Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5263 No. 2: 5 Apr. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-04-05
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.1
Page range: 151-190
Abstract views: 1769
PDF downloaded: 61

Five new species of the pelodryadid genus Litoria Tschudi from the southern versant of Papua New Guinea’s Central Cordillera, with observations on the diversification of reproductive strategies in Melanesian treefrogs

Herpetology Department; South Australian Museum; North Terrace; Adelaide; South Australia 5000; Australia
Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security; Griffith University; 170 Kessels Rd; Brisbane; Queensland 4121; and Biodiversity and Geosciences Program; Queensland Museum; South Brisbane; Queensland; 4101 Australia
Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security
Amphibia arboreal breeding bird-dropping mimicry Central Cordillera frogs karst phylogeny phytotelm-breeding taxonomy

Abstract

New Guinea has the most diverse insular frog fauna in the world, and rates of species discovery and description have increased rapidly in the last two decades. Pelodryadid treefrogs are the second most diverse family of anurans on the island but their taxonomy, relationships, and especially ecology remain poorly documented. Based on differences in morphology, advertisement calls (where available) and phylogenetic analyses of a 787 base pair alignment from the mitochondrial ND4 gene and flanking tRNA, we describe five new species of small treefrogs from hill and lower montane forests in the high rainfall belt that straddles the southern versant of Papua New Guinea’s Central Cordillera. Three of these species are known only from forest growing on karst substrates, adding to the growing number of herpetofauna species currently known only from the extensive karst habitats of Papua New Guinea’s South-fold Mountains. We also describe the arboreal breeding strategies of two of the new species, and report obligate treehole (phytotelm) breeding in New Guinean frogs for the first time. The new phytotelm–breeding species has juveniles with colour and patterning that closely resemble bird droppings, suggesting defensive mimicry or masquerade. A preliminary phylogeny suggests that arboreal-breeding frogs do not form a monophyletic group and that arboreal breeding has evolved multiple times within the New Guinean pelodryadid radiation. A further striking feature of the phylogeny is poor support for most basal nodes in the most diverse radiation of Melanesian Pelodryadidae, suggesting rapid ecological diversification and speciation, potentially following colonisation from Australia and/or mountain uplift. These new taxa and observations highlight previously unrecognised ecological and reproductive diversity in the Melanesian Pelodryadidae.

 

References

  1. Anstis, M. (2013) Tadpoles and Frogs of Australia. New Holland, London.
  2. Biju, S.D., Senevirathne, G., Garg, S., Mahony, S., Kamei, R.G., Thomas, A., Shouche, Y., Raxworthy, C.J., Meegaskumbura, M. & Van Bocxlaer, I. (2016) Frankixalus, a new rhacophorid genus of tree hole breeding frogs with oophagous tadpoles. PLoS ONE, 11, 10–12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0145727 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0145727
  3. Cámara-Leret, R., Frodin, D.G., Adema, F., Anderson, C., Appelhans, M.S., Argent, G., Arias Guerrero, S., Ashton, P., Baker, W.J., Barfod, A.S., Barrington, D., Borosova, R., Bramley, G.L.C., Briggs, M., Buerki, S., Cahen, D., Callmander, M.W., Cheek, M., Chen, C.W., Conn, B.J., Coode, M.J.E., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Dransfield, J., Drinkell, C., Duyfjes, B., Ebihara, A., Ezedin, Z., Fu, L.F., Gideon, O., Girmansyah, D., Govaerts, R., Fortune-Hopkins, H., Hassemer, G., Hay, A., Heatubun, C.D., Hind, D.J.N., Hoch, P., Homot, P., Hovenkamp, P., Hughes, M., Jebb, M., Jennings, L., Jimbo, T., Kessler, M., Kiew, R., Knapp, S., Lamei, P., Lehnert, M., Lewis, G.P., Linder, H.P., Lindsay, S., Low, Y.W., Lucas, E., Mancera, J.P., Monro, A.K., Moore, A., Middleton, D.J., Nagamasu, H., Newman, M.F., Nic Lughadha, E., Melo, P.H.A., Ohlsen, D.J., Pannell, C.M., Parris, B., Pearce, L., Penneys, D.S., Perrie, L.R., Petoe, P., Poulsen, A.D., Prance, G.T., Quakenbush, J.P., Raes, N., Rodda, M., Rogers, Z.S., Schuiteman, A., Schwartsburd, P., Scotland, R.W., Simmons, M.P., Simpson, D.A., Stevens, P., Sundue, M., Testo, W., Trias-Blasi, A., Turner, I., Utteridge, T., Walsingham, L., Webber, B.L., Wei, R., Weiblen, G.D., Weigend, M., Weston, P., de Wilde, W., Wilkie, P., Wilmot-Dear, C.M., Wilson, H.P., Wood, J.R.I., Zhang, L.B. & van Welzen, P.C. (2020) New Guinea has the world’s richest island flora. Nature, 584, 579–583. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2549-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2549-5
  4. Dennis, A.J. & Cunningham, M.J. (2006) Litoria richardsi sp. nov., a new treefrog (Anura: Hylidae) from New Guinea. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 52, 65–69.
