Abstract
Abstract We describe a new species of the asterophryine microhylid genus Xenorhina from the lowlands of northwestern Papua New Guinea. It is a medium-sized species (SUL of two males 29.2 and 29.9 mm; of four females 29.9–33.0 mm) that can be distinguished from congeners by having a single short, triangular odontoid spike (palatal tooth) on each vomeropalatine bone, moderately short legs (TL/SUL 0.40–0.44) and ventral surfaces heavily spotted with reddish-brown blotches or reticula. The advertisement call comprises 7–10 loud, melodious hooting notes lasting 141–165 ms and produced at a repetition rate of 2.19–2.35 notes/s. Description of this species brings to 41 the number of Xenorhina known from New Guinea and surrounding islands.
Highlights
The asterophryine microhylid genus Xenorhina Peters, 1863 currently contains 40 named species of generally squat, short-legged frogs with narrow snouts and small eyes, all of them confined to the New Guinea region (Zweifel 1972; Blum and Menzies 1989; Menzies 2006; Frost 2021; Günther and Richards 2021)
We describe a new species of the asterophryine microhylid genus Xenorhina from the lowlands of northwestern Papua New Guinea
The new species is known from two locations approximately 150 km apart in the vast lowlands of the Sepik River catchment in northwestern Papua New Guinea, and its description brings to 41 the number of described species in the genus
Summary
The asterophryine microhylid genus Xenorhina Peters, 1863 currently contains 40 named species of generally squat, short-legged frogs with narrow snouts and small eyes, all of them confined to the New Guinea region (Zweifel 1972; Blum and Menzies 1989; Menzies 2006; Frost 2021; Günther and Richards 2021). Knowledge of the Xenorhina fauna of northern Papua New Guinea remains relatively scant, the most recent taxonomic treatment of material from the region being the description of Xenorhina zweifeli (Kraus and Allison, 2002) nearly two decades ago. During a study of the beta diversity of frogs across the extensively forested lowlands of the Sepik River catchment in northern Papua New Guinea (Dahl et al 2009, 2013), one of the authors (CD) encountered an unnamed Xenorhina with a striking pattern of spots and r eticulations. Rainer Günther et al.: Description of a new Xenorhina species from northwestern Papua New Guinea across the venter It belongs to a group of Xenorhina that exhibits a single enlarged odontoid spike on each vomeropalatine bone but differs from all congeners by its bold ventral pattern, unique advertisement call and a suite of mensural characters. The new species is known from two locations approximately 150 km apart in the vast lowlands of the Sepik River catchment in northwestern Papua New Guinea, and its description brings to 41 the number of described species in the genus
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