A New Species Of Platymantis (Amphibia : Ranidae) From The Sierra Madre Mountains, Luzon Island, Philippines

5 Pages·1999·2 MB·

by  W C Brown

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
I12(3):510-514. 1999.
A
new species of Platymantis (Amphibia: Ranidae) from the Sierra
Madre Mountains, Luzon Island, Philippines
W. C. Brown, A. C. Alcala, P. S. Ong, and A. C. Diesmos
(WCB) Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California
94118, U.SA.; (ACA) Conomission on Higher Education, DAP Bldg., San Miguel Avenue, Pasig
City, Philippines; (PSO) Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon
City, Philippines; (ACD) College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Bafios
College, Laguna, Philippines
—
Abstract. A new species, Platymantis sierramadrensis, from the Sierra Ma-
dre Mountains in the provinces of Aurora and Isabela, Luzon Island, Philip-
pines, is described. This species is distinguished from other Philippines species
of Platymantis (hazelae group) by its pale color, smooth skin, advertisement
call, and other characters given in the diagnosis.
Recent field work in the Sierra Madre tibia length (TiL), third finger length from
Mountains, northeastern Luzon Island, con- proximal edge of basal tubercle (3FL), di-
ducted separately by us in 1996 and 1997 ameter of third finger disk (3FD), and di-
resulted in the collection of 22 specimens ameter of third toe disk (3ToD).
(16 adults and 6 juveniles) of this distinc- Advertisement calls (Fig. 1) were record-
tive frog. These specimens are platymantine ed and analyzed, using a Kay Electrics
frogs based on structure of the pectoral gir- SonaGraph (Model #550) and SIGNAL
dle (Brown 1952) and are referred to the Sound Analysis System software.
hazelae group of Platymantis based on dig-
ital structures (Brown et al. 1997). This spe- Platymantis sierramadrensis, new species
cies is an addition to the list of eight other Fig. 2
species occurring on Luzon and the Central
—
NMPH
and Western Visayas and currently assigned Holotype. 6465, an adult fe-
to this group. The specimens are deposited male, collected by Marisol Pedregosa in
in the California Academy of Sciences disturbed lowland forest at Sitio Mapidjas,
(CAS) and Philippine National Museum Barangay Umiray, Municipality of General
(NMPH). Nakar, Quezon Province, Luzon Island on
29 May 1996.
Materials and Methods Paratypes.—CAS 204738, 204742-45
NMPH
and 5980, 6461-63, 6466-67,
CMNH
Materials examined included holotypes 05678-79, collected in disturbed
of all other species of the hazelae group of lowland forest in Sitio Mapidjas, Barangay
Platymantis from the Philippines. These ho- Umiray, Municipality of Dingalan, Aurora
lotypes with the exception of P. panayensis Province, Luzon Island at the southern end
are in the CAS collections. The holotype of of the Sierra Madre mountains.
—
P. panayensis is in the NMPH—. Referred specimens. CAS 204739-41
NMPH
Morphometric characters. Snout-vent and 6464, 6470-74 from Palanan,
length (SVL), head length (HL), head northern Sierra Madre Mountains, Isabela
breadth (HW), snout length (SnL), diameter Prov., Luzon Island. These specimens are
of eye (ED), diameter of tympanum (TD), in close agreement morphologically and in
VOLUME NUMBER
112, 3 511
t
B
-«f^.'-'W'''».tw>f»vmif»mgmv!fmnmmaf^KvrT9!mmiiF!Mntait^B »I MKHiliiiuiwiiiiiiirimiiUMiiwMiiiiiiiiiiimiMMii
mmm
TIME(sec)
Fig. 1. Audiospectrograms of advertisement calls of (A) Platymantis sierramadrensis (NMPH 6472), (B) P.
subterrestris (CAS 204322), (C) P. montanus (CAS 201705).
