Philautus quyeti Truong, Hendrix, Böhme, Thanh & Ziegler, 2008, sp. n.
Creators: name: Truong, Nguyen Quang
name: Hendrix, Ralf
name: Böhme, Wolfgang
name: Thanh, Vu Ngoc
name: Ziegler, Thomas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Rhacophoridae
Philautus
Philautus quyeti

description: Philautus quyeti sp. n.
Holotype. ZFMK 82999, adult female from Nuoc Rung area, Dan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam (17 0 47’ N; 105 0 41’ E, altitude: 1,100 m a.s.l.), collected on 21 April 2004 by Le Khac Quyet (Fig. 1a, b, c and Fig. 3 e).
Paratype. VNUH 160706 (Field No. RH 06095), subadult from Cha Noi area, Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam (surroundings of 17 0 38’ N; 106 0 05’ E, altitude: 430 m a.s.l), collected on 16 July 2006 by Ralf Hendrix (Fig. 3a, b, c).
Diagnosis. Small rhacophorid (SVL 34 mm), vomerine teeth absent. Head longer than wide. Snout rounded, longer than horizontal diameter of eye. Interorbital distance longer than the width of upper eyelid. Nostrils rounded, closer to tip of snout than to eye. Pupil oval, horizontal. Tympanum distinct, rounded, wider than disc of finger III. Supratympanic fold indistinct. Dermal fringe along outer side of forearm, tibia, tarsus and toe IV absent. Skin not lumpy or spinulous; dorsal surface of head, back and upper portion of flanks covered with small sharp tubercles. Dark brown pattern forming an inverse Y, notably a triangular spot between eyes bifurcating into two bands continuing posteriorly onto the back. Throat and margin of throat and chest yellow-white with brown marbling.
Description of holotype. Size. Small rhacophorid (SVL 34 mm), body robust. Head. Head longer than wide (HL 12.5 mm; HW 11.4 mm; MN 11.2 mm; MFE 8.4 mm; MBE 4.5 mm), convex above. Snout rounded, slightly protruding, its length (SL 5.4 mm) longer than horizontal diameter of eye (EL 4.8 mm). Canthus rostralis rounded, loreal region oblique, slightly concave. Interorbital region convex, longer (IUE 4.1 mm) than upper eyelid (UEW 3 mm) and internarial distance (IN 3 mm); distance between front of eyes (IFE 6.9 mm) about 63% distance between back of eyes (IBE 11 mm). Nostrils rounded without flap of skin laterally, closer to tip of snout (NS 2.1 mm) than to eye (EN 3.5 mm). Pupil oval, horizontal. Tympanum (TYD 2.5 mm) distinct, rounded, 52% of eye diameter, and wider than disc of finger III (fd3 1.9 mm); tympanum-eye distance (TYE 1 mm) 40% of tympanum diameter. Pineal ocellus absent; spinules on upper eyelid absent. Vomerine teeth absent. Tongue moderately, cordate, shallowly emarginate. Tooth-like projections on lower jaw absent. Supratympanic fold indistinct, extending from behind of eye to above shoulder. Parotoid glands absent. Cephalic ridges absent. Co-ossified skin on head absent.
Forelimbs (Fig. 2a). Arm short and gracile; forearm (FLL 7.2 mm) shorter than hand (HAL 10.3 mm), dermal fringe along outer side of forearm absent. Fingers I and II short and thin; fingers III (TFL 8.1 mm) and IV long and thin. Relative length of fingers: I <II <IV <III. Tips of all fingers with moderate discs, with circummarginal grooves, almost two times the width of finger (fd1/fw1 1/ 0.6 mm; fd2/fw2 1.6/ 0.9 mm; fd3/fw3 1.9/ 1 mm; fd4/fw4 1.7/ 0.9 mm). Webbing basal, slight webbing between fingers III and IV. Subarticular turbecles distinct, blunt, rounded: one on fingers I and II, and two on fingers III and IV. Prepollex distinct, oval; two small palmar tubercles, the outer indistinct; supernumerary tubercles distinct on finger IV, indistinct or absent on fingers III, II and I.
