Uperoleia russelli (Loveridge, 1933)

Catullo, Renee A., Doughty, Paul, Roberts, Dale & Keogh, Scott, 2011, Multi-locus phylogeny and taxonomic revision of Uperoleia toadlets (Anura: Myobatrachidae) from the western arid zone of Australia, with a description of a new species, Zootaxa 2902, pp. 1-43 : 19-21

Uperoleia russelli (Loveridge, 1933)

Northwest Toadlet

Glauertia russelli Loveridge, 1933 , Occas. Pap. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 8: 89.

Uperoleia russelli, Tyler, Davies and Martin, 1981 Aust. J. Zool., Suppl. Ser. 79: 19–24.

Holotype. WAM R2608, collected on the bank of Aurillia Creek flowing into the Gascoyne River near Landor Station (24º53’S, 116 º 59 ’E), Western Australia, by L. Glauert (collection date unknown, believed to be 1929).

Paratypes. There are 23 paratypes: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University ( MCZ) 19424–9, SAMA R9723, WAM R 2609–25. Paratype collection details as for holotype.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from congeners by a combination of moderate body size (males 20.9–33.0 mm, females 28.8–32.8 mm SUL) with moderately long limbs (TV/SUL 0.35±0.02 [0.33–0.39]), narrow snout (EN/IN 1.35±0.08 [1.24–1.60]), absence of maxillary teeth, extensively exposed frontoparietal fontanelle, faintly tubercular skin on dorsum, brown dorsal surface with paravertebral series of usually interconnected dark blotches, snout often pale gray, wide ‘V’ behind eyes directed posteriorly and usually bisected by vertebral row of pale tubercles, reddish-orange femoral patches, well-developed parotoid, inguinal, and coccygeal glands; inguinal gland large, rounded, and usually distinct from parotoid gland. Toes extensively webbed to second proximal tubercle on fourth toe ( Fig. 2 d), broadly fringed, and large thin inner and outer metatarsal tubercles.

Description. Moderate body size, squat, and rotund. Head is small with slightly protruding eyes. When viewed laterally, slightly sloping snout and slightly rounded tip; when viewed from above, the sides of the snout gradually come to a broadly rounded point. Canthus rostralis straight and poorly defined; loreal region sloping and slightly convex. Sharply pointed medial projection (synthesis of mentomeckelian bones) that matches notch on upper jaw. Nostrils directed upwards; nares with a slight rim. Anterior corner of eye covered by flap of skin; at dorsal terminus FIGURE 8. Distribution of a) U. glandulosa , b) U. micromeles , c) U. russelli , d) U. saxatilis sp. nov. () and U. talpa (●). Holotype locations are indicated by an arrow.

the skin overlaps the skin of the brow above the eye. Posterior edge of brow projects slightly over skin on side of head. Tympana covered by skin and parotoid glands. Tongue oval and elongate. Maxillary and vomerine teeth absent. Frontoparietal fontanelle extensively exposed. EN larger than IN (EN/IN 1.35±0.08 [1.24–1.60]).

Arms and hands thickly built. Arms are of moderate length (ArmL/SUL 0.42±0.03 [0.39–0.47]) and the fingers are poorly fringed and unwebbed. Finger length 3>4>2>1. Tubercles under fingers extensively developed; one on first and second, two on third and fourth. Palmar tubercles large, prominent and conical. Moderately developed outer palmar tubercle on distal portion of wrist. Nuptial pad of males on inner portion of first finger (beginning 1/3 down finger), extending to base of wrist (¼ along forearm) and slightly encroaching on palmar surface.

Legs moderately long (TL/SUL 0.35±0.02 [0.33–0.39]), and of moderate build. Toe length 4>3>5>2>1. Tubercles under toes moderately developed; one on first and second, two on third and fifth, three on fourth. Toes moderately long, extensively webbed to second tubercle, and strongly fringed ( Fig. 2 d). Poorly developed webbing between the fourth and fifth toes, reaching first tubercle on fifth toe. Large spatulate inner metatarsal tubercle, oriented along fifth toe. Outer metatarsal tubercle thin, spatulate, and oriented perpendicular to foot.

Dorsal and ventral surface slightly granular. Well developed parotoid, inguinal and coccygeal glands; inguinal rounded and rarely extends to parotoid gland. Mandibular gland well developed, discrete from parotid gland but disrupted into at least two sections.

Coloration. Dorsal ground color pale brownish-gray with wide dark brown paravertebral blotches or stripes (if connected) from anterior end of parotoid gland to coccygeal gland. Snout usually pale gray or orange, bordered behind by a wide dark brown 'V' between the eyes directed posteriorly, often extending to above eyes and disrupted in the center by vertebral row of orange tubercles; canthus rostralis often dark. Dorsolaterally along glands a wide broken pale orange-red stripe from nares extending to cloaca (Fig. 7). Lateral surfaces and upper surfaces of limbs with finer spotting, often forming thin irregular blotches; glands and upper surfaces of limbs with an orange wash. Femoral patches red or a reddish-orange when present; groin lacks flash coloration. Ventral surface translucent between finely granular whitish and gray tubercles. Large white tubercles at base of arm; inner portion of thighs translucent and entirely without pigment. Throat of males suffused with gray.

Advertisement call. Figure 6 b and 6c and Table 5 summarize the main features of the call. This species has been recorded producing two calls; a long squelch of 22–38 pulses, and a short squelch of 17–26 pulses. The long call is much more common on nights of high calling activity.

Habitat. Specimens have been collected from under tufts of grass or leaf litter near the edges of creeks and rivers, alluvial flats, and along the lower pebble-strewn slopes of rocky ranges. Appears to prefer flowing rivers and streams versus the ephemeral pools of other arid zone Uperoleia .

Distribution. This species is restricted to the Carnarvon and Gascoyne Regions of Western Australia (Fig. 8b).

Etymology. Named for the property owner in the 1920s where the first specimens were collected, A.R.E. Russell.

Comparisons with other species. Distinguished from all western arid zone species except U. saxatilis sp. nov. by extensive toe webbing, which extends to the second proximal tubercle ( Fig. 2 d). Uperoleia russelli can be further distinguished from other western arid zone Uperoleia by the presence of wide dark paravertebral blotches or stripes which are absent in U. micromeles , U. saxatilis sp. nov., and U. talpa . The paravertebral coloration in U. glandulosa is narrower and restricted to the anterior end of the dorsum.

Remarks. These data present a significant reduction in the described range of U. russelli and illustrates a real lack of knowledge about this species. Prior data on U. russelli indicated an extensive distribution across a huge area. However, over 70% of museum records of U. russelli actually apply to other Uperoleia within the arid zone and U. russelli has only been accurately reported from 11 different localities. Environmental assessments using previous survey work must carefully evaluate historical records for accurate species identification.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Extent of webbing relative to tubercle position on the fourth toe. a) basal webbing, b) webbing extends to the first proximal tubercle, c) webbing extends to halfway between the first and second proximal tubercles, d) webbing extends to the second proximal tubercle.

FIGURE 6. Oscillographs and spectrograms of (a) U. glandulosa, U. russelli (b) long call and (c) short call, U. talpa (d) long call and (e) short call, and U. saxatilis sp. nov. (f) long call and (g) short call.