512 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Fig. 2. Platymantis sierramadrensis (NMPH 6464) from Sierra Madre National Park, Isabella Province,
Luzon Island. Color (in life), pale yellowish without dark markings on either body or limbs, is shown in this
photograph of a male clinging to a branch of a forest shrub.
advertisement call with the type and para- male; dorsum uniformly off white; dorsum
types. This population at the northern end and venter smooth; abdomen translucent,
of the Sierra Madre needs further investi- some internal organs visible; a conical tu-
gation. It may prove to be a valid subspe- bercle on heel; measurements in mm: SVL
HW
HL SnL ED
cies. — 25.7, 10.0, 9.9, 4.6, 3.6,
Diagnosis. Platymantis sierramadren- TD 1.5, TiL 13.3, 3FL 3.7, 3FD 1.4, 3ToD
sis differs from other members of the ha- 0.9. —
zelae group in having a pale creamy color Description. SVL 22.7-25.2 for 10 ma-
without dark brown or blackish markings ture males and 25.7 for one mature female:
on body or limbs. In preserved specimens, HL 37-42% (mean 39%) of SVL; HW 37-
faint, scattered brownish flecks are evident 42% (mean 40%) of SVL; SnL 17-21%
on dorsal and lateral surfaces. Other char- (mean 19%) of SVL; ED 12-15% (mean
acters are: smooth skin, terminal phalanges 14%) of SVL; TD 5-8% (mean 6%) of
rounded, and finger disks broader than SVL; TiL 49-56% (mean 52%) of SVL;
those on toes, SVL 22.7-25.2 for mature 3FL 14-17% (mean 15%) of SVL; 3FD 5-
males and 25.7 for one mature female; HL 7% (mean 6%) of SVL; 3ToD 3-5% (mean
HW
(39% of SVL) about equal to (40% of 4%) of SVL; tympanum exposed; lore mod-
SVL) for 10 males and one female. erately oblique, concave; vomerine teeth
—
A
Description of holotype. gravid fe- only slightly protruding, patches widely
VOLUME NUMBER
112, 3 513
separated; fingers with minute webs at base; and are devoid of dark pigments, suggesting
fingers except first with broad disks; fingers that the species undergoes direct develop-
with shallow circum-marginal grooves; first ment like other members of Platymantis.
finger shortest, third finger longest, and sec- This female was collected in May, 1996 in
ond and fourth about equal in length; su- Aurora Province. However, rainfall occurs
barticular tubercles large, round, low; a row throughout the year, and breeding activities
of low, inconspicuous supernumerary tu- may also be non-seaso—nal.
bercles on palm; inner, middle and outer Advertisement call. The call of this frog
metacarpal tubercles oval, vague, inner and sounds like "pek-pek-pek" produced in a
middle about equal in size; larger than out- forceful manner. Each note ranges from
er; hind limb long; toes webbed to distal 2500 to 3250 Hz with a duration of 0.05 to
edge of tubercle on first and second, to dis- 0.06 of a second. The time interval between
tal edge of basal tubercle on third, and to notes is about 0.53 to—0.64 seconds (Fig. 1).
midway between tubercles on fifth; disks of Ecological notes. Specimens of this
toes narrower than those of fingers, subar- species were collected in virgin and dis-
ticular tubercles rounded, low; plantar area turbed lowland forest at altitudes of 55 to
smooth; inner metatarsal tubercle elongat- 550 m. They were observed on leaves of
ed, outer vague; dorsum smooth, without low shrubby plants and screw pines from
tubercles; venter generally smooth, coarsely 0.5 to 2.5m above the ground. In Palanan,
granular in some specimens. Isabela (northern part of Sierra Madre),
—
Variations. Based on the limited sam- adult males were observed and heard call-
ple available to us, there are a few small ing in March-April, 1997 while sitting on
differences in the body proportions between leaves of shrubs.