  5. Donnellan, S.C., Catalano, S., Pederson, S., Mitchell, K., Suhendran, A., Price, L.C., Doughty, P. & Richards, S.J. (2021) Revision of the Litoria watjulumensis (Anura: Pelodryadidae) group from the Australian monsoonal tropics, including the resurrection of L. spaldingi. Zootaxa, 4933 (2), 211–240. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4933.2.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4933.2.3
  6. Ellepola, G., Pie, M.R., Pethiyagoda, R., Hanken, J. & Meegaskumbura, M. (2022) The role of climate and islands in species diversification and reproductive-mode evolution of Old World tree frogs. Communications Biology, 5, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03292-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03292-1
  7. Günther, R. (2004) Two new treefrog species of the genus Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) from the west of New Guinea. Zoologische Abhandlungen. Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde in Dresden, 54, 163–175.
  8. Günther, R., Richards, S.J. & Dahl, C. (2014) Nine new species of microhylid frogs from the Müller Range in western Papua New Guinea (Anura, Microhylidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 64, 59–94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.64.e31463
  9. Haddad, C.F.B. & Prado, C.P.A. (2005) Reproductive Modes in Frogs and Their Unexpected Diversity in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Bioscience, 55, 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0207:RMIFAT]2.0.CO;2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0207:RMIFAT]2.0.CO;2
  10. Hyndman, D. & Menzies, J. (1990) Rain forests of the Ok Tedi headwaters, New Guinea: an ecological analysis. Journal of Biogeography, 17, 241–273. https://doi.org/10.2307/2845122 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2845122
  11. Iannella, A., Richards, S. & Oliver, P. (2014) A new species of Choerophryne (Anura, Microhylidae) from the central cordillera of Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa, 3753 (5), 483–493. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3753.5.6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3754.5.6
  12. Johnston, G.R. & Richards, S.J. (1994) A new species of Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) from New Guinea and a redefinition of Litoria leucova (Tyler, 1968). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 37, 273–279.
  13. Kearse, M., Moir, R., Wilson, A., Stones-Havas, S., Cheung, M., Sturrock, S., Buxton, S., Cooper, A., Markowitz, S., Duran, C., Thierer, T., Ashton, B., Meintjes, P. & Drummond, A. (2012) Geneious Basic: An integrated and extendable desktop software platform for the organization and analysis of sequence data. Bioinformatics Applications Note, 28, 1647–164. https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/bts199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/bts199
  14. Köhler, F. & Günther, R. (2008) The radiation of microhylid frogs (Amphibia: Anura) on New Guinea: A mitochondrial phylogeny reveals parallel evolution of morphological and life history traits and disproves the current morphology-based classification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 47, 353–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2007.11.032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2007.11.032
  15. Köhler, J., Jansen, M., Rodríguez, A., Kok, P.J.R., Toledo, L.F., Emmrich, M., Glaw, F., Haddad, C.F.B., Rödel, M.-O. & Vences, M. (2017) The use of bioacoustics in anuran taxonomy: theory, terminology, methods and recommendations for best practice. Zootaxa, 4251 (1), 1–124. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4251.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4251.1.1
  16. Kraus, F. (2021) A herpetofauna with dramatic endemism signals an overlooked biodiversity hotspot. Biodiversity and Conservation, 30, 3167–3183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02242-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02242-3
  17. Kraus, F. (2010) New genus of diminutive microhylid frogs from Papua New Guinea. ZooKeys, 48, 39–59. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.48.446 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.48.446
  18. Kraus, F. & Allison, A. (2004) Two new treefrogs from Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea Journal of Herpetology, 38, 197–207. https://doi.org/10.1670/100-03A DOI: https://doi.org/10.1670/100-03A
  19. Lehtinen, R.M., Lannoo, M.J. & Wasserburg, R.J. (2004) Phytotelm-breeding anurans: Past, present and future research. Museum of Zoology, University Michigan Miscellaneous Publications, 193, 1–9.
