Two new Huia (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Laos and Thailand

Huia absita, new species, is described from Xe Sap National Biodiversity Conservation Area, southern Laos. Huia absita very closely resembles H. masonii, a species endemic to the Indonesian island of Java about 2,500 km away. The description of the holotype of H. masonii is expanded. Huia absita differs from H. masonii by having an outer metatarsal tubercle, having the third and fifth toes equal in length, and having supernumerary tubercles on the fingers. Huia melasma, new species, is described from Tham Tarn Lot (= Chalerm Rattanakosin) National Park and Kaeng Krachan National Park, western Thailand, and is distinguished by having males with SVL 53.5–55.1, no visible pineal body, a black spot on the side of the snout separated from the black canthal streak extending from nostril to eye, the first and second fingers equal in length, and all toes webbed to base of discs. The description of H. absita and H. melasma brings the number of species of Huia from five to seven.

Fig. 1.

The adult female holotype (BMNH 1947.2.4.2) of Huia masonii (Boulenger, 1884) in preservative. (A) Dorsolateral view. (B) Palmar view of hand. (C) Plantar view of foot

Fig. 2.

Map showing the localities of the type material of (A) Huia masonii (Boulenger, 1884), (B) Huia absita n. sp., and (C) Huia melasma n. sp

Fig. 3.

The adult female holotype (FMNH 258107) of Huia absita n. sp. (A) Dorsolateral view in life. (B) Palmar view of hand in preservative. (C) Plantar view of foot in preservative

Fig. 4.

The adult male holotype (FMNH 215970) of Huia melasma n. sp. in preservative. (A) Dorsolateral view. (B) Palmar view of hand. (C) Plantar view of foot

Fig. 5.

A specimen of Huia melasma n. sp. in life collected at 600 m elevation along Huai Mae Ka Stream on Doi Chiang Dao Mountain, Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand on 16 May 1997. Collected and photographed by Peter Paul van Dijk

Contributor Notes

(BLS) University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Biological Sciences, 845 West Taylor, Chicago, Illinois, 60607-7060; Wildlife Conservation Society, P.O. Box 6712, Vientiane, Laos; and (TC) National Science Museum, Thailand Natural History Museum, Technopolis, Klong 5, Klong Luang, Patumthani, 12120, Thailand. Present Address: (BLS) The Field Museum, Department of Zoology, Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60605-2496; (BLS) bstuart@fieldmuseum.org. Send reprint requests to BLS

Accepted: 06 Dec 2004