Two New Frog Species of the Genus <i>Copiula</i> Mehely, 1901 (Anura, Microhylidae, Asterophryinae) from Southern Papua New Guinea

Abstract

We describe two new species in the microhylid frog genus Copiula from Western Province, Southern Highlands Province, and Gulf Province in southern Papua New Guinea based on morphological and acoustic data. Both species are medium-sized (between 27 – 30 mm SVL), terrestrial frogs with a predominantly beige-colored dorsum and a yellow ventrum. They can be distinguished from each other and from all congeners by their distinct advertisement calls. In the first species calls are short bursts of 3 – 7 rapidly repeated yapping notes lasting 30 – 44 msec at a repetition rate of 11.6 – 16.5 notes/sec, and in the second species calls consist almost exclusively of two notes (occasionally one or three notes) lasting 50 – 91 msec and produced at a repetition rate of 7.1 – 11.3 notes/sec. Calls of the second species are usually uttered in long call series that may start with one or more, one-note calls before increasing to two notes, and occasionally to three notes/call late in the series. Descriptions of these two species brings the number of Copiula known from the New Guinea region to at least 12.