Gayo Lues Highlands Puppet Toad

description

Description of holotype and variation of paratypes (in parenthesis). Body moderately robust; head longer than wide, HL / HW = 1.14 (1.11, 1.07, 1.02); head length 33 % (34 %, 31 %, 34 %) of SVL; head width 29 % (31 %, 29 %, 33 %) of SVL; snout length 10 % (10 %, 10 %, 11 %) of SVL; canthus rostralis concave; loreal area without tubercles, concave; eye length 10 % (12 %, 10 %, 9 %) of SVL; pupil circular; snout truncate in dorsal view, protruding in lateral view, sloping back towards mouth; tympanum distinct and rounded, with annulus, but not surrounded by large tubercles; interorbital space flat; cranial crests absent; no teeth in jaws; tongue tip oval shaped and longer than wide; skin of dorsum finely shagreened, with few large and scattered tubercles; tubercles rounded, without keratinization; no dorsolateral, paravertebral, or occipital folds; skin on venter smooth with anastomosis; circumcloacal region is golden yellow. Arms robust; forearm length 31 % (33 %, 25 %, 26 %) of SVL; hand length 30 % (31 %, 26 %, 27 %) of SVL; relative length of Finger — I <II <IV <III; fingertips truncated and dilated; hands rudimentary webbed, hand webbing formula: I 0 - 11 / 2 II 1 - 21 / 2 III 2

New species, diversity, systematics, and conservation assessment of the Puppet Toads of Sumatra (Anura: Bufonidae: Sigalegalephrynus)

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Sigalegalephrynus gayoluesensis sp. nov. can be identified from its congeners by a unique combination of characters: (1) medium-size (adult males 25.65 – 26.49 mm SVL); (2) lacking parotoid glands; (3) tympanum visible, with elevated annulus, and not encircled by sharply raised spinose tubercles; (4) naris closer to tip of snout than to eye; eye-naris distance 6.4.0 % (7 %) of SVL; naris-snout distance 1 % (1.9 %) of SVL; (5) fingertips truncated and expanded (except finger I); (6) tips of toe I, II and III are rounded; tips of toes IV and V truncated but not expanded; (7) rudimentary webbing in hands, moderate in feet; (8) adult male dorsal coloration dark brown, with prominent whitish diamond shaped suprascapular marking; (9) dorsum lacking medial dark band; (10) upper lip with prominent alternating dark brown and white marks; (11) flanks with stroke of dark brown (demarcated by thin white lines on top and bottom), extending from orbit to inguinal area; (12) dorsal surface lightly tuberculate, with round tubercles; (13) venter pinkish – white, with black maculation; (14) interocular distance 43 % (44 %) of head width; (15) nuptial pads dark brown, with black – tipped s

New species, diversity, systematics, and conservation assessment of the Puppet Toads of Sumatra (Anura: Bufonidae: Sigalegalephrynus)

distribution

Distribution and natural history. Sigalegalephrynus gayoluesensis sp. nov. is known only from rain forest flanking a stream adjacent to the Takengon-Blangkejeren road above the village Kenyaran Pantan Cuaca, in the Gayo Lues Regency of the province of Aceh, between 1787 and 1796 m a. s. l. (Fig. 3). Both the holotype and paratype were found calling on broad smooth leaves, at 1.6 m and 3.8 m above ground, respectively. The call of the holotype was recorded. The call sounded similar to that of S. mandailinguensis at the time of recording. Both the holotype and paratype weighed 1.27 g. Our smallest juvenile of this species (UTA A- 65789) was less than 1 cm (SVL 8.0 mm) in SVL and weighed 0.05 g.

New species, diversity, systematics, and conservation assessment of the Puppet Toads of Sumatra (Anura: Bufonidae: Sigalegalephrynus)

etymology

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Gayo Lues Highlands, where this new species was found. Suggested Common name. Gayo Lues Highland’s Puppet Toad; Indonesia name: Kodok-wayang gayolues

New species, diversity, systematics, and conservation assessment of the Puppet Toads of Sumatra (Anura: Bufonidae: Sigalegalephrynus)