Pseudophilautus dilmah, a new species of shrub frog (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from a threatened habitat Loolkandura in Sri Lanka

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L.J. Mendis Wickramasinghe
Imesh Nuwan Bandara
Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana
Kamani H. Tennakoon
Sameera R. Samarakoon
Nethu Wickramasinghe

Abstract

A new species of shrub frog Pseudophilautus dilmah is described from the Central Hills of Sri Lanka.  This unique species is distinguished from all the other congeners from a combination of characters; snout rounded in lateral aspect, bluntly pointed in dorsal and ventral aspect, canthus rostralis rounded, vomerine teeth, lingual papilla and nuptial pads absent, dermal fringe distinct on inside of fingers III and IV, small blunt tubercles on metacarpal and ulnar folds, toes basally webbed, interorbital area smooth, upper eyelid prominent tubercles present, anterior and posterior dorsum without horny spinules but tubercles present, upper part of flank weakly granular, supratympanic fold distinct, prominent small calcar present at the distal end of the tibia, throat granular, chest and belly coarsely granular.  Based on comparison of 16s rRNA gene we also show that the species is genetically distinct from other members of Pseudophilautus for which gene sequences are available.  The high rate of deforestation and anthropogenic activities threaten this population in its natural habitat.

 

Article Details

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Articles
Author Biographies

L.J. Mendis Wickramasinghe, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka

L.J. Mendis Wickramasinghe, is the founder, President of the Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, and is the Principal Investigator in the current project. He has close to two decades of field herpetological (reptile and amphibian) experience in Sri Lanka with a focus on taxonomic identifications.  

 

Imesh Nuwan Bandara, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka and Ellangàwa Unity Care for Community and Nature, Hapugoda, Ambathenna, Sri Lanka

Imesh Nuwan Bandara, M.Sc, B.Sc specializing in Zoology at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, with a keen interest in sustainable development, community based conservation, traditional agricultural practices, ethnobotany, local biodiversity and behavioral ecology of herpetofauna and other wild fauna.

 

Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka

Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana, is the Vice-President, and a founder member of the Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, with over 10 years of field herpetological, and birding experience in Sri Lanka. Currently working in several projects on herpetology in the country at the HFS. 

 

Kamani H. Tennakoon, Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Kamani Hemamala Tennekoon, Professor of Molecular Life Sciences, Institute of biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; University of Colombo. Current research interests include, Cancer Molecular Genetics, DNA variation, Molecular Medicine, and Medicinal Plants. 

 

Sameera R. Samarakoon, Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sameera R. Samarakoon (B.Sc. in Biological Science, M.Sc. in Molecular Life Sciences, Post graduate Diploma in Toxicology, PhD in Molecular Biology and Medicinal Chemistry) working as a scientific officer at the Institute of Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

 

Nethu Wickramasinghe, Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Nethu Wickramasinghe, is the Projects Co-ordinator, at the Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, completed the basic degree in chemistry at the University of Delhi. A Teacher and a freelance Nature Writer, currently conducting Phylogentic Research Work, at the IBMBB, University of Colombo. 

 

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