Hylarana attigua Inger, Orlov & Darevsky 1999
Creators: name: Gawor, Anna
name: Hendrix, Ralf
name: Vences, Miguel
name: Böhme, Wolfgang
name: Ziegler, Thomas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Ranidae
Hylarana
Hylarana attigua

description: Hylarana attigua (Inger, Orlov & Darevsky, 1999)
Series examined. Tadpoles of Hylarana attigua (ZFMK 87280-87286: n = 7) were collected in PNKB, U Bo region, Vietnam by R. Hendrix in August 2006. The larvae were collected throughout day and night time in a water catchment basin next to a forest road at an altitude of about 700 m above sea level.
Adult specimens (ZFMK 86404-86407, 87469) were collected at night within PNKB in the primary forest of U Bo region at an altitude of about 530 m above sea level.
Identification. Adult specimens (Fig. 1a; for measurements see Table 2) largely agreed with the original description provided by Inger et al. (1999). Sequence congruence between adults (ZFMK 86404-407, 87469; additional specimens deposited in PNNP) and tadpoles (ZFMK 87280, 87283-87284; Fig. 2a) was at least 99.4 %. The following larval description is based on a single tadpole in Gosner stage 36 (Fig. 3; for measurements see Table 3). The tadpole specimen used for description and drawing originates from the same water body as the DNA voucher specimens (characters of three DNA voucher specimens of the series ZFMK 87280 and ZFMK 87283-87284: stages 37-40, BL 14.0-16.0 mm, NP 64-66, NK 27-29 per 0.5 mm). In this water body, also H. guentheri (adults only) and H. maosonensis (larvae) were found. The DNA voucher specimens fully agree morphologically with the described and drawn specimen, including the characters that diagnose H. attigua from H. maosonensis and H. guentheri (narrow upper jaw sheath, finger-shaped marginal papillae, papillae slightly pigmented on tips, one submarginal row of papillae, dark olive brown colour). The identification of the described specimen is therefore well supported.
Colour pattern. Colouration of tadpole in preservative: body with dark brown and green pigments. Dorsal and dorsolateral pigmentation of body more dense than ventral pigmentation. Venter semitransparent to white. Oral disc, throat and chest with single green pigments. Hind part of body with distinct ventrolateral pigmentation. Tail marbled with dark drab pigments and with irregular dark round flecks. Musculature of tail yellowish in dorsal view, with the upper and lower fins being transparent to white. Hind limbs dorsolaterally with dark brown pigments.
Colouration in life: body marbled, greenish-brown with gold-coloured pigments. Ventral body transparent to white, intestinal spiral slightly visible. Internal gills gleam reddish through the skin.
Description in dorsal view: Body shape oval, elongated (maximum body width 0.59 of body length) and with a rounded snout. Anteroventrally positioned mouth. Eyes of remarkable size (maximum eye diameter 0.13 of body length), dorsolaterally positioned at the first third of body, not visible in ventral view (interpupilar distance 0.62 of maximum body width). Nares small, anterodorsally positioned, nearer to the snout than to the pupil (rostro-narial distance 0.37 of naro-pupilar distance). Internarial distance 0.56 of interpupilar distance. Tail musculature well developed, widest at base (width of tail musculature at base 0.52 of maximum body width).
40 (6.60 ±0.78) (14.67 ±1.15) (8.70 ±0.56) (1.87 ±0.06) (2.97 ±0.06) (5.33 ±0.35) 0.8 7.2 (28 ±1) (64 ±1)
(n=3) (n=3) (n=3) (n=3) (n=3) (n=3) (n=3) (n=3) 41 6.8 16.0 9.8 1.8 2.8 5.8 1.2 7.2 33 60 Description in lateral view: Body slightly depressed, with maximum height behind the spiracle (maximum body height 0.70 of maximum body width). Snout rounded. Distance from the spiracle opening to centre of eye 5.8 mm. Tubular, tapered spiracle sinistral, laterally positioned at the second third of body, posterodorsally directed and visible in dorsal view. Vent tube medially located at body end, ventrally positioned. Outer wall of vent tube adhered to lower tail fin. Cloacal aperture dextral to caudal fin in dorsal view. Tail large, pointed at the end. Tail length 2.46 of body length. Myotomes of the tail musculature are moderately developed, V-shaped (height of tail musculature at base 0.74 of maximum body height, and 0.67 of maximum tail height). Tail musculature parallel, tapering from the base to the end of the second third of the tail fin, subsequently gradually tapering towards the tip of the tail. Upper fin inserting in the centre of the first third of the tail. Highest point of upper fin at the second third of the tail (maximum height of upper fin 0.28 of maximum tail height). Maximum height of lower fin 0.59 of maximum height of upper tail fin.
