Philautus signatus, (BOULENGER, 1882)
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00466.x |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10546120 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F5945F-FF92-1E7A-FC8F-FA60FA01C32C |
treatment provided by |
Felipe |
scientific name |
Philautus signatus |
status |
|
PHILAUTUS SIGNATUS ( BOULENGER, 1882) View in CoL
( FIGS 2 View Figure 2 , 53C View Figure 53 , 55A–C; TABLE View Figure 55 2)
Type material: Lectotype, BMNH 1947.2 .27.36 (ex BMNH 1868.4.3.120), an adult male, SVL 31.5 mm, from ‘ Nilgherries’ i.e. Nilgiri Hills), Tamil Nadu, India.
Other material studied: BMNH 1947.2 . 27.37, an adult male, from ‘ Nilgiri Hills’ ; BNHS 4486 View Materials , an adult male, from Coonoor ; BNHS 4487 View Materials , an adult male, from Parsons Valley ; BNHS 4488 View Materials , an adult male, from Naduvattam ; BNHS 4489 View Materials , an adult male, and BNHS 4492 View Materials , an adult female, from Avalanche ; BNHS 4558 View Materials and BNHS 4491 View Materials , two adult males, from Udhagamandalam ( Table 2).
Description of the lectotype: A detailed description of the lectotype was published in Bossuyt & Dubois (2001).
Variation: Measurements of nine specimens, including the lectotype, are given in Table 2. The skin texture is slightly variable: BNHS 4558 View Materials has a prominently granular dorsum, whereas BNHS 4489 View Materials has a shagreened to sparsely granular dorsum. This species has an array of dorsal coloration from light-greyish brown to dark red, and moreover, the same population shows marked difference in eye markings: iris dark-reddish brown with radiating golden stripes ( Fig. 55A, B View Figure 55 ) and light brown iris without stripes ( Fig. 55C View Figure 55 ) . BNHS 4488 View Materials , light-grey dorsum with dark ‘X’ marking ; BNHS 4558 View Materials , uniform reddish brown dorsum with irregular grey spots in life, dorsum turns greyish brown in preservation, light-blackish brown stripe between the eyes, dark-grey ‘X’ mark on dorsum ( Fig. 55C View Figure 55 ) ; SDB 089 , dark-brown dorsum with irregular black spots, light-grey stripe in between the eyes making a triangular grey snout with dark irregular brown spots, an inverted blackish brown ‘V’ mark on the middle of the dorsum in life, turns light-greyish brown dorsum with dark markings in preservation, throat with blackish patches ; BNHS 4486 View Materials with almost similar markings as the lectotype, uniformly dark-brownish dorsum with an ‘X’ marking and a stripe in between the eyes ; BNHS 4491 View Materials with uniform reddish grey dorsum with a light marking ; SDB 098 , uniformly dark reddish with a faint ‘X’ marking on dorsum and limbs ( Fig. 55A View Figure 55 ) ; BNHS 4487 View Materials , grey dorsum with a light-blackish ‘X’ marking and stripe in between the eyes, scattered white spots on loreal and tympanic regions, lateral side greyish white with light-brown patches, ventral side light grey with irregular light-brown spots, both the limbs have dark cross bands . BNHS 4492 View Materials , light reddish with a faint ‘X’ marking ( Fig. 55B View Figure 55 ) .
Diagnosis: Philautus signatus can be distinguished from known congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) medium to large male adult size; (2) snout pointed in dorsal view; (3) canthus rostralis acute; (4) tongue with a lingual papilla; (5) flanks and groin flesh white or light-reddish brown, without markings.
Distribution and natural history: Nilgiri Hills and surroundings: Coonoor, Kothagiri, Udhagamandalam, Naduvattam, Avalanche, and Parsons Valley ( Fig. 53C View Figure 53 , Table 1). In Avalanche, Coonoor, and Naduvattam, this species was located from heights of about 4 m in shola vegetation. However, in Parsons Valley, calling individuals were observed invariably in the moss-covered earthen bank inside the forest patch.
Remarks: This species was considered to be I xalus variabilis Günther, 1858 (BMNH 74.4.29.458, BMNH 74.4.29.625–652 from Malabar, and BMNH 74.4.29.748–764 from Pycara, by Boulenger 1882).
paratypes, BNHS 4450 – 4452 View Materials , three adult males collected along with the holotype.
Other material studied: SDB 016 B, an adult male collected from the holotype locality ( Table 2) .
Diagnosis: Philautus sushili sp. nov. can be distinguished from known congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) medium adult size (SVL 24.9 ± 2.3 mm, N = 5, male); (2) slender to elongate body; (3) head wider than long, HW 10.0 ± 1.0 mm, HL 9.1 ± 0.1 mm, N = 5; (4) snout oval in dorsal view; (5) shank longer than thigh, ShL 13.1 ± 1.3 mm, TL 12.3 ± 1.4 mm, N = 5; (6) ventral side of limbs coarsely granular; (7) lateral side of abdomen light grey with white spots; (8) anterior and posterior part of thighs and groin dark brown.
For comparison with closely related species P. anili and P. sushili sp. nov., see the ‘comparison’ of P. anili .
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.