Philautus graminirupes, BIJU & BOSSUYT, 2005

Biju, S. D. & Bossuyt, Franky, 2009, Systematics and phylogeny of Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Anura, Rhacophoridae) in the Western Ghats of India, with descriptions of 12 new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (2), pp. 374-444 : 415

PHILAUTUS GRAMINIRUPES BIJU & BOSSUYT, 2005

( FIGS 2 , 31D , 36 ; TABLE 2)

Type material: Holotype, BNHS 4264 , an adult male, SVL 22.6 mm, from Ponmudi, Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala; paratypes, BNHS 4265–4266 and BNHS 4587 (ex TBGRI 2002.0055 ), three adult males; BNHS 4267 and FMNH 218118 , two adult females, from Ponmudi.

Other material studied: None.

Diagnosis: Philautus graminirupes can be distinguished from known congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) small male adult snout–vent length (SVL 22.0 ± 0.6 mm, N = 4; SVL 27.3–29.4 mm, female); (2) pointed snout in dorsal view; (3) canthus rostralis sharp; (4) posterior surface of thighs chocolate brown, vermiculated with bluish green; (5) dorsum shagreened with a few granular projections; (6) between the eyes a horny ridge from the snout to the middle of the body; (7) long hindlimbs.

For comparison with the closely related species, P. chlorosomma sp. nov. and P. graminirupes , see ‘comparison’ of P. chlorosomma sp. nov.

Description of the holotype: A detailed description and illustrations were published in Biju & Bossuyt (2005b). Measurements are given in Table 2.

Colour in life: Dorsum greyish brown with various numbers of irregular black patches, a brownish black band between the eyes, loreal and tympanic regions dark brown, inguinal region vermiculated with brown–yellow, tinted with bluish green, both lips with between three and five narrow light bands, iris silvery brown with dark-brown horizontal bands ( Fig. 36 ); anterior surface of thighs vermiculated with brown–yellow, tinted with bluish green, posterior surface of thighs light-chocolate brown, vermiculated with bluish green.

Variation: Measurements of six specimens including type series are given in Table 2. BNHS 4265 is darker brown, BNHS 4266 has fewer markings, and BNHS 4587 has a discontinuous cross marking on the back. In captivity, the colour changes from light-greyish brown to dark brown .

Distribution and natural history: Philautus graminirupes is known only from the type locality, Ponmudi ( Fig. 31D , Table 1). The holotype and three male paratypes were collected from leaf blades in grassland near evergreen forest patches. The female paratype BNHS 4267 was collected from a 2-m high mosscovered rock in grassland. Breeding was observed at the type locality. The eggs underwent direct development, and hatching of froglets took place after 24 days ( Biju & Bossuyt, 2005b).

Remarks: This species was confused with P. signatus (FMNH 218123 and FMNH 218118) by Inger et al. (1984). The paratype TBGRI 2002.0055 ( Biju & Bossuyt, 2005b) was transferred to BNHS as BNHS 4587.

Figures

Figure 2. Maximum-likelihood phylogram (GTR + G + I; –Ln L = 14 763.97) for the mitochondrial DNA data set of 1488 bp of 34 taxa of Western Ghats Philautus and five outgroup species. Numbers above branches indicate nonparametric bootstrap values under maximum parsimony (MP). Numbers below branches indicate Bayesian posterior probabilities. *Values of less than 50.

Figure 31. Distribution map. A, Philautus dubois; B, map showing Malabar (shaded in grey), from which the type of Philautus flaviventris was collected; C, Philautus glandulosus; D, Philautus graminirupes.

Figure 36. Holotype of Philautus graminirupes (BNHS 4264) from Ponmudi.