Feihyla

Biju, S. D., Garg, Sonali, Gokulakrishnan, G., Chandrakasan, Sivaperuman, Thammachoti, Panupong, Ren, Jinlong, Gopika, C., Bisht, Karan, Hamidy, Amir & Shouche, Yogesh, 2020, New insights on the systematics and reproductive behaviour in tree frogs of the genus Feihyla, with description of a new related genus from Asia (Anura, Rhacophoridae), Zootaxa 4878 (1), pp. 1-55 : 18-20

Genus Feihyla

Original description. Feihyla Frost, Grant, Faivovich, Bain, Haas, Haddad , de S, Channing, Wilkinson, Donnellan, Raxworthy, Campbell, Blotto, Moler, Drewes, Nussbaum, Lynch, Green, and Wheeler 2006. The amphibian tree of life. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 297: 1–370.

Type species. Philautus palpebralis Smith, 1924 [= Feihyla palpebralis ( Smith, 1924) ]

Common name. Jelly-nest Tree Frogs

Etymology. The gender of this generic name is feminine. According to the original description, the generic nomen of Feihyla is derived from Fei (the last name of Chinese herpetologist, Prof. Fei Liang) + hyla (Greek: vocative form of Hylas, a traditional generic root for treefrogs) to honour the former’s extensive contributions to Chinese herpetology ( Frost et al. 2006).

Diagnosis. Small to medium-sized tree frogs (male SVL 17–28 mm, female SVL 23–34 mm); body rather slender in appearance; skin shagreened to sparsely granular; a white streak extends along the upper lip margins, either from below the eye up to the shoulder (in Feihyla palpebralis group) or from snout tip to the groin (in Feihyla vittiger group); vomerine teeth absent; first two fingers opposable to the others; fingers free of web or with rudimentary webbing; tips of fingers enlarged into discs with circum-marginal grooves; moderate webbing between toes, up to or just above the third subarticular tubercle on either side of toe IV; eggs laid in terrestrial jelly nests ( Fig. 3 ).

Comparison. Genus Feihyla differs from the morphologically related genera Chirixalus and Chiromantis by its slender body (vs. slender to robust); absence of vomerine teeth (vs. present); eggs laid in jelly nest (vs. foam nest) ( Fig. 3 ).

Distribution. Genus Feihyla currently has a disjunct distribution in southern China (Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces) and possibly adjoining Vietnamese regions (Lao Cai Province), northern Vietnam (Tam Dao) to central Vietnam (Lam Dong Province), and the southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Java ( Fig 4 ).

Diversity. Prior to this study, there were six nominal taxa in the genus Feihyla ( Frost et al. 2006; Aowphol et al. 2013; Chan et al. 2 018; Li et al. 2013; Fei et al. 2010). Based on the revised classification herein, two species are transferred from Feihyla to Rohanixalus , while another two Chirixalus species are allocated to Feihyla (see taxonomic remarks under the respective species accounts). Hereafter, the six currently recognised Feihyla members are: F. fuhua , F. inexpectata , F. kajau , F. palpebralis , F. samkosensis comb. nov., and F. vittiger comb. nov.

Morphological grouping of species. Based on phenotypic traits, the present study identifies the following two major species groups in this genus: (1) Feihyla palpebralis group ( F. fuhua and F. palpebralis ), and (2) Feihyla vit- tiger group ( F. inexpectata , F. kajau , F. samkosensis comb. nov., and F. vittiger comb. nov.). Taxonomic accounts of all the recognised Feihyla species provided below are arranged by species-group.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Nest structure and egg clutch morphology in the closely relatedAsian genera Chirixalus, Feihyla, and Rohanixalus. A. Foam nest in genus Chirixalus: an amplected pair of C. simus on a freshly laid foam nest; B. bubble nest in genus Rohanixalus: R. vittatus female with a freshly laid egg clutch; C. jelly-nest in genus Feihyla: eggs of Feihyla fuhua; D. schematic illustration of egg clutch morphology in genus Rohanixalus; E. schematic illustration of egg clutch morphology in Feihyla palpebralis group (Feihyla sensu stricto); F. schematic illustration of egg clutch morphology in Feihyla vittiger group; G. schematic illustration of egg clutch morphology in genus Chirixalus.

FIGURE 4. Distribution of genetically confirmed records of all known Feihyla and Rohanixalus members (indicated by circles) and their respective type localities (indicated by triangles). Numbers corresponding to each species are indicated alongside the distribution spots.