Uperodon nagaoi
Creators: name: Garg, Sonali
name: Senevirathne, Gayani
name: Wijayathilaka, Nayana
name: Phuge, Samadhan
name: Deuti, Kaushik
name: Manamendra-Arachchi, Kelum
name: Meegaskumbura, Madhava
name: Biju, Sd
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Microhylidae
Uperodon
Uperodon nagaoi

description: Uperodon nagaoi (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 2001)
Nagao’s Globular Frog
(Figs. 1, 2A, 2D, 3G, 7T–W, 9E–G; Tables 1–4)
Original name and description. Ramanella nagaoi Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 2001. Ramanella nagaoi, a new tree-hole frog (Microhylidae) from southern Sri Lanka. Journal of South Asian Natural History, 5: 121–133. Holotype. WHT 2826, by original designation, an adult male, SVL 25.6 mm. Type locality. “Kanneliya Forest Reserve (near Galle), Sri Lanka”. Current status of specific name. Valid name, as Uperodon nagaoi (Manamendra-Arachchi and Pethiyagoda, 2001).
Comparison. For comparison of Uperodon nagaoi with U. globulosus, U. systoma, U. taprobanicus, U. anamalaiensis, U. montanus and U. mormorata see ‘comparison’ section of those species. Uperodon nagaoi differs from U. rohani sp. nov. and U. variegatus by its dorsum being light grey to dark brownish-grey without prominent markings (vs. light to dark brown with light grey or olive markings) and nearly uniform brown ventral skin without or with inconspicuous spots and speckles (vs. uniformly white, without any spots, blotches or mottling). Specifically, it differs from U. variegatus by its shank relatively longer than thigh, SHL/TL ratio 1.0–1.2, N = 8 (vs. shorter, male: SHL/TL ratio 0.9–1.0, N = 16, female: SHL/TL ratio 0.8–0.9, N = 7) (Table 4). Further, U. nagaoi differs from U. obscurus and U. palmatus by its shank relatively longer than thigh, male: SHL/TL ratio 1.0–1.2, N = 8 (vs. nearly equal, U. obscurus: male: SHL/TL ratio 0.9–1.0, N = 17, female: SHL/TL ratio 0.9–1.1, N = 5; U. palmatus: male: SHL/TL ratio 1.0, N = 4, female: SHL/TL ratio 1.0, N = 2), rudimentary webbing between toes, I1–2II2–3 + III3–4IV4 +– 3V (vs. more, U. obscurus: I1–2II1 1/2–3– III2–3 + IV3 +– 2V; U. palmatus: I1–2II1–3 – III1– 3IV2 2/3– 1V), and ventral skin without or with inconspicuous spots and speckles (vs. prominent spots or blotches). It differs from U. triangularis by its dorsal skin in having faint brown to dark brown coloured markings (vs. prominent bright orange coloured markings), ventral skin without or with inconspicuous spots and speckles (vs. prominent spots or blotches), and tadpoles with funnel-shaped mouth and papillae (vs. terminal mouth lacking papillae).
Genetic divergence. For 16S mitochondrial gene sequences, intraspecific variation was not observed between the sampled populations of Uperodon nagaoi (N = 2). Genetically, U. nagaoi is closely related to U. obscurus and U. palmatus; from these it was found to differ by an average uncorrected genetic distance of 5.6% (N = 6) and 4.0% (range 4.0–4.2%, N = 8), respectively. For interspecific genetic distances with all other members of the genus, see Table 3.
Description of holotype. A detailed general description was published by Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda (2001).
Variations. Morphometric measurements for eight specimens, including the type series, are given in Table 4.
Secondary sexual character. Male (DZ 1367): Vocal sac externally visible on the lower jaw.
Geographical distribution and habitat. This species is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known to occur in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Western Provinces (Fig. 2D). For list of localities and references thereto see Supplementary Table S1. In the present study, we collected this species from tree holes at Hiyare Forest Reserve (Galle district) from elevation of 125 m asl, in the vicinity of its type locality Kanneliya Forest Reserve. See ‘Natural history and breeding’ observations in the respective section, after the species accounts.
description: Published as part of Garg, Sonali, Senevirathne, Gayani, Wijayathilaka, Nayana, Phuge, Samadhan, Deuti, Kaushik, Manamendra-Arachchi, Kelum, Meegaskumbura, Madhava & Biju, Sd, 2018, An integrative taxonomic review of the South Asian microhylid genus Uperodon, pp. 1-88 in Zootaxa 4384 (1) on pages 32-33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4384.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1183455