Rana pleuraden Boulenger, 1904

Chuaynkern, Yodchaiy, Ohler, Annemarie, Inthara, Chantip & Duengkae, Prateep, 2010, A Revision Of Species In The Subgenus Nidirana Dubois, 1992, With Special Attention To The Identity Of Specimens Allocated To Rana Adenopleura Boulenger, 1909, And Rana Chapaensis (Bourret, 1937) (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) From Thailand And Laos, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 58 (2), pp. 291-310 : 307

Rana pleuraden Boulenger, 1904

Rana pleuraden Boulenger, 1904: 131 . [Syntypes: BM. Typelocality : Yunnan Fu (altitude about 6,000 feet), Yunnan, China.]

Material examined. – China: Linjei Province, Dapinjung [NMNS 3694 (12743), 3694–12, 3694–17, 3694–19] . Yunnan Province, Likiang (AMNH A 5780–781, 5783–784, 5787, FMNH 7533–534, 7536), Nanking (Baoshan Perfecture) (CAS 207510–515), North of Likiang (FMNH 15163), Nujiang (CAS 228152–155), Tongchuan Fu (MCZ A-7183), Wuting Chow (AMNH A 6528, 6591–592), Yunnanfu (AMNH A 5286–287, 5427, 5436–437, 5763, 13451–452, 30860–870, CAS 54653, FMNH 7539, 7541–542, 24628, 24630, 24632), Yunnanfu [Kunming] (MCZ A-7615–619, A-7621–622), Yunnanfu [Kunming Shi] (MCZ A-8146–148, A–9616) .

Taxonomic notes. – Since the species Rana pleuraden was described from Yunnanfu in 1904 by Boulenger, the taxonomic status of this species is undoubted due to the morphological characters are striking differences from other species of Nidirana .

Diagnostic characters. – Rana pleuraden is characterized by the following combination of characters: (1) body elongated; (2) SVL of adult males 50.5 ± 3.1 (45.4–58.7 mm), adult females 53.4 ± 4.4 (47.5–60 mm); (3) nostril directed dorsally or upward; (4) marginal grooves on fingers absent; (5) marginal grooves on toes absent; (6) mid-dorsal stripe present or absent; (7) external vocal sac present; (8) nuptial pad present on thumb and first finger, formed as one pad; (9) suprabrachial gland present and large; (10) nest construction behavior absent; (11) spinules on back present on posterior half of back in adult males; (12) spinules on ventrum present in adult males; (13) tibio-tarsal articulation reaching between eye to snout; (14) finger tips not dilated; (15) toe tips not dilated; (16) relative length of fingers I<II<IV<III; (17) relative length of toes I<II<V<III<IV; (18) pigmented eggs; (19) larval keratodont formula unknown; (20) Calling: 4–7 loud “guo-guo-…” notes.

Distribution. – China (Linjei and Yunnan provinces).