Philoria sphagnicolus ( Moore, 1958 )

Knowles, Ross, Mahony, Michael, Armstrong, Jan & Donnellan, Stephen, 2004, Systematics of Sphagnum Frogs of the Genus Philoria (Anura: Myobatrachidae) in Eastern Australia, With the Description of Two New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 56 (1), pp. 57-74 : 67-68

Philoria sphagnicolus ( Moore, 1958)

Type data. The holotype is an adult male, AMS R 16005, collected on 21 November 1952 at Point Lookout , New South Wales .

Other material examined. See Appendix.

Diagnosis. Relatively large adult size (SVL to 37 mm); usually with either an arrow shaped black band across lower back with apex towards head or two black patches on lower dorsum at an oblique angle over the ilium, and males with well-developed nuptial pad on first finger. Male advertisement call has a higher number of pulses per call and a longer call duration than other species of Philoria from NSW and Queensland.

Description. A small, robust, ground dwelling frog. Adult males (n = 91) measure 24 to 35 mm and females (n = 17) 29 to 37 mm SVL. Head shorter than wide (HL/HW mean 0.68, range 0.57–0.85). Head length approximately onequarter snout to vent length (HL/SVL mean 0.25, range 0.20–0.30). Hind limbs short (TL/SVL mean 0.46, range 0.38–0.51). Ratio of eye to naris distance to internarial span variable (EN/IN mean 0.63, range 0.44–1.04). Dorsal colour varies from cream through various shades of yellow to orange, red or black usually with irregular spots or patches. Black patches on lower dorsum at an oblique angle over ilium, less frequently extending to and joining at midline in an arrow shape with apex directed anteriorly or, in about one third of specimens, lower dorsum is unmarked. Some dark specimens with a broad cream vertebral band. Dorsal skin usually smooth, occasionally with a few tubercules or short raised ridges along mid-dorsolateral area aligned along long axis of body.Ventral surfaces vary from white to orange often with darker brown to black mottling on abdomen, throat and undersurfaces of limbs. Palms vary from completely dark to completely pale but subarticular and palmar tubercules always pale. Soles completely dark but first and second fingers always pale. A brown or black stripe extending from nostril through eye to base of arm always present but variably developed. Flank with or usually without a black band. A horizontal black band extending laterally from over cloaca to ventral surface of thigh. Vomerine teeth posterior to and extending to inner edge of choanae. Fingers in decreasing order of length 3>2>4>1. Toes in decreasing order of length 4>3>5>2>1. Welldeveloped dark nuptial pad on first finger of males and a spatulae on each of first and second fingers of females.

Dimensions of holotype (mm). SVL 32.5 , HL 9.0, HW 11.7, TL 14.4, E 2.8, EN 1.96, IN 3.64 .

Distribution and abundance. The distribution of P. sphagnicolus extends along the eastern escarpment of the Great Dividing Range in northern NSW from the Marsh SF in the south northwards to Ramornie SF and the vicinity of Glen Innes ( Fig. 5 ). Included in this distribution are four national parks (Werrikimbe, New England, Dorrigo and Bellinger River), two nature reserves (Mt Hyland and Mt Seaview), a number of timber reserves (Mt Banda Banda and Rimau Road) and several state forests (Brooklana, Marengo, Mistake, Mt Boss, Never Never, Nulla Five Day, Oakes, Ramornie, Styx River, and Wild Cattle Creek). The detection of P. sphagnicolus in Ramornie SF and just to the east of Glenn Innes represents substantial northern extensions to the range of the species. The Australian and Queensland Museums record 75 specimens from 18 localities, and the NEFBS supplied another location in the Bulga SF. A further 23 locations were found during the course of the present study in the following catchments: Rosewood River, Wild Cattle Creek, Never Never River, Bellinger River, Nymboida River, Forbes River and Hastings River.

