SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History

2000 ZWEIFEL: PARTITION OF SPHENOPHRYNE
89
Fig. 47. Sphenophryne cornuta, AMNH
A83051, SVL 38.5 mm.
Chaperina ceratophthalmus van Kampen, 1909:
43 (type localities, ‘‘Noord-Fluss bei Geitenkamp’’
[Geitenkamp, Lorentz River] and
‘‘Resi-Gipfel’’ [Resi Peak], Irian Jaya, Indonesia;
syntypes, ZMA 5777 [Geitenkamp], collected
by H. A. Lorentz, July 2, 1907, and ZMA
5778, 5779 [Resi Peak], collected by Lorentz
on August 20 and September 9, 1907).
TYPE MATERIAL: The holotype is a small
individual (SVL 21.8 mm), presumably immature
(not sexed), in ‘‘Discrete condizioni’’
(fairly good condition: Capocaccia, 1957:
220). In all pertinent characters it agrees with
the following composite description.
DIAGNOSIS: The presence of a small but
distinct, pointed tubercle on each eyelid distinguishes
this species from all other Papuan
microhylids. (The large-mouthed, squat Asterophrys
turpicola has elongate warts on the
eyelids, but not a single slender tubercle.)
Equally distinctive are the combination of
flat, vertical loreal region and flat upper surface
of the snout, and the large finger discs,
that of the third finger being broader than
that of the fourth toe.
MORPHOLOGY: Males and females mature
at about 29 mm SVL. Among 106 specimens
measured, the largest male measures 37.4
mm and the largest individual, probably a female,
41.4 mm. The largest specimen whose
sex was determined, a female, measured 40.0
mm. Head and body relatively slender, HW/
SVL about 0.35 in adults. Snout subacutely
pointed as seen from above; nostrils lateral,
much closer to tip of snout than to eye; loreal
region vertical and flat, distinctly set off from
flat upper surface of snout. Internarial distance
relatively broad (mean IN/SVL, 0.12),
eye–naris distance usually slightly less than
eye diameter, rarely a little greater. Eyes
moderate, laterally oriented, EY/SVL about
0.11 in adults, eyelid with a small but distinct
pointed tubercle near its free margin. Tympanum
distinct, horizontal diameter about
63% that of the eye, no sexual dimorphism.
Hind legs relatively long, TL/SVL average
about 0.49 in adults. Relative lengths of fingers
3 4 2 1, first quite short; terminal
disc of first finger scarcely if at all expanded,
without a distinct groove, discs of other fingers
well developed with terminal grooves,
disc of third finger averages 2.3 width of
penultimate phalanx (fig. 52). Relative
lengths of toes 4 3 5 2 1, all with
grooved terminal discs, that of fourth toe
about 1.7 width of penultimate phalanx and
about 82 % of width of third finger disc. Fingers
and toes with low, rounded subarticular
areas; no palmar or plantar elevations evident.
Toes free or with sparse basal webbing
(fig. 52). Body generally smooth above and
below, but with rows of widely spaced tubercles
on dorsal and ventral surfaces; similar
tubercles on dorsal surfaces of hind limbs;
usually a tubercle on heel and others along
outer edge of tarsus.
COLOR AND PATTERN: Preserved specimens
are brown or gray-brown above, virtually
patternless or with rather indistinct markings.
Variations include a darker central figure (fig.
47), a pale vertebral hairline, and faint lighter
spots. Tubercles are typically light-tipped.
The dorsal surface of the thigh usually has a