Chirixalus doriae Boulenger, 1893

Nguyen, Tan Van, Brakels, Peter, Maury, Nathanael, Sudavanh, Somchit, Pawangkhanant, Parinya, Idiiatullina, Sabira, Lorphengsy, Sengvilay, Inkhavilay, Khamla, Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon & Poyarkov, Nikolay A., 2020, New herpetofaunal observations from Laos based on photo records, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 248) 14 (2), pp. 218-249 : 226

Chirixalus doriae Boulenger, 1893

Doria’s Foam-nest Treefrog ( Fig. 5A )

Several individuals of C. doriae were observed by N. Maury on 15 July 2017 in Phonghong District , Vientiane Province (18°30.202’N, 102°24.121’E; elevation 190 m asl) ; one other individual was observed by P. Brakels on 3 July 2019 in Champhone District site 1, Savannakhet Province (16°21.500’N, 105°14.229’E; elevation 150 m asl) and two other individuals were observed by N. Maury on 21 August 2019 in Xay District , Oudomxai Province (20°39.598’N, 102°04.241’E; elevation 850 m asl) .

Morphological characters of the individuals from Vientiane, Oudomxai, and Savannakhet provinces agreed well with the descriptions of Taylor (1962), Fei et al. (2010), and Aowphol et al. (2013). The photographed individual ( Fig. 5A ) agrees with the diagnosis of C. doriae in the following characters: small body size, elongated body habitus; snout pointed; canthus rostralis obtuse; loreal region slightly concave; eye large, protruding, pupil horizontal; tympanum round, distinct; supratympanic fold present; 1 st and 2 nd fingers oppose 3 rd and 4 th fingers; tips of fingers and toes expanded into large discs; dorsal surface smooth; ventral surface glandular; coloration of dorsal uniform yellowish with brownish longitudinal stripes, ventral surfaces cream, undersides of thighs yellowish; tips of fingers and toes orange; iris golden.

Ecological notes. Most individuals were observed at ca. 1900–2200 h calling along the road in vegetation overhanging water puddles. Two individuals, male and female, were observed in amplexus at ca. 1.0– 1.5 m from the forest floor, not near any standing water, but during light rain. The surrounding habitat was riparian vegetation and mixed secondary forest with dense shrubs.

Distribution. In Laos, C. doriae has been previously recorded from Louangprabang, Houaphan, Xaignabouli, and Champasak provinces ( Stuart 2005; Ohler and Grosjean 2006). This is the first record of this species from Vientiane, Oudomxai, and Savannakhet provinces. Elsewhere, this species has been reported from India, China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand ( Frost 2020).

Remarks. Until recently this species was assigned to the genus Chiromantis Peters, 1854 , but it is re-assigned to Chirixalus Boulenger, 1893 based on the recent phylogenetic data of Chen et al. (2020).

Figures

Fig. 5. (A) Chirixalus doriae in Xay District, Oudomxai Province; (B) C. nongkhorensis in Khounkham District, Khammouan Province; (C) Gracixalus quangi in Longcheng District, Xaisomboun Province; (D) G. quyeti in Khounkham District, Khammouan Province; (E) Rhacophorus kio in Bortaen District, Xaignabouli Province; (F) R. rhodopus in Mork District, Xiangkhouang Province. Photos by P. Brakels.