Hindlimbs (Fig. 2 b). Hindlimbs long, heels overlapping when limbs folded at right angles to body. Tibia (TL 20 mm) slightly longer than thigh (FL 18.5 mm) and longer than the distance from base of internal metatarsal tubercle to tip of toe IV (FOL 15.2 mm). Toes moderately long and thin, toe IV (FTL 12.5 mm) 50% the distance from base of tarsus to tip of toe IV (TFOL 24.8 mm). Relative length of toes: I <II <III <V <IV. Tips of all toes with small discs, bearing distinct circummarginal grooves, discs nearly one and a half times width of toes (td1/tw1 0.8/ 0.5 mm; td2/tw2 0.9/ 0.6 mm; td3/tw3 1.1/ 0.7 mm; td4/tw4 1.3/ 0.9 mm; td5/tw5 1.1/ 0.8 mm). Webbing moderately developed: I 1 ½ - 2 II 2 ½-1½ III 2-1 ½ IV 1 ½ -2 1/ 2 V (MTTF: 9.4 mm; MTFF 9.8 mm; TFTF 5.6 mm; FFTF 5 mm). Dermal ridge along toe V absent. Distal and penultimate subarticular tubercles distinct, rounded. Inner metatarsal tubercle small (IMT 1.3 mm), 31% the length of toe I (ITL 4.2 mm). Dermal ridge along outer side of tibia and tarsal fold absent. Outer metatarsal tubercle absent, supernumerary tubercles indistinct; tarsal tubercle absent.
Skin. Snout and loreals smooth; dorsal skin not lumpy or spinulous, upper head, back and flank rough bearing small sharp tubercles. Dorsolateral folds absent. Dorsal surface of forelimb, thigh, tibia and tarsus smooth. Throat and chest smooth, belly and ventral part of thigh granular. Dermal appendage at vent absent.
Coloration in alcohol. Snout and dorsum brownish gray with dark brown pattern forming an inverse Y, notably a triangular spot between eyes bifurcating into two bands continuing posteriorly; lower flank grey; snout, canthus and temporal region; tympanum light grey; upper lip with small white spots on brownish ground. Forelimb, dorsal surface of thigh, tibia and foot yellowish brown with some darker bands, posterior part of thigh below the vent yellowish brown with small white spots. Throat and margin of throat and chest yellow white with brown marblings; belly immaculate yellowish white to white; ventral part of forelimbs and thighs yellowish white; webbing grayish.
Coloration in life. Background of dorsum (snout, head and back) brownish to moss-green, a dark, blotching pattern between eyes bifurcating into two bands continuing posteriorly on the back. Forelimb, dorsal parts of thighs, tibia, and foot moss-green with some dark brown bands. Throat and margin of throat and chest white with brown marblings; belly immaculate white; ventral part of forelimbs and thighs yellowish white; webbing grayish; discs of fingers and toes with white spots.
Variation. The subadult has a moss-green dorsum; upper side of forelimbs, thighs, tibia, and foot the same as dorsal pattern; dark blotches on back indistinct; throat and margin of throat and chest bluish white with dark marblings; lower part of flank and belly bluish white with distinct granules; outer edge of discs of fingers and toes yellow. The paratype is the same as the holotype in presertative.
Comparisons. The generic assignment of small Oriental treefrogs are uncertain and still under debate (Bossuyt & Dubois 2001; Wilkinson et al. 2002; Stuart & Heatwole 2004; Li et al. 2008). Hence, we compare Philautus quyeti with all small-sized rhacophorid treefrogs with a SVL under 45 mm and having reduced finger webbing from Vietnam and adjoining countries, regardless of what genus to which they are currently referred. These include Chiromantis doriae (Boulenger); C. hansenae (Cochran); C. laevis (Smith); C. nongkhorensis (Cochran); C. samkosensis Grismer, Thy, Chav & Holden; C. vittatus (Boulenger); Feihyla palpebralis (Smith); Gracixalus gracilipes (Bourret); G. j i n x i u e n s i s Hu (Fig. 3 d); G. supercornutus (Orlov, Ho & Nguyen); Kurixalus ananjevae (Matsui & Orlov); K. baliogaster (Inger, Orlov & Darevsky); K. bisacculus (Taylor); K. carinensis (Boulenger); K. eiffingeri (Boettger); K. idiootocus (Kuramoto & Wang); K. odontotarsus (Ye & Fei); K. verrucosus (Boulenger); Liuixalus romeri (Smith); Nyctixalus pictus (Peters); Philautus abditus Inger, Orlov & Darevsky; P. andersoni (Ahl); P. banaensis Bourret; P. cardamonus Ohler, Swan & Daltry; P. g r y l l u s Smith; P. hainanus Liu & Wu; P. longchuanensis Yang & Li; P. maosonensis Bourret; P. medogensis Ye & H u; P. menglaensis Kou; P. ocellatus Liu & Hu; P. parvulus (Boulenger); P. p e t e r s i (Boulenger); P. petilus Stuart & Heatwole; P. truongsonensis Orlov & Ho; P. vermiculatus (Boulenger); Rhacophorus appendiculatus (Günther); Theloderma asperum (Boulenger); T. rhododiscus (Liu & Hu), Theloderma ryabovi Orlov, Dutta, Ghate & Kent; and T. stellatum Taylor.