  20. Lehtinen, R.M. (2022) Phytotelm-breeding frogs of the world, version 1.11. Available from: https://sites.google.com/site/phytotelmbreedingfrogsworld/ (accessed 28 July 2022)
  21. Menzies, J.I. (1972) Papuan tree frogs of the Litoria nigropunctata group. Herpetologica, 28, 291–300.
  22. Menzies, J. (1993) Systematics of Litoria iris (Anura, Hylidae) and its allies in New-Guinea and a note on sexual dimorphism in the group. Australian Journal of Zoology, 41, 225–255. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9930225 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9930225
  23. Menzies, J. (2006) The frogs of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Pensoft Publishers, Sofia. [unknown pagination]
  24. Nguyen, L.T., Schmidt, H.A., Von Haeseler, A. & Minh, B.Q. (2015) IQ-TREE: A fast and effective stochastic algorithm for estimating maximum-likelihood phylogenies. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 32, 268–274. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msu300 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msu300
  25. Nielsen, S.V. & Oliver, P.M. (2017) Morphological and genetic evidence for a new karst specialist lizard from New Guinea (Cyrtodactylus: Gekkonidae). Royal Society Open Science, 4, 170781. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170781 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170781
  26. Oliver, P.M., Günther, R., Mumpuni, & Richards, S.J. (2019a) Systematics of New Guinea treefrogs (Litoria: Pelodryadidae) with erectile rostral spikes: an extended description of Litoria pronimia and new species from the Foja Mountains. Zootaxa, 4604, (2) 335–348. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4604.2.6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4604.2.6
  27. Oliver, P.M., Iannella, A., Richards, S.J. & Lee, M.S.Y. (2017) Mountain colonisation, miniaturisation and ecological evolution in a radiation of direct-developing New Guinea Frogs (Choerophryne, Microhylidae). PeerJ, 5, e3077. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3077 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3077
  28. Oliver, P.M., Richards, S.J. & Donnellan, S.C. (2019b) Two new species of treefrog (Pelodryadidae: Litoria) from southern New Guinea elucidated by DNA barcoding. Zootaxa, 4609 (3), 469–484. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4609.3.4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4609.3.4
  29. Oliver, P., Richards, S. & Tjaturadi, B. (2012b) Two new species of Callulops (Anura: Microhylidae) from montane forests in New Guinea. Zootaxa, 3178 (1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3178.1.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3178.1.3
  30. Oliver, P.M., Bower, D., McDonald, P.J., Kraus, F., Luedtke, J., Neam, K., Hobin, L., Chauvenet, A.L.M., Allison, A., Arida, E., Clulow, S., Günther, R., Nagombi, E., Tjaturadi B., Travers, S.L. & Richards, S.J. (2022) Melanesia holds the world’s most diverse and intact insular amphibian fauna. Communications Biology, 5, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04105-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04105-1
  31. Richards, S.J. (2005) A new species of treefrog (Anura: Hylidae: Litoria) from the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa, 1052 (1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1052.1.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1052.1.3
  32. Richards, S.J. & Armstrong, K.N. (2017) Frogs. In: Richards, S.J (Ed.), Biodiversity Assessment of the PNG LNG Upstream Project Area, Southern Highlands and Hela Province, Papua New Guinea. ExxonMobil PNG Limited, Port Moresby, pp. 53–81.
  33. Richards, S.J. & Donnellan, S.C. (2020) Litoria aplini sp. nov., a new species of treefrog (Pelodryadidae) from Papua New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 72, 323–335. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.72.2020.1729 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.72.2020.1729
  34. Richards, S.J. & Günther, R. (2019) Three new scansorial species of microhylid frogs (Anura: Cophixalus, Oreophryne) from Papua New Guinea. Salamandra, 55, 55–72.
