Platymantis, GUNTHER, 1858

Brown, Rafe M., Siler, Cameron D., Richards, Stephen J., Diesmos, Arvin C. & Cannatella, David C., 2015, Multilocus phylogeny and a new classification for Southeast Asian and Melanesian forest frogs (family Ceratobatrachidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 174 (1), pp. 130-168 : 143-144

GENUS PLATYMANTIS GÜNTHER, 1858

Type species

Platymantis pliciferus Günther, 1858 , currently considered a junior subjective synonym of Pl. corrugatus (Duméril, 1853) ; subsequent designation by Zweifel (1967).

Diagnosis

Members of the exclusively Philippine genus Platymantis can be distinguished from the three or four known species of Alcalus (with the exception of Al. mariae , all Alcalus occur outside the Philippines) by the (1) absence of interdigital webbing or the presence of highly reduced webbing (vs. presence); (2) presence of median subgular vocal sacs (vs. absence); (3) absence of nuptial pads (vs. presence); (4) presence of supernumerary tubercles on the hands (vs. absence); and (5) presence of metatarsal tubercles on the foot (vs. absence).

Although all Philippine Platymantis are readily diagnosed from members of the genus Alcalus , and selected species of the genus Cornufer , subgenera Cornufer (= Yanuboto), Potamorana , Discodeles , Ceratobatrachus , Palmatorappia , and Batrachylodes (see diagnoses of those clades), characters universally distinguishing Philippine Platymantis from all members of the genus Cornufer (in particular, the subgenus Aenigmanura and species formerly referred to ‘ Platymantis ’ from the Solomon−Bismarck−Admiralty Archipelago, Palau, New Guinea, and eastern Indonesia, Table 3; see species not assigned to subgenus) have not been identified. We are unaware of any morphological synapomorphies for Platymantis , although our phylogenetic analysis provides very strong support (PP = 1.0) for this clade ( Fig. 2, Clade M).

Phylogenetic definition

Platymantis (CCN) is a maximum crown-clade name referring to the crown clade (M) originating with the most recent common ancestor of Pl. corrugatus (synonym Pl. plificerus , the type species of Platymantis ) and all extant species that share a more recent common ancestor with Pl. corrugatus than with Al. mariae or Co. vitiensis .

Content

Philippine taxa (currently 31 species) of the subgenera Platymantis (Tagomukhus, NCN), Lahatnanguri , Tirahanulap , Tahananpuno , and Lupacolus ( Table 3). Numerous Philippine species await description, suggesting that the content of this genus will expand rapidly in the near future ( Siler et al., 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012; Brown et al., 2008, 2012, 2013a, 2013b; Brown & Stuart, 2012).

Comment

The content of the genus Platymantis Günther, 1858 , is hereby restricted to the primary Philippine clade (M) and we apply Cornufer Tschudi 1838 to its sister group (Clade E), which includes the type species of the genus Cornufer , Halophila vitiensis Girard, 1853 . Given that the relationships amongst clades O, N, P, Q, and R show some degree of uncertainty, we have used one specifier from each clade to assure that the phylogenetic definition of the name of Clade M will remain stable.

Etymology

From the Greek adjective ‘platy’, meaning flat and ‘mantis’. The meaning of ‘mantis’ here is confusing; often it is stated that generic names ending in ‘mantis’ are derived from the Greek noun ‘mantis’, a term com- monly meaning prophet or soothsayer ( Liddell & Scott, 1996). However, Günther (1858) specifically stated in his etymology of Platymantis that the Greek noun ‘mantis’ referred to ‘tree-frog’ rather than soothsayer. ‘Mantis’ was applied by ancient Greeks to the species Hyla arborea (a species perceived to be akin to prophets because it produces advertisement calls prior to the arrival of rain; Liddell & Scott, 1996). Kraus & Allison (2007) resolved previous confusion concerning the gender of Platymantis , stemming from Günther’s (1858) mistaken use of both masculine and feminine epithets for the two species included in the original definition of the genus, and R. Günther’s (1999) assertion that Platymantis should be treated as a feminine noun. Günther (1999) stated that ‘According to Günther (1858)... mantis is Greek, of feminine gender, and means tree frog.’ (pp. 327–328), but did not explain his opinion. We follow Kraus & Allison (2007) in considering the gender of Platymantis as masculine.