SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
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2000 ZWEIFEL: PARTITION OF <strong>SPHENOPHRYNE</strong><br />
69<br />
S[phenophryne]. basipalmata: Nieden, 1926: 46<br />
(schlaginhaufeni referred with question to the<br />
synonymy <strong>of</strong> basipalmata).<br />
TYPE LOCALITY: I cannot place the ‘‘upper<br />
course <strong>of</strong> the Rienjamur’’ with certainty, but<br />
from a map published by the collector<br />
(Schlaginhaufen, 1914, fig. 1) it is likely that<br />
this is the river now known as the Drinumor<br />
(Suain Quadrangle, sheet 7491, Papua New<br />
Guinea 1:100,000 topographic survey). This<br />
would place the type locality about 29 km<br />
south and 25 km east <strong>of</strong> Aitape.<br />
TYPE MATERIAL: Although the type specimens<br />
<strong>of</strong> schlaginhaufeni have been destroyed,<br />
there is no reason to question associating<br />
this name with the specimens I examined.<br />
Not only did Wandolleck provide an<br />
adequate description that mentions several<br />
pertinent characters, but Parker (1934: 154)<br />
examined one <strong>of</strong> the syntypes and compared<br />
it with the types <strong>of</strong> klossi. Inasmuch as there<br />
are no outstanding biological problems complicating<br />
the taxonomy, a neotype need not<br />
be designated.<br />
DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from Liophryne<br />
allisoni by larger adult size (SVL 30 mm)<br />
and from L. similis and L. rhododactyla in<br />
being smaller than adults <strong>of</strong> these two, which<br />
are 45 mm SVL. L. schlaginhaufeni has a<br />
sharply defined canthus rostralis (rounded in<br />
dentata), nearly vertical loreal region (sloping<br />
in dentata), and a straight postocular-supratympanic<br />
skin fold (curved down behind<br />
the ear in dentata). See the account <strong>of</strong> L. rubra<br />
for diagnostic comparison with that species.<br />
MORPHOLOGY: Body size moderately large,<br />
up to about 43 mm SVL, with the longest<br />
legs (TL/SVL mean, 0.57) and almost the<br />
broadest head (HW/SVL mean, 0.42) in the<br />
genus. Snout as seen from above nearly truncate,<br />
obtusely angled, slightly projecting in<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>ile; nostrils lateral, scarcely visible from<br />
above, much closer to snout tip than to eye;<br />
loreal region flat, nearly vertical, sloping<br />
only a little outward to lip; a sharp angle<br />
along canthus rostralis between loreal region<br />
and flat top <strong>of</strong> snout. Internarial distance relatively<br />
broad (IN/SVL mean, 0.12), eye–naris<br />
distance slightly less than eye diameter<br />
(EN/EY mean, 0.80). Eyes moderately large<br />
(EY/SVL mean, 0.12), laterally placed and<br />
visible from beneath, interorbital span broader<br />
than an upper eyelid. Tympanum large and<br />
distinct, horizontal diameter about half that<br />
<strong>of</strong> eye. Relative lengths <strong>of</strong> fingers 3 4 <br />
2 1, first little shorter than second; all fingers<br />
with small, somewhat pointed discs with<br />
circum-marginal grooves, disc <strong>of</strong> third finger<br />
about 1.5 width <strong>of</strong> penultimate phalanx and<br />
narrower than disc <strong>of</strong> fourth toe; subarticular<br />
and inner and outer metacarpal tubercles<br />
moderately prominent. Relative lengths <strong>of</strong><br />
toes 4 3 5 2 1, all unwebbed with<br />
grooved, somewhat pointed discs, that <strong>of</strong><br />
fourth toe about twice width <strong>of</strong> penultimate<br />
phalanx; subarticular tubercles moderately<br />
prominent, an elongate inner metatarsal tubercle<br />
but no outer. Dorsal surface <strong>of</strong> body<br />
finely tuberculate; a pair <strong>of</strong> angular, convergent<br />
folds in the scapular region; a narrow<br />
lateral fold commences at the posterior corner<br />
<strong>of</strong> the eye and passes diagonally to the<br />
flank, crossing the upper edge <strong>of</strong> the tympanum;<br />
several transverse ridges on the hind<br />
limbs and pointed tubercles on the heel and<br />
edge <strong>of</strong> tarsus; ventral surfaces <strong>of</strong> body and<br />
limbs smooth.<br />
COLOR AND PATTERN: Preserved specimens<br />
are pale tan to dark gray-brown dorsally, <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
with the area between and posterior to<br />
the scapular folds a deeper tone. Indistinct<br />
darker spotting may be present over the dorsal<br />
surfaces, and there may be small, paired<br />
black spots centered on pale tubercles. Occasional<br />
specimens show a narrow vertebral<br />
light line. The side <strong>of</strong> the head is dark brown,<br />
darkest and sharply bounded at the canthus<br />
rostralis and postocular fold, fading somewhat<br />
toward the upper lip. The anterior and<br />
posterior surfaces <strong>of</strong> the thighs are dusky,<br />
largely unmarked or with indistinct spotting<br />
or mottling. A dark, triangular ‘‘seat patch’’<br />
has its apex at the cloaca. The soles <strong>of</strong> the<br />
feet and rear <strong>of</strong> the tarsus are dark brown.<br />
The ventral surfaces may appear pale with<br />
sparse melanic pigmentation visible only on<br />
close examination, but in a darker phase light<br />
spots contrast with a darker background, especially<br />
on the throat.<br />
James Menzies (personal commun.) described<br />
specimens from the Adelbert Mountains:<br />
dorsally bright yellow (grayish on the<br />
head), or reddish fawn, or mottled fawn and<br />
brown; sides <strong>of</strong> head black, continuing to