Two new species of large green canopy-dwelling frogs (Anura: Hylidae: Litoria) from Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Litoria graminea is a large green canopy-dwelling frog originally described from a single specimen from an unknown locality in Papua New Guinea. We demonstrate that this species as currently recognised contains at least three distinct taxa. We restrict the name L. graminea to a population of animals occurring south of New Guinea’s main cordillera and describe two new species of large green arboreal frogs, one from the Kikori River Basin (Southern Highlands and Gulf Province) and one from the Huon Peninsula (Morobe Province). The two new species can be distinguished from each other by differences in iris and sclera colouration, and both can be distinguished from L. graminea by their narrower heads, different iris colouration and by their small round (vs elongate) nuptial pads.