December l'W

I

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 5, pp. 11-13]

On the Status of Rhacophorus prasinatus Mou, Risch, and Lue(Anura:Rhacophoridae)

WEN-HAO Chou
Department of Zoology, National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan 40419,
Republic of China

Key Words: Amphibia, Anura, Rhacophoridae, Polypedates prasinatus, Rhacophorus smaragdinus, Taiwan,

New Combination.

FIG.

1.

The species of Polypedates and Rhacophorus on Taiwan:

taipeianus (upper right), R. moltrechti (lower left), P.

P.

megacehalus (upper left), R.

prasinatus (lower right).

The emerald tree frog, Rhacophorus

stained skeletons of specimens from theprasinatus Mou, Risch and Lue, 1983 (=/?.
smaragdinus Lue and Mou, 1983), has had
an uncertain taxonomic status. When firstdescribed, it was thought to be closely

type locality, I conclude that this species
should be classified in Polypedates inaccordance with the definitions and criteria

related to R. chenfui, currently placed in

Polypedates (Jiang, Hu and Zhao, 1987),
on morphological grounds and to P.
leucomystax on account of genetic
similarity. Having examined the external
physical structure, muscular structure and© 1993 by Asiatic Herpetological Researchby Liem (1970) and Jian et
to distinguish the genera
Rhacophorus and Polypedates. The
following are the key features observed:
set forthal.( 1987)

Dermalforearmfold along outer edges ofand above anus in rows of

Vol. 5, p. 12

Asiatic Herpetological Research

December 1993

tubercles, tarsal fold not evident or absent.
Fingers half webbed; web of all toes except

Mou, 1983

the fourth extending beyond subarticular
tubercles; fourth toe webbed to middle
subarticular tubercle or somewhat beyond.

The two junior synonyms share the same
holotype and bear the same publication
However, the Rhacophorus
year.
prasinatus has priority. It was publishedon 30 December 1983 in Alytes 2(4) which
was mailed on that date, as indicated in theDorsal view of intercalary cartilage heartshaped. Esophageal and lateral processesM.
of laryngeal apparatus present.
extensor radialis accessorius lateralis

journal.

Although R. smaragdinus has themoderately large, originating along lateralsame publication date in the Journal ofside of humerus and inserting on the disto-

Taiwan Museum 36(2), I have learned fromthe editor, S. F. Hung, that the mailing dateof this issue was 17 January 1984. This

dorsal end of radio-ulna; M. extensor
brevis superficialis of the first digit present.

Vomerine teeth present. Parieto-squamosalarch of the fronto-parietal bone absent.
Vertebral column procoelous.
Polypedates prasinatus (Mou, Rischand Lue 1983) comb. nov.

Rhacophorus prasinatus Mou, Risch andLue, 1983;

supports a previous arbitrary adoption of
the first junior synonym (Frost, 1985).
Inandgeneral, Polypedates
Rhacophorus species can be distinguishedfrom the other treefrogs by the Y-shaped

terminal phalanx and absence of anterior
horns of the hyoid (Liem, 1970). The
species in Taiwan (Fig. 1) can be
distinguished by the following key:

Rhacophorus smaragdinus Lue and

Key To Species Of Polypedates And Rhacophorus Of Taiwan
Dermal fold along the forearm absent or in rows of tubercles; tarsal fold not evident orla.

absent(Polypedates)

Skin shagreened, ground color green above; supratympanic fold yellowish brown

2a.

P prasinatusanteriorly.

2b. Skin smooth, ground color light brown or brown, usually with dark spots or stripes
P. megacehalus

Dermal fold along the forearm and tarsus presentlb.

(Rhacophorus)

Skin smooth, with black spots or blotches on flanks and inner sideof thighs

3a.

R. moltrechti

3b. Skin shagreened to granulated, with fine dark dots on inner sideof thighs

These two genera in Taiwan also exhibit
Bothreproductive modes.

different

Polypedates species usually deposit foamy
masses suspended on low tree branches
overhanging pools or on cistern walls
above the water. Egg masses become lightbrown when the outer foamy substancedries.

In contrast, Rhacophorus species

deposit foamy egg masses near puddles inholes burrowed by the males or beneathsoil or fallen leaves.

R. taipeianus

Specimens examined:
01459, 18 specimens.

NMNS 01455-

Acknowledgments

Wu

and S. S.
thank C. K. Starr, G. F.
Lin for helpful comments and suggestions
on the manuscript. I am grateful also to A.
Dubois, editor of Alytes, and S. F. Hungof the Taiwan Museum for providing datesof publications relevant to priority.
IAsiatic Herpetological Research

December 1993

ReferencesVol. 5, p. 13

and evolution of the Old World treefrogs(Rhacophoridae and Hyperoliidae).

FROST, D. R.
world.

1985.

Amphibian species of theFieldiana:

Zoology 57:1-145.

Association of Systematics Collections.

LUE, K. Y. AND Y. P. MOU. 1983. Rhacophorus
smaragdinus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) a new

Lawrence, Kansas. 732 pp.

JIANG, S., HU, S. AND E. ZHAO.

1987. The

approach of the phylogenetic relationship andthe supraspecific classification of 14 ChineseActa
species of treefrogs (Rhacophoridae).
Herpetologica Sinica 1987, 6(l):27-42.

(In

Chinese).

rhacophorid tree frog from Taiwan. Journal of

Taiwan Museum. 36(2):15-22.

MOU, Y. P., RISCH, J. P. AND K. Y. LUE.
Taiwan,China(Amphibia,

Rhacophoridae). Alyles 2(4): 154-162.

LIEM, S. S. 1970. The morphology, systematics,

1983.

Rhacophorus prasinatus, a new tree frog from

Anura,