Description of the complex advertisement call of Pseudophilautus popularis (Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2005) (Amphibia: Rhacophoridae) (original) (raw)
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A review of amphibian fauna of Sri Lanka: distribution, recent taxonomic changes and conservation
Journal of Animal Diversity
The amphibian fauna of Sri Lanka comprises 120 species, including 107 (~90.0%) endemic species. They belong to five families: Bufonidae, Dicroglossidae, Ichthyophiidae, Microhylidae, and Rhacophoridae. Based on distribution, we recognized five zoogeographic zones for them, Central Hills, Dry Zone, Knuckles Range, Lowland Wet Zone, and Rakwana Hills. Fifty three species were reported from the Central Hills (48 endemics [90.6%] and 42 [79.2%] threatened species). 47 species were recorded from the Lowland Wet Zone, including 36 (76.6%) endemics and 28 (59.6%) threatened species. The Knuckles Range had 25 species, of which, 19 (76.0%) were endemics and 15 (60.0%) are threatened species. 19 species were reported from Dry Zone including seven endemics (36.8%) and four threatened species (21.1%). Out of 29 species, which inhabited in the Rakwana Hills, 26 were endemics (~89.7%) including 24 (82.8%) threatened species. Species diversity along the elevational gradient was also observed with the highest species richness in the mid-elevational localities. Family Ichthyophiidae can be considered as the least studied family. Recent rediscoveries and studies have helped to reduce the number of extinct species from 21 to 18. It is speculated that some of the other extinct species have to be rediscovered or probably were misidentified as other species. About 90% of Sri Lankan amphibians occur in the regions with the highest human populations where there are established agricultural lands. Loss of habitats, competition due to anthropogenic species and invasive species, pollution (cause for malformations, parasites, and other diseases), and climate change appear to be major threats.
Description of a new species of Pseudophilautus (Amphibia: Rhacophoridae) from southern Sri Lanka
Journal of Threatened Taxa
We describe a new Pseudophilautus species, P. conniffae sp. nov. from southern Sri Lanka. It was previously confused with Pseudophilautus rus (Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda). The new species differs from the latter by the combination of the following characters: fourth toe webbing to penultimate subarticular tubercle on inner and outer sides (vs. fourth toe webbing in between penultimate and anetpenultimate subarticular tubercles on inner and outer sides), presence of conical median lingual process (vs. absent), and black patches on the posterior flank, anterior and posterior edges of the thigh (vs. black patches on the anterior surface of the thigh). Pseudophilautus conniffae sp. nov. may be sympatric with P. limbus (Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda), which shares certain characters with the new species. The new species is, however, distinguished from P. limbus by the following characters: having supernumerary tubercles on manus (vs. lacking), absence of frontoparietal ri...
THE RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY, 2012
ABSTRACT.—The tree frogs of the taxon Rhacophoridae are known for their impressive diversity of reproductive strategies. Direct development on land has been described in the Old World Bush Frogs belonging to the genera Philautus, Pseudophilautus, and Raorchestes. However, in numerous species especially within the Bornean Philautus, breeding behaviours remain unknown. In this paper, we match a clutch of eggs found on Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo), using genetic barcoding to ...
A new species of shrub frog Pseudophilautus dilmah is described from the Central Hills of Sri Lanka. This unique species is distinguished from all the other congeners from a combination of characters; snout rounded in lateral aspect, bluntly pointed in dorsal and ventral aspect, canthus rostralis rounded, vomerine teeth, lingual papilla and nuptial pads absent, dermal fringe distinct on inside of fingers III and IV, small blunt tubercles on metacarpal and ulnar folds, toes basally webbed, interorbital area smooth, upper eyelid prominent tubercles present, anterior and posterior dorsum without horny spinules but tubercles present, upper part of flank weakly granular, supratympanic fold distinct, prominent small calcar present at the distal end of the tibia, throat granular, chest and belly coarsely granular. Based on comparison of 16s rRNA gene we also show that the species is genetically distinct from other members of Pseudophilautus for which gene sequences are available. The high rate of deforestation and anthropogenic activities threaten this population in its natural habitat.
Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2013
The authors declare no competing interests. Funding sources had no role in study design, data collection, results interpretation and manuscript writing. Author Contribution: LJMW was involved in designing the study, conducting the field survey, conducting museum reference work, gathering, and analyzing the data, and compiling the MS. DRVP was involved in conducting the field survey, conducting NMSL museum reference work, gathering, analyzing the data, and writing the MS. MDGR was involved in conducting the field survey, conducting NMSL museum reference work, gathering, analyzing the data, and writing the manuscript. NW was involved in field research work and writing of the manuscript.
Mihintalae is situated in the dry zone of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, at an elevation of 108 m, and is an under studied site of the habitat of the endemic shrub frog Pseudophilautus regius. Six different habitat types which included forest edge, seasonal pond, rock, shrub, grassland, and home garden habitats were selected and systematically sampled to identify the habitat preference of P. regius. During the survey, a total of 143 P. regius individuals were counted. The highest percentage (53%) of individuals were recorded from the forest edge habitats, 23% from shrub land habitats, 20% from home gardens, and 2% from grassland and seasonal ponds. No individuals were found in the rocky areas. The number of observed individuals of Pseudophilautus regius increased with the rainfall in forest habitats and simultaneously decreased in the home gardens. During the dry season the overall turnout of the number of individuals increased in home gardens. However, more extensive and systematic studies, over a longer period of time, are required to estimate the population size and document the fluctuation of P. regius and implement suitable conservation measures, if necessary. Citation: Dissanayake DSB, Wellapuli-Arachchi SM. 2012. Habitat preferences of the endemic shrub frog Pseudophilautus regius (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda 2005) at Mihintale Sanctuary, Sri Lanka. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 5(2):114-124(e57).
Kalugala Proposed Forest Reserve (KPFR) is a primary lowland tropical rain forest, surrounded by secondary forest and vegetation disturbed by human activities such as cultivation, logging, and the collection of firewood. Herpetofaunal communities of selected different habitats (closed forest, forest edge, home gardens, and cultivations) were assessed and distribution patterns were compared. A total of 24 amphibian species (63% endemic and 33% Threatened) and 53 reptile species (38% endemic and 30% Threatened) were recorded. Overall, 763 individual amphibians and 1032 individual reptiles were recorded in this forest area. Reptilian distribution patterns are similar to amphibian distribution patterns, with the highest diversity in the closed forest and the lowest diversity in cultivations. We did not observe an effect of forest edge (edge effect) in amphibian and reptile diversity, except for forest edge and cultivations for reptiles. Adverse human activities such as improper agriculture practices, logging, and waste disposal have led to deforestation and habitat loss in KPFR.