Abstract
The micohylid frog Xenobatrachus lanthanites sp. nov. is described on the basis of recently collected material from the mountains of Yapen Island in Cenderawasih Bay, Papua, Province of Indonesia. With a mean snout-urostyle length of 21.9 mm, the new species is among the smallest of its genus. In most morphological, anatomical, ecological and behavioural details it is very similar to Xenorhina bouwensi (de Witte) from the mainland of north-western New Guinea. Data for the latter are also given. Biochemical studies did not furnish unequivocal results concerning the taxonomic status of the genus Xenobatrachus.
References
Allison, A. & Kraus, F. (2000) A new species of frog of the genus Xenorhina (Anura: Microhylidae) from the north coast ranges of Papua New Guinea. Herpetologica, 56, 285–294.
Blum, J.P. & Menzies, J.I. (1988 „1989“) Notes on Xenobatrachus and Xenorhina (Amphibia: Microhylidae) from New Guinea with description of nine new species. Alytes, 7, 125–163.
Boulenger, G.A. (1882) Catalogue of the Batrachia Salientia s. Ecaudata in the collection of the British Museum. Second edition. London, British Museum, pp I–XVI, 1–503, pls. 1–30.
Burton, T.C. (1986) A reassessment of the Papuan subfamily Asterophryinae (Anura: Microhylidae). Records of the South Australian Museum, 19, 405–450.
Dingerkus, G. & Uhler, L.D. (1977) Enzyme clearing of alcyan blue stained whole small vertebrates for demonstration of cartilage. Stain Technology, 52, 229–232.
Duellman, W.E. (2003) An Overview of Anuran Phylogeny, Classification and Reproductive Modes. In: Jamieson, B.M.A. (Ed.) Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Anura. Science Publishers, Inc., Enfield, NH, USA, 1–18.
Goebel, A.M., Donnelley, J.M. & Atz, M.E. (1999) PCR Primers and Amplification Methods for 12S Ribosomal DNA, the Control Region, Cytochrome Oxidase I, and Cytochrome b in Bufonids and Other Frogs, and an Overview of PCR Primers which have Amplified DNA in Amphibiens Successfully. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 11, 163–199.
Günther, R. & Richards, S.J. (2005) Two new tree-dwelling species of the genus Xenorhina from New Guinea (Anura, Microhylidae). Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, Zoologische Reihe, 81, 167–176.
Kraus, F. & Allison, A. (2002) A new species of Xenobatrachus (Anura: Microhylidae) from northern Papua New Guinea. Herpetologica, 58, 56–66.
Kraus, F. & Allison, A. (2003) A new species of Xenorhina (Anura: Microhylidae) from western New Guinea. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 116, 803–810.
Menzies, J.I. & Tyler, M.J. (1977) The systematics and adaptations of some Papuan microhylid frogs which live underground. Journal of Zoology, Lond. 183, 431–464.
Parker, H.W. (1934) A monograph of the frogs of the family Microhylidae. London, British Museum (Natural History), VIII + 208 pp., figs. 1–67, 2 maps.
Peters, W. (1863) Bemerkungen über verschiedene Batrachier, namentlich über die Originalexemplare der von Schneider und Wiegmann beschriebenen Arten des zoologischen Museums zu Berlin. Monatsberichte der königlich-preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, Februar 1863, 76–82.
Peters, W. & Doria, G. (1878) Catalogo dei Rettili e dei Batraci raccolti da O. Beccari, L.M. D´Albertis e A. A. Bruijn nella sotto-regione Austro-Malese. Genova, Tipografia del R. Istituto Sordo-Muti, 1–130, VII Tav. (Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, vol. 13, 325–450, I–VII Tav.).
Schlegel, H. (1858) Handleiding tot de Beoefening der Dierkunde, vol. 2, Natuurkundige Leercursus ten Gebruike der Koninklijke Militaire Akademie. Koninklijke Militaire Akademie, Breda, XX + 628 pp.
Witte, G.F.de (1930) Note préliminaire sur les Batraciens recueillis aux Indes Orientales Néerlandaises par S. A. R. le Prince Léopold de Belgique. Annales de la Société Royale Zoologique de Belgique, 60, 131–133, pl. V,VI.
Zweifel, R.G. (1972) Results of the Archbold expeditions. No. 97. A revision of the frogs of the subfamily Asterophryinae Family Microhylidae. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 148, 413–546.