SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
SPHENOPHRYNE - American Museum of Natural History
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52 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 253<br />
VARIATION IN SIZE AND PROPORTIONS: Both<br />
Méhely¨ (1901) and Parker (1934) gave the<br />
size (presumably SVL or close to that measurement)<br />
as 16.5 mm. Parker noted ‘‘ad.’’<br />
but did not specify the sex.<br />
ILLUSTRATIONS: Whole body, dorsal aspect<br />
(Méhely¨, 1901: pl. XII, fig. 4); pectoral girdle<br />
(Méhely¨, 1901: pl. X, fig. 3).<br />
CALL: This has not been described.<br />
COMPARISONS WITH OTHER SPECIES: This<br />
species must be compared with the sympatric<br />
A. mehelyi, but critical data are lacking. With<br />
only one specimen known, the possibly<br />
smaller size <strong>of</strong> polysticta cannot be confirmed.<br />
Méhely¨’s description and illustration<br />
suggest that polysticta has a shorter, blunter<br />
snout than mehelyi, and the mottled venter <strong>of</strong><br />
that species contrasts with the unmarked abdomen<br />
<strong>of</strong> polysticta. If the illustration <strong>of</strong> polysticta<br />
is correctly proportioned, the legs are<br />
relatively shorter than those <strong>of</strong> mehelyi (TL/<br />
SVL 0.39 vs. minimum <strong>of</strong> 0.42 in mehelyi).<br />
HABITAT AND HABITS: Nothing is on record.<br />
DISTRIBUTION: Sattleberg, the type and<br />
only locality, is the site <strong>of</strong> a mission station<br />
near the tip <strong>of</strong> the Huon Peninsula, Morobe<br />
Province, Papua New Guinea (fig. 28).<br />
REMARKS: I have considered but rejected<br />
the possibility that Austrochaperina polysticta<br />
and A. mehelyi, small species <strong>of</strong> similar<br />
configuration with the same type locality, are<br />
synonyms. Both Méhely¨ and Parker, with<br />
specimens in hand, considered them as different<br />
taxa, and the geographically pertinent<br />
specimens I examined are closer to mehelyi<br />
in most respects. I prefer to maintain the status<br />
quo pending the acquisition <strong>of</strong> new material<br />
that favors reconsideration.<br />
Austrochaperina rivularis, new species<br />
Figure 31E<br />
Sphenophryne macrorhyncha: Zweifel, 1967: 6.<br />
Hyndman and Menzies, 1990: 272.<br />
HOLOTYPE: AMNH A130551 (Field No.<br />
RZ 12802), collected by Fred Parker and<br />
Papuan assistants at Finalbin, 840 m, 5 km<br />
N, 2 km W Tabubil, Western Province, Papua<br />
New Guinea, on July 27, 1987.<br />
PARATYPES (all from Papua New Guinea):<br />
Western Prov.: AMNH A130552–130559,<br />
UPNG 8273, same data as holotype; AMNH<br />
A84541, A84542; MCZ A81000, 81224–<br />
81230, 81451, 81452, Imigabip, 1280 m, collected<br />
by Fred Parker, Dec. 1969; AMNH<br />
A84543; MCZ A81002, 81003, Bolangon,<br />
1280 m, collected by Fred Parker, Dec. 1969;<br />
MCZ A81001, Migalsimbip, 790 m, collected<br />
by Fred Parker, Dec. 1969. West Sepik<br />
Prov.: QM J67247, 67255, Mt. Stolle, 1600<br />
m, collected by Stephen Richards and G. R.<br />
Johnston, July 4, 1993. East Sepik Prov.:<br />
AMNH A77550–77588, A84445 (C&S),<br />
A129514–129558, Mt. Hunstein, 1220 m,<br />
collected by Ru Hoogland Aug. 14–15,<br />
1966. Southern Highlands Prov.: AMS<br />
R122164, R122165, Namosado, collected by<br />
S. Donnellan.<br />
ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a Latin<br />
adjective pertaining to small brooks or<br />
streams, in reference to the habitat <strong>of</strong> this<br />
species.<br />
DIAGNOSIS: A moderate- to large-sized<br />
Austrochaperina, maturing at 35 mm SVL or<br />
larger (geographically variable), with relatively<br />
large finger discs (FD/SVL 0.035),<br />
moderate leg length and eye size (TL/SVL<br />
0.46, EY/SVL 0.116), and a dorsal pattern<br />
<strong>of</strong> small, dark markings on a slightly<br />
paler ground.<br />
DESCRIPTION OF HOLOTYPE: Adult female<br />
with the following measurements and proportions:<br />
SVL 49.0, HW 17.1, TL 21.8, EY<br />
4.8, EN 3.4, IN 4.8, HD 12.6, FT 23.8, third<br />
finger disc 1.95, fourth toe disc 2.3; HW/<br />
SVL 0.349, TL/SVL 0.445, EY/SVL 0.098,<br />
EN/SVL 0.069, IN/SVL 0.098, EN/IN 0.708,<br />
HD/SVL 0.257, FT/SVL 0.486, FD/SVL<br />
0.040, TD/SVL 0.047.<br />
Head narrower than body. Snout rounded<br />
to almost subacute seen from above, rounded<br />
and slightly projecting in pr<strong>of</strong>ile; loreal region<br />
moderately steep, slightly concave, canthus<br />
rostralis rounded but distinct; nostrils<br />
lateral, just visible from above, slightly closer<br />
to tip <strong>of</strong> snout than to eye. Eyes relatively<br />
large, outline visible from beneath, lid almost<br />
as wide as interorbital span. Tympanic outline<br />
scarcely visible, diameter less than half<br />
that <strong>of</strong> eye. Relative lengths <strong>of</strong> fingers 3 <br />
4 2 1, first more than half length <strong>of</strong><br />
second, all with expanded, rounded, grooved<br />
discs, that <strong>of</strong> third finger twice width <strong>of</strong> penultimate<br />
phalanx or a little less; subarticular<br />
and metacarpal elevations indistinct. Toes