A REMARKABLE NEW ASTEROPHRYINE MICROHYLID FROG FROM THE
MOUNTAINS OF NEW GUINEA
STEPHEN J. RICHARDS, GREGORY R. JOHNSTON AND THOMAS C. BURTON
Richards, S.J. f Johnston. G.R. & Burton, T.C. 1994 1201: A remarkable new asierophrymc
microhylid frog from the mountains of New Guinea Mtn\oirs of the Queemhmd Museum
37(1): 281-286. Brisbane. ISSN 0079-8835.
Asterophrys leucopus %p. nov. is described from rmdmur.tunc rainforest on ihe slopes of
Stollc Mountain in central New Guinea. It is the second known species of dm genus, hitherto
containing only the poorly known and morphologically bizane A. turpicuia. Asterophrys
leucopus shares with turpicuia fit) cxlrcmely broad head (almost 50% of SVL), and a skull
with a distinct sagittal crest, but lacks elongated, conical spines on the eyelids, prominent
subarticular tubercles of the hands and feet, and has a different mating call. □ Frog, new
species, Asterophrys leucopux, Microhylidae Astcrophryituic, New Guinea.
S.J. Kaiuinh, Zoology Department, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4HU,
Australia; O.K. Johnston, School oj Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South
Australia, PO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia; T. C. Burton, Division
of Biological and Chemical Sciences, LaTrohe Uniwr.siiv, PO Box 199, Betuligo, Victoria
3550, Australia; 15 June J994.
Microhylid frogs are a speciosc group that exhibit
considerable ecological and morphological diver-
sity in the rainforests of New Guinea (Zweifel,
1972). Two subfamilies, Genyophryninae and
Asterophryinae, are recognised in the
Australopapuan region, bui the Asterophryinae are
confined to New Guinea and its satellite islands
(Zweifel 1972). In a recent revision of this subfami-
ly Burton ( 1 986) recognised 43 species in 8 genera,
three of which (Asterophrys, Hylophorbus,
Pherohapsis) were roonotypic.
Zweifel (1972) defined Asterophrys as pos-
sessing fused and rugose nasals, a high, thin sagit -
tal crest on the frontoparietals, and heavy, rugose
squamosals which in some specimens join broad-
ly to the maxillae anteriorly. Burton ( i 986) com-
bined a number of genera (Asterophrys,
Hylophorbus, Mantophtyne, Pherohapsis) in the
tribe Asterophryini, characterised by a highly
crested ilium, absence of muscle fibres from the
dorsal surface of the frontoparietals, reduction of
the m. geniohyoideus lateralis intcmus, a distal
origin of the m tibialis amicus brevis and large
subarticular tubercles. Asterophrys as conceived
by Bunon (19X6) differs from the rest, of the tribe
in possessing two supplementary slips to the m.
intermandibularis, division of the m. adductor
mandibular!*; posterior longus into two segments,
warts on chin large, and the diagnostic characters
described by Zweifel (1972).The discovery of a
second species of Asterophrys allows a refine-
ment of the diagnosis of the genus.
Morphologically, Asterophrys lurpuula »s one
of New Guinea's most distinctive frogs. It is a
large nucrohylid (to 65mm; Parker. 1934) with a
broad head and elongated spines on the eyelids.
Despite its Urge si ze and bizarre appearance, it is
a poorly known species; biological information is
limited to observations on the diet of several
museum specimens (Brongersma, 1953) and the
tantalising observations of F. Parker that this
species 'calls like a kitten** miaow, and bites and
attacks hands quite viciously* (Zweifel, 1972).
Although known from widely scattered localities
in the western half of the island of New Guinea,
A. turpicuia is represented by few specimens in
museum collections (Menzies, 1985).
During surveys of the frog fauna of the moun-
tains of central New Guinea SJR & GRJ made
further observations on A. turpicuia and collected
a new species of Asterophrys from Stolle Moun-
tain in the headwaters of the Scpik River. Here
we describe the new species, and present obser
vations on the biology, mating call and aggressive
behaviour of A. turpicuia.
The new species is a microhylid, confirmed by
possession of (he m. rectus abdominis pars
antcroftecta (Burton. 1980), and an
asierophryinc, exhibiting the symphygnathous
condition (Parker, 1934; Zweifel, 1972). The
crested ilium is typical of the tribe Asterophryini,
as is the exclusion of muscle fibres from the
dorsum of the frontoparietals. This species ex-
hibits the characters unique to Asterophrys within
the tribe e.g. possession of two supplementary
slips to the m. intermandibularis, but the warts on
the chin are smaller than those of A. turpicuia
All of the diagnostic characters ofZweifel (1972)
BioStor