—
the northern (Isabela Province) and the Etymology. The species name is de-
southern (Aurora Province) populations. rived from Sierra Madre Mountains, the
However, it is not possible to say whether type locality. —
these differences are significant because of Comparisons. Platymantis sierramad-
the small samples. The northern population rensis, based on digital characters, belongs
has barely overlapping values for HL/SVL in the hazelae group. This species differs
(40-42 versus 37-40%) and TD/SVL (5-6 from the other species of the group primar-
versus 6-8%) and non-overlapping values ily in the distinctive color pattern. In life,
for 3FD/SVL (16-17 versus 14-15%). The the color appears cream to creamy yellow
two general collecting sites are far apart (ca. (Fig. 1) without the dark markings and/or
200 km) and the forest environment is no areolations on the body and limbs that char-
longer continuous. These populations may acterize other species of this group (Brown
not interact in an—y way. et al. 1997). This species also differs in the
Color (in life). Pale cream without dark appearance of the ventral body wall. It per-
bars or other marks on limbs or body and mits a partial view of underlying organs,
without areolations. especially eggs in gravid females.
—
Color (in preservative). Pale cream In terms of size (SVL) at maturity, based
without dark bars or other marks. Small on those species with samples of fine or
brownish pigment flecks are scattered on more specimens, this species is among
mm
dorsal and lateral surfaces. The specimens those with ranges from about 20 to 28
from the northern Sierra Madre (Isabela for males and with ranges widely overlap-
Province) appear—slightly darker. ping when species are compared (Brown et
Reproduction, The only mature female al. 1997).
in the collections has about 10 ovarian eggs The species of the hazelae group of
mm
of various sizes, the largest being 2.8 Platymantis are known only from the cen-
in diameter. The eggs are yellow in color tral and northern islands of the Philippines
—
514 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
in contrast to the ranges exhibited by the dum for assistance in the laboratory and
guentheri group (throughout the Philip- Andrea Jesse for producing the audiospec-
pines), and the dorsalis group (Philip- trograms. We thank Danilo S. Balete, Ron-
pines, Palau Islands, Melanesia, and New ald Allan Altamirano, Arturo Manamtam,
Guinea). Three of previously recognized Renato Fernandez, Genevieve Gee, Cristi
species of the hazelae group are known Nozawa, Ame Jensen, Finn Danielsen, and
from the central islands and five species Morten Heegard (NORDECO) for allowing
are known from mountain ranges or iso- us to study the specimens from Isabela
lated mountains on the northern island of Province. We also thank Roy Quiber and
Luzon. Platymantis sierramadrensis does
Marisol Pedregosa for collecting the speci-
not change this zoogeographic concept. It mens from Aurora Province. We also thank
simply adds a sixth species of the group W. Pollisco, Director of the Department of
for Luzon Island, a species apparently iso-
Environment and Natural Resources-Pro-
lated in a previously little known moun-
tected Areas and WildUfe Bureau, for his
tain range, the Sierra Madre. Platymantis
assistance.
sierramadrensis is not the first new spe-
cies of this genus to be described from the
Sierra Madres. It is preceded by Platy- Literature Cited
mantis pygmaeus (dorsalis group. Brown
Brown, W. C. 1952. The amphibians of the Solomon
et al. 1998). —
Islands. Bulletin of the Museum of Compar-
Advertisement calls have been recorded
ative Zoology 107(1):1-64.
for three species of the hazelae group (sier- R. M. Brown, & A. C. Alcala. 1997. Species
,
ramadrensis, montanus, and subterrestris). ofthe hazelae Group ofPlatymantis (Amphibia:
The note structure is similar for these three Ranidae) fromthe Ph—ilippines, withdescriptions
species, but the frequencies and intervals of two new species. Proceedings of the Cali-
between notes differ (Fig. 1). forAn.iaC.AcAaldcaelmay, &of AS.cieCn.ceDsie4s9m(o1s1.):4190958-.42T1.wo
,
Acknowledgments new species ofthe genusPlatymantis (Amphib-
ia: Ranidae) from Luzon Island, Philippines.
We wish to thank Robert C. Drewes for Proceedings of the California Academy of Sci-
clearing and staining a specimen, Jens Vin- ences 50(17):381-388.