Paa rarica ( Dubois, Matsui, and Ohler, 2001 )

Shrestha, Biraj, Pandey, Binita, Joshi, Jyoti, Manandhar, Prajwol, Karmacharya, Dibesh, Ohler, Annemarie, Dubois, Alain & O’Connell, Kyle A., 2022, Molecular and morphological identification of frog species collected at Rara Lake in Rara National Park, Nepal, Zootaxa 5168 (2), pp. 222-236 : 230-232

Paa rarica ( Dubois, Matsui, and Ohler, 2001)

Specimens examined: Two male adults (NHM 17A-0118) and (NHM 17A-0119); Two tadpoles (NHM 17A-121, one damaged before fixing W-BS-A004); Figs. 5 , 6

Measurements: SVL = 43.2–44.4 mm, HL = 15.1–15.3 mm, HW = 15.8–15.9 mm, EL = 4.8–5.1 mm, IND = 4.8 mm, IOD = 3.4–3.7 mm, UEW = 3.3–3.7 mm, NS = 3.3–3.5 mm, EN = 2.2–2.6, LA = 7.5–7.9 mm, FLL = 5.1–5.2 mm, HAL = 8.6–9.3 mm, FL = 24.6–25.2 mm, TL = 26.5–26.8 mm, TSL = 13.8–13.9 mm, FOL = 27.2–27.8 mm, F1 = 3.1–3.4 mm, F2 = 4.1–4.5 mm, F3 = 7.1–7.8 mm, F4 = 6.1–6.3 mm, T1 = 4.2–4.3 mm, T2 = 7.2–7.3 mm, T3 = 9.3–9.8 mm, T4 = 14.3–15.2 mm, and T5 = 8.1–8.2 mm.

Diagnostic features: Medium-sized adult specimens with an elliptical snout. The head is slightly wider than long. Canthus rostralis is present and partially obtuse, well-developed supra-tympanic fold and fuzzy tympanum. The loreal region is concave and the nostril closer to the eyes than to the snout. The eyes have patchy iris and rhombus-shaped pupils. The interorbital distance is nearly equal in length to the upper eyelid width. Presence of vomerine teeth and a series of maxillary teeth. The adult males have keratinized black nuptial spines on the first finger (left 14–17 spines, right 14–16 spines), second finger (left 6 spines, right 6 spines), forearm (left 8 spines, right 6 spines), and pectoral region (left 21 spines, right 22 spines).

Finger/toe tips are rounded without discs and toes fully webbed. The relative length of fingers follows the pattern I<II<IV<III. Subarticular tubercles in fingers are distinct. The tibia is nearly equal to or slightly larger than the thigh. The relative length of toes follows the pattern I<II<V<III<IV. The inner metatarsal tubercle is distinct, while the outer metatarsal tubercle is absent. Dorsolateral folds are regular through the anterior half of the body and are intermittent in the posterior half, while a set of uneven glandular tubercles are found scattered over the body. The color of the dorsal surface is light slate gray to orange-yellow with irregular dark brown spots strewn all over. The limb regions have many narrow dark crossbars extending to the tip of fingers and toes. A mid-dorsal line runs through the rear section of the body that seemingly gets wider till the cloacal region. The ventral section of the head is grey to dark brown in appearance, and the limbs, belly, and chest are interspersed with reddish-brown to pinkish-white in color. In ethanol, the dorsal skin color changed to dark brown and the pupil turned faded deep blue.

Tadpoles are semi-transparent in appearance with dark patches near the tail region. They have a pair of prominent eyes, nares, and developing opercula. The total length (TL = 55.68–58.23 mm) is nearly three times the body length (BL = 18.66–19.58 mm). Their oral disc is well developed and discernible with three upper and lowers labial teeth rows. The mouth opening, including the upper and lower jaw sheath, is completely black. Tadpoles have a wider body (BW = 10.20–13.30 mm), nearly twice the tail muscle width (TMW = 5.10–6.65 mm).

Figures

FIGURE 5. The adult male specimens of Paa rarica. (A, C, D, E, & F) specimen NHM 17A-0118; (B) specimen NHM 17A- 0119; (A & B) specimens in life; (C, D, E, & F) specimens in preservative; (A, B, C, & D) dorsal view; (E) ventral view; (E & F) spines on the first and second fingers and chest region.

FIGURE 6. The tadpoles of Paa rarica NHM 17A-121. (A) tadpole in life; (B) tadpole in preservative.