  35. Richards, S.J. & Oliver, P.M. (2010) A new scansorial species of Cophixalus (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Kikori River Basin, Papua New Guinea. Journal of Herpetology, 44, 555–562. https://doi.org/10.1670/09-044.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1670/09-044.1
  36. Richards, S.J., Tjaturadi, B., Mumpuni & Puradyatmika, P. (2015) Field guide to frogs of the Mimika region—Papua, Indonesia. PT Freeport Indonesia, Jakarta. [unknown pagination]
  37. Richards, S.J., Tjaturadi, B., Krey, K. & Donnellan, S.C. (2021) A new stream-dwelling frog of the genus Litoria Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Pelodryadidae) from Salawati Island, Indonesia. In: Telnov, D., Barclay, M.V.L. & Pauwels, O.S.G. (Eds.), Biodiversity, biogeography and nature conservation in Wallacea and New Guinea. Vol. IV. The Entomological Society of Latvia, Rîga, pp. 19–33.
  38. Rowley, J., Mahony, M.J., Hines, H.B., Myers, S., Aplin, K.P., Price, L. & Donnellan, S.C. (2021) Two new species from the Litoria rubella species group from eastern Australia. Zootaxa, 5071 (1), 1–41. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5071.1.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5071.1.1
  39. Tamura, K., Stecher, G. & Kumar, S. (2021) MEGA11: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 11. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 38, 3022–3027. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab120 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab120
  40. Tonini, J.F.R., Ferreira, R.B. & Pyron, R.A. (2020) Specialized breeding in plants affects diversification trajectories in Neotropical frogs. Evolution, 74, 1815–1825. https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14037 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.14037
  41. Toledo, L.F. & Haddad, C.F.B. (2008) Colors and some morphological traits as defensive mechanisms in Anurans. International Journal of Zoology, 2009, Article ID 910892. https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/910892 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/910892
  42. Touchon, J.C. & Warkentin, K.M. (2008) Reproductive mode plasticity: Aquatic and terrestrial oviposition in a treefrog. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105, 7495–7499. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0711579105 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0711579105
  43. Tyler, M.J. (1968) Papuan Hylid Frogs of the Genus Hyla. Zoologische Verhandelingen, 96, 1–203.
  44. Tyler, M.J. & Davies, M. (1978) Species-groups within the Australopapuan hylid frog Litoria Tschudi. Australian Journal of Zoology, Supplementary Series, 26, 1–47. https://doi.org/10.1071/AJZS063 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AJZS063
  45. Zug, G.R. & Fisher, R.N. (2018) Amphibians of the Pacific: natural history and conservation. In: Heatwole, H. & Rowley, J. (Eds.), Status of Conservation and Decline of Amphibians: Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands. CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South, pp. 201–212.
  46. Appendix 1. Specimens examined for morphological comparisons.
  47. Litoria albolabris (Wandolleck, 1911). Papua New Guinea. Aitape, Sandaun Province. Syntype SAMA R4947.
  48. Litoria aplini Richards & Donnellan 2020. Papua New Guinea: West Sepik (Sandaun) Province, Upper Sepik River catchment, SAMA R71463 (holotype), SAMA R71464–5, PNGNM (FN SJR12834),
  49. Litoria auae Menzies & Tyler, 2004. Papua New Guinea: Gulf Province, Purari River, near McDowell Is, UP2490 (holotype), SAMA R57262–63 (paratypes).
  50. Litoria chloristona Menzies, Richards & Tyler, 2008. Papua New Guinea: National Capital District, Waigani, SAMA R9122a; Central Province, Brown River, SAMA R13251a–c; Gulf Province, Kopi, SAMA R63502–9 (all paratypes).
  51. Litoria chloronota (Boulenger, 1911) Indonesia: West Papua Province, Arfak Mountains, BM1947.2.31.20 (syntype), UP8380–8.
  52. Litoria contrastens (Tyler, 1968). Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands Province, Barabuna, SAMA R5845 (holotype), SAMA R6450 (paratype); Western Highlands Province, Noreikova, SAMA R5847 (5 specimens).
  53. Litoria elkeae Günther & Richards, 2000. Indonesia: Papua Province, Siewa River, MZB Amph.3866–9, QMJ70490–2 (all paratypes).