The southern-most record of P. sphagnicolus with voucher specimens is Marsh SF Wotherspoon (1981) claimed a southern range extension for P. sphagnicolus from near the Barrington Tops Guest House, Barrington Tops NP with a report of large numbers of P. sphagnicolus foraging on rainforest leaf litter after two days of rain. We doubt the validity of this record for several reasons. Wotherspoon (1981) reported the SVL of one specimen as 52 mm. The largest vouchered specimen of P. sphagnicolus reported to date (this study) is 37 mm. Unfortunately, no voucher specimens or photographs were taken and Wotherspoon’s is the only record of P. sphagnicolus from Barrington Tops NP. Additionally, the site was unlike any other where P. sphagnicolus has been found. It was not associated with a stream or running water, which is where large breeding congresses have been found. It is also the only report of P. sphagnicolus being observed “foraging on leaf litter”. The present authors have never observed P. sphagnicolus in the open, but always under some form of cover. During the course of the present study, the site reported in Wotherspoon (1981) was visited after heavy spring rain and large numbers of Lechriodus fletcheri were observed moving around the leaf litter and at the edge of small ephemeral ponds on the forest floor. Lechriodus fletcheri is reasonably similar in appearance to P. sphagnicolus although it is much larger reaching a maximum recorded body length of 50 mm ( Moore, 1961; Barker et al., 1995; Cogger, 1992). The 52 mm specimen measured by Wotherspoon (1981) said to be of “average” size for the population, is 2 mm larger than the maximum size of L. fletcheri reported in the literature. This discrepancy aside, we consider it likely that L. fletcheri was mistaken for P. sphagnicolus . However, irrespective of whether L. fletcheri was the mistaken species, the evidence outlined above strongly suggests that the population reported by Wotherspoon (1981) was not P. sphagnicolus . This report is therefore discarded in reviewing the distribution of the species.

Conservation status. Listed under Schedule 2 of the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995 as vulnerable. The reason for the listing is as follows: “Population and distribution suspected to be reduced; threatening processes severe; ecological specialist”. However, we consider P. sphagnicolus to be the most secure of the five taxa studied here for the following reasons: a As a result of the present study P. sphagnicolus is known now from a total of 37 locations, more than double the 18 locations previously available in museum records.

b There appears to be substantial suitable habitat for P. sphagnicolus throughout its range. There are a great number of small rainforest streams originating at higher altitudes, and forming part of the four major catchments that drain from the Dorrigo and New England National Parks (Rosewood River, Bellinger River, Never Never River, Wild Cattle Creek). All of these represent potentially suitable habitat for P. sphagnicolus . A cause for concern however, is the potential for damage to the habitat of populations in the Wild Cattle Creek catchment through logging operations in Wild Cattle Creek SF Additionally, development such as clearing for agriculture and forestry has reduced the amount of higher altitude rainforest and this is likely to have decreased the species’ abundance. Philoria sphagnicolus was observed to be in constant contact with water, hence any water pollution originating from agricultural practices affecting the headwaters of rainforest stream might also impact on local populations.

c There appear to be very few barriers to dispersal of P. sphagnicolus throughout its range, the majority of which falls in national parks with extensive wilderness areas. The escarpment between Dorrigo NP and New England NP is very steep and rugged and has a continuous cover of rainforest.

d Breeding congresses observed during the course of the present study were generally relatively small; seven locations had 10 or more calling males in a breeding congress, but two of these had 20 or more. These larger congresses were all observed during November after recent rainfall. Apart from populations of P. sphagnicolus , the largest breeding congress observed among the other species was eight calling males of P. kundagungan at Mt Superbus, Queensland.

The conservation status of the genetically distinctive southern populations of P. sphagnicolus needs further attention. Only six localities are known, four localities are recorded near Elands including the Boorganna Nature Reserve (NR), and one each from Bulga and Marsh State Forests. The largest breeding congress recorded during the course of the present study was at Bulga SF where six calling males were observed. Boorganna NR, the only location that is part of the national park estate, is a very small isolated rainforest pocket surrounded by cleared farmland. The other localities are either on freehold land or in state forests.

Figures

Fig. 5. Map showing distribution of Philoria in northern NSW and southeast Queensland based on museum vouchers. Symbols: O P. kundagungan, • P. loveridgei, P. pughi, Δ P. richmondensis, Z P. sphagnicolus, ^ species’ identity not determined.