Litoria Tschudi 1838: 77

(Fig. 20)

Synonymy

Lepthyla Duméril and Bibron 1841: 504 (manuscript name listed in synonymy of Litoria by Duméril and Bibron, abandoned by them due to the priority of Tschudi’s Litoria).

Pelobius Fitzinger 1843: 31 (type species also freycineti).

Type species: Litoria freycineti Tschudi, 1838, by monotypy.

Content: 13 species— Litoria axillaris * Doughty, 2011, Litoria coplandi * (Tyler, 1968b), Litoria freycineti * Tschudi, 1838, Litoria inermis * (Peters, 1867), Litoria latopalmata * (Günther, 1867), Litoria nasuta * (Gray, 1842), Litoria nigrofrenata * (Günther, 1867), Litoria pallida * Davies, Martin & Watson, 1983, Litoria personata * Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1978, Litoria spaldingi * (Hosmer, 1964), Litoria staccato * Doughty & Anstis, 2007, Litoria tornieri * (Nieden, 1923), Litoria watjulumensis * (Copland, 1957).

Diagnosis: Litoria can be diagnosed from the sister taxon Coggerdonia by the absence of finger webbing, minimal vs. reduced toe webbing, the presence of an alary process of the hyoid, overall tadpole morphology Type 2, 2A or 6 vs. Type 1, and defined vs. non-defined call duration (nine of 13 species). Refer to Tables 1 and 2.

Distribution and ecology: Terrestrial frogs that breed in ponds, streams, and flooded areas, found in grasslands, forests, woodlands, and heaths or rocky habitats in ranges in eastern and northern Australia and southern New Guinean mainland.

Etymology: Tschudi (1838) did not provide an etymology, and Duméril and Bibron (1841) were also unclear of its meaning, suggesting that it was either derived from the Greek Λῐθος (lithos, which they translate as ‘terre légère’, or thin soil) or Latin litos meaning is or is on the shore (presumably meaning the Latin litus / litoris, which has that meaning). According to Duellman et al. (2016), ‘the generic name is the Latin noun ‘ litoris ’ meaning shore. Inasmuch as Tschudi’s (1838) description was based on material he observed in Paris that was plundered from a British ship leaving Australia, he may have assumed that the frog lived near the shore’. Meagher (2013) also notes the potential for a derivation from the coastline [stating the formation of litoris as being from Greek, as with all other Tschudi generic names: Λῑτός (litos, which he translated as shore, although it actually means simple) and ὅΡος (oros, boundary)], but also suggests potential for the name being derived from the Greek ‘simple’ in allusion to the appearance of the frog. However, it is also possible that Duméril and Bibron were partially correct with their first suggestion, with a derivation from the Greek for stone potentially relating to the mottled brown coloration and rough skin texture of the species. Whatever the origin, assuming a derivation from Greek [either lithos or litos, Latinized with the addition of the suffix – ia, determines the gender as feminine (Article 30.1.3)].

Remarks: Litoria comprises the Litoria coplandi, L. freycineti, L. latopalmata, and L. nigrofrenata Groups of Tyler and Davies (1978).