The dark-blotched pattern on dorsum of Philautus quyeti sp. n. is similar to Gracixalus jinxiuensis, Kurixalus carinensis, and Philautus cardamonus. However, the new species differs from the latter by having supratympanic fold indistinct (versus distinct in G. jinxiuensis, K. carinensis, and P. cardamonus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from K. carinensis and P. cardamonus by having the length of snout longer than the diameter of eye (snout equal to the diameter of eye in cardamonus and a little shorter than the diameter of eye in carinensis); and having skin on the top of the head and back bearing small sharp tubercles (shagreened in cardamonus and smooth or with small warts in carinensis). It further can be distinguished from cardamonus by having a larger size in adults (SVL 34 mm versus 19.3 mm in cardamonus), brown marbling on throat (absent in cardamonus), and lacking macrogland (present in cardamonus). It differs from G. jinxiuensis from Lai Chau Province by having the head longer than wide (head wider than long in jinxiuensis), tibiotarsal articulation reaching to the snout (behind in original description or to the eye in specimens of jinxiuensis from Lai Chau Province). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Kurixalus ananjevae by having supratympanic fold indistinct (distinct in ananjevae), head longer than wide (head slightly shorter than wide in ananjevae), snout length longer than the diameter of eye (snout length as long as the diameter of eye in ananjevae); by having color pattern on throat and margin of throat and chest yellow white with brown marbling, belly yellowish white to white (ventrally grayish white, without markings in ananjevae). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from K. baliogaster by having head longer than wide (head wider than long in baliogaster), snout longer than the diameter of eye (snout equal to or shorter than the diameter of eye in baliogaster); skin on dorsal head and back rough with small sharp tubercles (smooth in baliogaster); lacking vomerine teeth, and venter without conspicious dark spots (present in baliogaster). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from K. bisacculus by having snout length longer than the diameter of eye (snout length equal to the diameter of eye in bisacculus); lacking vomerine teeth and dermal fringes or tubercles on outer edges of finger IV, forearm, tarsus, and toe V (present in bisacculus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Gracixalus gracilipes by having head width 33.5% of SVL (head width 45% of SVL in gracilipes), the diameter of tympanum longer than the width of finger III disc (width of finger III disc equal to the diameter of tympanum in gracilipes), and having dark-blotched pattern forming inverse Y (versus forming)(in gracilipes). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Gracixalus supercornutus, Kurixalus odontotarsus, K. verrucosus, Philautus banaensis, P. g r y l l u s, and Rhacophorus appendiculatus by lacking dermal fringes or tubercles on the limbs (present in all latter species). Philautus quyeti differs from G. supercornutus and K. ordontotarsus by lacking sharped tubercles or spines on upper eyelids. It further differs from K. odontotarsus by lacking vomerine teeth. Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Chiromantis doriae and C. nongkhorensis by having the diameter of tympanum larger than the width of finger III disc (the width of finger III disc as large as the diameter of tympanum in doriae and nongkhorensis), the length of snout longer than the diameter of eye (the length of snout longer than the diameter in doriae and nongkhorensis). It differs from C. doriae by having dark bands on dorsal thighs (absent in doriae), skin of dorsum with small sharp tubercles (smooth in doriae), and by lacking dark stripes on dorsum (present in doriae). Philautus quyeti sp. n. also differs from nongkhorensis by having supratympanic fold indistinct (distinct in nongkhorensis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from C. laevis, C. samkosensis and C. vittatus by having dark-blotched pattern forming inverse Y on dorsum (absent in laevis, samkosensis and vittatus). It is distinguished from C. hansenae, C. laevis, and C. vittatus in lacking light dorsolateral stripes (present in hansenae, laevis, and vittatus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. has small sharp tubercles on the skin of dorsum (smooth skin in C. laevis, C. samkosensis and C. vittatus). It further differs from C. samkosensis by having dark bands on dorsal aspect of thighs (absent in samkosensis) and not being green and not having geen blood and turquois bones. Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from C. romeri by having larger size in adult (SVL 34 mm versus 25 mm in romeri) and supratympanic fold indistinct (distinct in romeri). