SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History

2000 ZWEIFEL: PARTITION OF SPHENOPHRYNE
67
Fig. 35. Holotype of Liophryne rubra, UPNG
9290, SVL 37.5 mm.
(0.09), penultimate phalanx 0.06 (0.05), disc
of fourth toe 1.7 (1.4), penultimate phalanx
0.8 (0.08), TY 3.2 (2.8); HW/SVL 0.400
(0.392), TL/SVL 0.563 (0.568), EY/SVL
0.107 (0.111), EN/SVL 0.075 (0.076), IN/
SVL 0.131 (0.116), EN/IN 0.571 (0.651),
HD/SVL 0.221 (0.216), FT/SVL 0.528
(0.497), FD/SVL 0.029 (0.024), TD/SVL
0.045 (0.038).
Head narrower than the rather robust body,
snout bluntly pointed seen from above,
rounded and slightly projecting in profile;
nostrils lateral, barely visible from above,
slightly closer to eye than to tip of snout;
canthus rostralis distinct, slightly rounded;
loreal region steep, nearly flat. Eyes moderate
in size, corneal outline visible from beneath,
interorbital span about 1.5 width of
eyelid. Tympanum relatively large and
smooth. Relative lengths of fingers 4 3
2 1, first relatively long, reaching to base
of disc of second, all with discs broader than
penultimate phalanges; subarticular elevations
moderately prominent, rounded. Relative
lengths of toes 4 3 5 2 1, first
short, reaching base of subarticular elevation
of second, all with discs broader than penultimate
phalanges, disc of fourth toe about
Fig. 36. Holotype of Liophryne rubra, UPNG
9290.
1.5 width of that of third finger; subarticular
elevations moderately prominent,
rounded; inner metatarsal elevation low,
rounded. A straight fold of skin passing from
posterior corner of eye diagonally on flank
where it fades out; skin otherwise smooth
with no dorsal tubercles or scapular folds.
There appear to be small maxillary teeth.
Shortly after being preserved, the specimen
was ‘‘bright chestnut red’’ in color (J.
Menzies, personal commun.); the dorsal surfaces
(head, body, legs, and feet) have since
faded to pale yellowish tan, unmarked except
for a white vertebral hairline. A dark streak
passes from nostril to eye and resumes at the
posterior corner of the eye to include much
of the ear before terminating (fig. 36). The
streak is sharply defined at the canthus rostralis,
less so along its lower edge; the upper
lip is pale. The ventral surfaces are pale and
unmarked from chin to hind legs. There are
a few dark marks on front and rear surfaces
of the front legs, an irregular longitudinal
dark streak on the anterior side of each thigh,
and a poorly defined dark streak on the posterior
side. The palms and soles have some
dark pigment but are not wholly dark.
VARIATION IN TYPE SERIES: The paratype
resembles the holotype in all pertinent characters,
most notably the relatively short eye–
naris span, absence of convergent scapular
folds, and color pattern. Body proportions
are summarized in table 6.
REFERRED SPECIMEN: A specimen of Liophryne
9 from the Baiyer River region some
9 SAMA R23853, collected by Thomas Burton Jan. 3,
1982, at Trauna Ridge, 1750 m, 13 km E Baiyer River
Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Highlands Prov., Papua
New Guinea.