave entrance and interiors of Siju and the Do·bak Khol stream.  

 Field photo (in situ) of a female paratype (V/A/NERC/ZSI/1856) of Amolops siju sp. nov.

 Field photo (in situ) of the holotype (V/A/NERC/ZSI/1620) of Amolops siju sp. nov.

Amolops siju sp. nov. 
Siju Cascade Frog

Diagnosis Amolops siju sp. nov. is a member of the marmoratus species group isolated in geographical space from its phylogenetic sister species and having a distinct set of morphological characters. The new species can be diagnosed based on the following set of morphological characters: adult male size large (SVL 63.4 mm), adult female size very large (SVL 84.5–94.4 mm); head wider than long (HW > HL); snout rounded, longer than eye length (SL > EL); inter-orbital distance less than both upper eyelid width and inter-narial distance (IUE < UEW < IN); tympanum distinct and very small, less than 20% of eye length; fingers with circum-marginal grooves; tibia slightly longer than femur and foot (TiL > ShL > FOL), roughly 2/3rd of SVL; tibio-tarsal articulation reaches slightly beyond snout; supra-tympanic fold visible; dorsum smooth, lateral side with scattered warts.  

Etymology The species epithet is a toponym derived from the type locality. The name ‘Siju’ is treated as noun in apposition. 
 

Bhaskar Saikia, Bikramjit Sinha, A. Shabnam and K. P. Dinesh. 2023. Description of A New Species of Amolops (Anura: Ranidae) from A Cave Ecosystem in Meghalaya, Northeast India. Journal of Animal Diversity. 5(1); DOI: 10.52547/JAD.2023.5.1.2