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Feihyla palpebralis by lacking a yellow streak from below the eye to shoulder (present in palpebralis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Kurixalus eiffingeri and K. idiootocus by having supratympanic fold indistinct (distinct in eiffingeri and idiootocus) and lacking vomerine teeth (present in eiffingeri and idiootocus). It further differs from K. idiootocus in less pointed snout. Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Nyctixalus pictus by having snout rounded (pointed in pictus), and having dark-blotched pattern on dorsum (small cream or orange spots on dorsum in pictus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from Philautus abditus by having dorsal skin with small sharp tubercles (smooth in abditus), distinct tympanum (completely hidden in abditus), and lacking large black spots on anterior and posterior faces of thigh (present in abditus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. longchuanensis and P. menglaensis by having the diameter of tympanum longer than the width of finger III disc (diameter of tympanum shorter than width of finger III disc in longchuanensis and menglaensis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. maosonensis by having the head longer than wide (head wider than long in maosonensis) and lacking a dark spot behind the axilla (present in maosonensis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. ocellatus by lacking a round black blotch on the occiput (present in ocellatus). Philautus quyeti differs from P. parvulus by having larger adult size (SVL 34 versus SVL less than 25 mm in parvulus), the snout length longer than the eye length (snout length shorter than the eye length in parvulus), distinct tympanum (hidden in parvulus), and having the nostril close to the tip of snout (nostril midway between eye and tip of snout in parvulus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. petilus by lacking vomerine teeth (very small vomerine teeth in petilus), black stripe below edge of canthus extending from tip of snout to flanks and black spot in anterior region of groin (present in petilus), and by having skin of dorsum with small sharp tubercles (smooth in petilus). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. truongsonensis by having the head longer than wide (head as long as wide in truongsonensis) and lacking black spots on dorsum, flank and lateral part of thigh (present in truongsonensis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. andersonii by having the diamter of tympanum 52% the length of eye (1/4 the length of eye in andersonii). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. hainanus by having larger adult size (SVL 34 mm versus 17.6-18.2 mm in hainanus) and by lacking dark cross-bands on back and lower arm. Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from P. p e t e r s i and P. vermiculatus by having snout length longer than the eye diameter (snout length equal to or shorter than the eye diameter in petersi and vermiculatus). It differs from P. vermiculatus and P. medogensis by having indistinct supratympanic fold (distinct in vermiculatus and medogensis). Philautus quyeti sp. n. differs from all species of Theloderma by lacking lumpy skin or spinules on dorsal surface. It differs from Theloderma rhododiscus by lacking reddish-orange finger and toe discs (present in rhododiscus). It differs from T. asperum, T. ryabovi and T. stellatum by lacking white blotch on above cloaca (present in asperum, ryabovi and stellatum).
Ecological notes. The holotype was found at the beginning of the dry season at 20:00 on leaves (ca. 1.5 m above ground) of a small shrub near a small stream in montane forest in Dan Hoa Commune, Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province. The paratype was collected within the dry season at 22:45 on leaves (ca. 2 m above ground) of a shrub in limestone forest in Cha Noi area, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. Due to the altitudes (430-1,100 m a.s.l.) in which the species was found so far, it seems that Philautus quyeti sp. n. is adapted to higher elevations.
Distribution. Philautus quyeti sp. n. is only known from the type locality in Quang Binh Province (Fig. 4).
Etymology. The name is dedicated to our friend, colleague, and zoologist, Mr. Le Khac Quyet from Fauna and Flora International - Vietnam Conservation Support Programme. Although a primatologist, Le Khac Quyet shows a high interest in the herpetofauna of Vietnam and was involved in the discovery of many different species within this country, such as Amphiesma andreae, Boiga bourreti, Calamaria thanhi, and Shinisaurus crocodilurus. As common names we suggest Quyet’s treefrog (English), Nhai cay quyet (Vietnamese), Rainette de Quyet (French), and Quyets Ruderfrosch (German).
description: Published as part of Truong, Nguyen Quang, Hendrix, Ralf, Böhme, Wolfgang, Thanh, Vu Ngoc & Ziegler, Thomas, 2008, A new species of the genus Philautus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Truong Son Range, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam, pp. 1-13 in Zootaxa 1925 on pages 3-11, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.184786