Oral disc. Oral disc anteroventrally positioned, of trapezoidal shape and laterally emarginated (oral disc width 0.43 of maximum body width). Oral disc framed by finger-shaped, slightly pigmented papillae except for a large medial gap on the upper labium. Few submarginal papillae situated on each side between upper and lower labium in the corner of the mouth. Single submarginal papillae at the lower labium under the last keratodont row. In total 65 papillae. Keratodont row formula 2(2)/3(1) with about 35 keratodonts per 0.5 mm. Jaw sheath black, and slightly serrated. Upper jaw sheath curved with large appendices, lower jaw sheath Vshaped.
Glandular Zones. Areas with high density of secretory glands on each side of body, dorsally between the eyes, in front of the eyes and dorsolaterally at midbody. Further secretory glands were concentrated laterally at the end of the body, ventrolaterally before hind limbs and ventrally below mouth.
Measurements (in mm). BH 5.4; BL 13.0; BW 7.7; ED 1.7; IND 2.7; IP 4.8; LF 1.0; MTH 6.0; NK 35; NP 64; NPD 2.3; ODW 3.3; RND 1.1; TAL 32.0; TMH 4.0; TMW 4.0; UF 1.7.
Variation within the series. Series with seven tadpoles in stages 35–41. Proportions vary as follows: BW 0.51–0.68 of BL, ED 0.11–0.14 of BL, IP 0.55–0.77 of BW, RND 0.32–0.48 of NPD, IND 0.48–0.58 of IP, TMW 0.43–0.56 of BW, BH 0.69–0.82 of BW, TAL 1.93–2.46 of BL, TMH 0.59–0.74 of BH, TMH 0.56–0.68 of MTH, UF 0.28–0.35 of MTH, LF 0.40–0.59 of UF, ODW 0.34–0.43 of BW. Keratodont row formulae are homogenous within the series. In further developed stages secretory glands extend ventrolaterally at the end of body and ventrally at the throat. Furthermore, there exists a dark-grey dorsolateral stripe on each side of body, from posterior corner of the eye to the end of body.
Natural history. Larvae of H. attigua were collected in a water catchment basin next to the highway at km 51 in the U Bo region, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, at 22 August 2006. The tadpoles were discovered between algae on the ground of the water body which had a water depth of only 15 cm. During night time (08: 30 p. m.) of 7 July 2006, water temperature was 26°C. At day time, this basin was at least in part exposed to the sun. During day time of 22 August 2006 (12:00) the pH value was 5.5. Adult males of H. attigua were found on rocks and under bushes in the U Bo region at night of 7 July 2006. The males were calling next to a forest stream, about 40 cm above the water surface. Air temperature next to the forest stream was 25°C; relative humidity was 85% during night time. Another male was discovered in primary forest next to the highway at km 54 in the U Bo region at night of 30 July 2006. The male was in a bush about 60 cm above the forest ground next to a small forest path. In that same night also a female (ZFMK 86406) was found while trying to cross the highway.
description: Published as part of Gawor, Anna, Hendrix, Ralf, Vences, Miguel, Böhme, Wolfgang & Ziegler, Thomas, 2009, Larval morphology in four species of Hylarana from Vietnam and Thailand with comments on the taxonomy of H. nigrovittata sensu latu (Anura: Ranidae), pp. 1-25 in Zootaxa 2051 on pages 4-8, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.186587