Rana chalconota, (SCHLEGEL, 1837)

Inger, Robert F., Stuart, Bryan L. & Iskandar, Djoko T., 2009, Systematics of a widespread Southeast Asian frog, Rana chalconota (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 155 (1), pp. 123-147 : 129-130

RANA CHALCONOTA ( SCHLEGEL, 1837)

(Previously referred to as Java morphotype)

Hyla chalconotus Schlegel, 1837: 24 – Java.

Rana chalconota Boulenger, 1882: 66 (part); Boulenger, 1920: 201 (part); van Kampen, 1923: 217 (part); Iskandar, 1998: 66; Iskandar & Colijn, 2000: 86 (part).; Stuart et al., 2006: 473.

Clade letters refer to Figure 2 . Clades D and E occur in sympatry.

Rana (Chalcorana) chalconota Dubois, 1992: 328 .

Polypedates junghuhnii Bleeker, 1856 – Java.

The likely types are RMNH 4264 , 5364 (‘Java’). These are the only specimens collected early enough to have been sent to Schlegel by S. Müller. SVL of these types are: females 64.8, 67.7 mm, males 43.6– 49.8 (N = 3) .

Other specimens examined

Java: Bandung (6°57′S / 107°34′E) FMNH 83623-41 , 131052-62 ; Cibodas (6°45′S / 107°01′E) FMNH 172352- 61 , 173623-37 , ZRC 1.2755 ; Pengalengan (7°10′S / 107° 34′E) BM 96.1.23.26-27; Sukabumi (6°55′S / 106°50′E) ZRC 1.6402 - 03 , 1.6405, 1.6505; Desa Sukahami (6°34′S / 106°45′E), near Bogor UTA 53665-66 .

Sumatra: South Sumatra, Pagaralam (3°59′S / 103°26′E) on road to Lahat UTA 53685 ; Lampung, S side of Gunung Rajabasa (5°47′S / 105°38′E) UTA 53686 . ‘ Java-Sumatra’ in Figure 2 .

Diagnosis

A large member of the chalconota group, SVL of females 49.3–73.1, mean 60.05 ± 1.23 (N = 22); males 33.8–49.8, mean 39.02 ± 0.47 (N = 47); leg relatively short for the group, T/SVL 0.50–0.60 (median 0.537, N = 31); nuptial pad in males not constricted; humeral gland in males large, protuberant and visible through skin. Back with (18) or without (15) dark spots. HW/SVL of females 0.30–0.33 (median 0.313, N = 8), of males 0.28–0.33 (median 0.309, N = 21); TYM/SVL of females 0.07–0.08 (median 0.075, N = 8); of males 0.088 –0.129, median 0.113 (N = 24).

Descriptive notes

Head triangular; snout slightly projecting; tympanum slightly depressed relative to surface of temporal region; pineal body faintly visible, slightly anterior to or in line with front corners of upper eyelids; dorsolateral fold narrow; skin of back granular in females, with many fine spinules in males; crossbars on hind limb visible in about half of preserved individuals; rear of thigh brown with obscure, rounded light markings.

Comparisons

Rana chalconota is one of the two largest members of this species complex ( Table 2). Both sexes of this Javan species are larger (SVL) than the continental forms and the small species from Padang, Sumatra ( parvaccola , see below). Females of chalconota are also larger than those of raniceps and of megalonesa (see below) from Borneo ( Table 2). Males of chalconota , however, are smaller than those of the large form from Padang, Sumatra ( rufipes , see below). Rana chalconota (both sexes) has a significantly wider head (HW/SVL) than parvaccola and labialis from Selangor. Females of chalconota have larger heads than those of raniceps and rufipes . Males of chalconota are the only ones in this complex that have conspicuously protruding humeral glands.

This species, and all the other members of the Rana chalconota group, differs from many Sundaland species of Rana (Hylorana), sensu Boulenger (1920) , by its green coloration; this is the case with respect to Rana baramica (Boettger) , R. cubitalis Smith , R. glandulosa Boulenger , R. laterimaculata Barbour & Noble , R. luctuosa (Peters) , R. miopus Boulenger , R. nigrovittata (Blyth) , R. picturata Boulenger and R. signata (Günther) . The R. chalconota group differs from Rana crassiovis Boulenger , R. kampeni Boulenger , R. miopus Boulenger and Odorrana hosii (Boulenger) in the presence, only in the R. chalconota group, of a distinct outer metatarsal tubercle. In all members of the R. chalconota group, the tips of the fingers are much enlarged and that of the third finger is equal to half (males) or almost two-thirds (females) the diameter of the tympanum. In contrast, the tip of the third finger is equal to or less than one-third the diameter of the tympanum in Rana baramica , R. cubitalis , R. glandulosa , R. luctuosa , R. miopus and R. nigrovittata .

Figures

Figure 2. Fifty per cent majority-rule consensus phylogram resulting from mixed-model Bayesian analysis of mitochondrial DNA from frogs of the Rana chalconota species group. Trees were rooted with R. erythraea and R. nigrovittata (not shown). Numbers above and below nodes are Bayesian posterior probabilities and parsimony bootstrap values> 50, respectively. An asterisk (*) indicates a Bayesian posterior probability of 1.00 and parsimony bootstrap value of 100. Maximum parsimony analysis resolved the clades Peninsular Malaysia D [Peninsular Malaysia C (Thailand + Padang Small)], but without bootstrap support.