  54. Litoria eurynastes Menzies, Richards & Tyler, 2008. Indonesia: Papua Province, Siewa River, MZB Amph.14651–5; Papua New Guinea: Manus Province, Lorengau, SAMA R63497–501 (all paratypes).
  55. Litoria havina Menzies, 1993. Papua New Guinea: Western Province, Ok Kam, UP7281 (holotype); Western Province, Ok Ma, UP 8406–7 (paratypes); Western Province, Ok Kam, SAMA R38596–7; Southern Highlands Province, Agogo Range, SAMA R60173–7.
  56. Litoria iris (Tyler, 1962). Papua New Guinea: Chimbu Province, Bamna, BM 1961.1226 (holotype); Southern Highlands Province, Tari, UP3115–35; Eastern Highlands Province, Ubaigubi, UP8289–90; Enga Province, Porgera, UP 7148–67, Lake Tawa, SAMA R71599; Sandaun Province, Telefomin, SAMA R5423, R5874; Hela Province, Gigira Ridge, SAMA R71598.
  57. Litoria kumae Menzies & Tyler, 2004. Papua New Guinea: Southern Highlands Province, Tari, UP3108 (holotype), SAMA R52760–61 (paratypes).
  58. Litoria leucova (Tyler, 1968). Papua New Guinea: Sandaun Province, Mt Stolle, SAMA R44091–2, UP8604–6, upper Sepik River basin.
  59. Litoria lodesdema Menzies, Richards & Tyler, 2008. Papua New Guinea: East New Britain Province, Kerevat, SAMAR7046–47, R7049, R7055–56, R7058–59, R8439a,b.
  60. Litoria longicrus (Boulenger, 1911). Indonesia: Papua Province, Wendessi, BM 1947.2.22.60–61 (syntypes).
  61. Litoria majikthise Johnston & Richards, 1994. Papua New Guinea: Western Province, Tabubil, SAMA R44093 (holotype), UP6734, 7305–9, 8501–8, 8602–3, SAMA R44094–44101 (all paratypes).
  62. Litoria mucro Menzies, 1993. Papua New Guinea: East Sepik Province, Near Rauit Village, UP2741–3, 2745–56 (paratypes).
  63. Litoria mystax (van Kampen, 1906). Indonesia: Papua Province, Moaif, RMNH 4632 (holotype).
  64. Litoria nigropunctata (Meyer, 1875). Indonesia: Papua Province, Yapen Island, Mount Waira, ZMB 63977, Yapen Island near Konti, SAMA R61799.
  65. Litoria ollauro Menzies, 1993. Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province, Agaun, UP4644 (holotype), UP4634–43, 4645–51, 5070–89 (paratypes).
  66. Litoria richardsi Dennis & Cunningham, 2006. Papua New Guinea: Western Province, Tabubil, SAMA R60283 (holotype); Upper Fly River, SAMA R71602–5; Indonesia: Papua Province, Tiri River, Mamberamo Drainage, MZB Amph.11823 (paratype).
  67. Litoria robinsonae Oliver, Stuart-Fox & Richards, 2008. Papua New Guinea: Gulf Province, Ivimka, Lakekamu Basin, SAMA R55527 (holotype), R55528–9 (paratypes).
  68. Litoria singadanae Richards, 2005. Papua New Guinea: Morobe Province, Ridge above Surim Camp, eastern Finisterre Mountains, SAMA R60172 (holotype), UP 9968, SAMA R60171 (paratypes).
  69. Litoria verae Günther, 2004. Indonesia: Border of Papua and West Papua Provinces, Wondiwoi Mountains, ZMB 62384.
  70. Litoria viranula Menzies, Richards & Tyler, 2008. Papua New Guinea: Western Province, Bensbach River, SAMA R63487 (holotype), Wegamu, SAMA R63486–92 (paratypes); Indonesia: Papua Province, Merauke, SAMA R13666a–c, R13667a–d.
  71. Litoria vivissimia Oliver, Richards & Donnellan, 2019. Papua New Guinea, Hela province, Gigira Ridge, SAMA RR71127 (holotype).
  72. Litoria wapogaensis Richards & Iskandar, 2001 Indonesia: Papua Province, Wapoga River, MZB Amph.3873 (holotype), MZB Amph.3874–76, SAMA R54595–98 (paratypes).