SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History

50 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 253
equal to distance from anterior corner of orbit
to tip of snout, visible from beneath, upper
eyelid about two-thirds as wide as interorbit.
Tympanum scarcely distinct, annulus
slightly greater than half eye diameter. Relative
lengths of fingers 3 4 2 1, first
about half as long as second, all with distinct
but not greatly expanded discs, that of third
finger about 1.7 as broad as penultimate
phalanx; subarticular and metacarpal elevations
scarcely evident. Toes unwebbed, relative
lengths 4 3 5 2 1, all with
moderately expanded discs, that of fourth toe
larger than that on third finger and about
2.7 the penultimate phalanx; subarticular
elevations low, rounded; inner metatarsal elevation
low, rounded, elongate; no outer elevation.
Skin smooth above and below, postocular
fold lacking.
This is a light brown frog with nothing in
the way of distinguishing markings except
for small light dorsal spots more numerous
laterally. Such spotting is present on the front
legs but scarcely indicated on the hind legs.
The facial area is darker than its surroundings.
The chin and chest bear somewhat larger
and denser pale spots than the back,
whereas the abdomen is finely mottled with
darker on lighter brown. The front legs are
brown beneath with light spots, like the
chest. The hind legs are patterned beneath
like the abdomen, only more coarsely so. The
posterior surfaces of the thighs are lightly
mottled brown.
VARIATION IN TYPE SERIES: The type is
unique.
ILLUSTRATIONS: Hand and foot, fig. 56E.
CALL: The call is unknown.
COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: Earlier,
I referred the unique specimen of A. parkeri
to Sphenophryne mehelyi (Zweifel, 1980:
411). With several specimens of mehelyi now
available (compared to only one before), significant
differences between the species are
evident. Most conspicuously, mehelyi is a
much smaller species, with males being mature
as small as 17 mm SVL and the largest
specimen, a gravid female, measuring 21 mm
SVL compared to the 30 mm length of parkeri.
HABITAT AND HABITS: There is no specific
information on the habitat of this species, although
its habitus is that of a terrestrial,
probably litter-dwelling form. The rainfo-
rested area around Lae is one of the wetter
parts of Papua New Guinea, with an annual
average rainfall of 4581 mm (35 years of
data as of 1975; Papua New Guinea National
Meteorological Service, 1976).
DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the type
locality (fig. 28).
Austrochaperina polysticta (Méhely¨),
new combination
Chaperina polysticta Méhely¨, 1901: 258 (type locality,
‘‘Sattleberg’’ [Morobe Province, Papua
New Guinea]; holotype MNH 2414/12, collected
by Ludwig Biró [date not given, but see account
of A. mehelyi], destroyed in 1956).
Sphenophryne polysticta: van Kampen, 1923:
108. Parker, 1934: 157 (part, holotype only).
DIAGNOSIS: Possibly the smallest species
of Austrochaperina, the sole specimen said
to be adult at 16.5 mm SVL; discs of fingers
scarcely broader than penultimate phalanges;
abdomen unmarked.
MORPHOLOGY: The unique type specimen
has been destroyed and I know of no other
specimen referable to the species. Hence, I
cannot prepare a description in the format
followed in other species accounts. What follows
is adapted from the descriptions in
Méhely¨ (1901) and Parker (1934). Parker
discussed polysticta without having examined
specimens of the Australian species A.
robusta Fry and A. brevipes Fry8 that he referred
to the synonymy of polysticta. If Parker
incorporated in his discussion features of
the Australian species (taken from Fry’s descriptions),
that could account for discrepancies.
Snout short, somewhat shorter than diameter
of eye, bluntly rounded; canthus rostralis
rounded, loreal region steeply inclined; nasal
opening about as far from tip of snout as
from eye (Méhely¨) or closer to tip of snout
than to eye (Parker). Interorbital space almost
twice width of eyelid. Tympanum distinct,
nearly half length of eye opening. Relative
lengths of fingers 3 4 2 1; discs
distinct, scarcely broader than penultimate
phalanges, disc of first finger narrower. Relative
lengths of toes 4 3 5 2 1,
third considerably longer than fourth; discs
8 The latter is now A. fryi (Zweifel), not A. brevipes
(Boulenger).