Richards, S. & R. Günther

Three new scansorial species of microhylid frogs (Anura: Cophixalus, Oreophryne) from Papua New Guinea. pp. 55-72.

Abstract. Three new scansorial species of the speciose microhylid genera Cophixalus Boettger, 1892 and Oreophryne Boettger, 1895 are described from rainforest habitats on the southern slopes of Papua New Guinea’s central cordillera. The two Cophixalus are small- (adult SUL 20.4–23.2) and moderate-sized (adult male SUL 26.1 mm) species with expanded finger discs that are marginally to substantially larger than the toe discs. The Oreophryne is a large-sized species reaching 38 mm SUL that has finger discs substantially larger than the toe discs. The advertisement calls of each species are described and illustrated. The descriptions of these three species confirm the status of Cophixalus and Oreophryne as the most species rich microhylid frog genera in the New Guinea region. The number of Cophixalus species recognised from New Guinea and immediately adjacent islands now stands at 48, and of Oreophryne at 61, and numerous additional species in both genera await formal description. The high-rainfall belt that extends along the southern flanks of New Guinea’s central cordillera has a rich known frog fauna, and the ongoing discovery and description of previously unknown forms in this region underscores the need to better document and ultimately to preserve this rich but poorly known fauna.

Key words. Amphibia, Anura, Melanesia, systematics, taxonomy, bioacoustics, morphology, central cordillera.