Discovery of two new species of Bug-eyed Frogs from Central Vietnam

10/02/2012

Two new species of the genus Theloderma were described from Kon Tum and Lam Dong provinces by scientists from the Australian Museum, University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City, Instutute of Ecology and Biological Resources in Hanoi, and Vinh University in Nghe An Province. The original descriptions of the new species were published in Zootaxa (No. 3125, 2011). Both new species are morphologically similar to the Truongson Treefrog Theloderma truongsonensis (Orlov & Ho, 2005).

The first new species, Misty Moss Frog Theloderma nebulosum Rowley, Le, Hoang, Dau & Cao, 2011, was found in Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, Dak Glei District, Kon Tum Province. This species has the following diagnostic characters: size small (snout-ventral length: 29.2 mm); dorsal skin with scattered, minute asperities; tympanum distinct; digits with large disks; fingers without webbing; dorsum brown with indistinct darker brown longitudinal markings; lateral sides brownish black; upper third of iris pale gold, lower part dark red.

The second new species, Cloaked Moss Frog Theloderma palliatum Rowley, Le, Hoang, Dau & Cao, 2011, was found in Bi Dup – Nui Ba National Park, Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province. This species is characterized by the following diagnostic features: size small (snout-ventral length: 26.1–26.4 mm); dorsal skin with minute asperities; tympanum distinct; digits with large disks; fingers without webbing; dorsum pale to medium brown with darker brown blotches; lateral sides dark brown; upper third of iris pale gold, lower part dark red.

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