Raorchestes parvulus

Raorchestes parvulus (Boulenger, 1893)

(Figs. 3‒5)

Specimens examined. Five adult males (KIZ 20160365‒20160367, KIZ 20160372, and KIZ 20160373) and a female (KIZ 20160374) collected on 26 April 2018 from Menglun Township (21°54'51.58"N, 101°10'2.68"E, 519 m elevation), Mengla County, Yunnan Province, China.

Morphological description. Measurements are presented in Table 3. Body size small (SVL 18.9‒21.2 mm); HL (6.1‒6.9 mm) shorter than HW (7.4‒7.9 mm); snout rounded, a little shorter (SL 2.5‒2.8 mm) than the diameter of the orbit (ED 2.6‒3.0 mm), but a little longer than IOD; canthus rostalis indistinct; loreal region concave; nostril oval, closer to tip of snout than to eye; IND (1.8‒2.1 mm) narrower than IOD (2.2‒2.6 mm), which broader than UEW (1.8‒2.2 mm); IND almost equal to UEW (1.8‒2.2 mm); pineal spot absent; pupil oval, horizontal; tympanum indistinct, tympanum diameter (TD 0.9‒1.1 mm) smaller than half ED, half SL, and half IOD; supratympanic fold less distinct, curing from posterior edge of eye to shoulder; vomerine teeth absent; tongue notably notched posteriorly; a large external vocal sac.

Forearm and hand length (FHL 9.6‒10.6 mm) generally longer than half body size; fingers short, relative length of fingers: I <II <III <IV; tips of all fingers expanded into discs with circum-marginal and transverse ventral grooves, relative width of discs: I <II <III <IV; webbing absent; subarticular tubercles prominent and rounded, formula 1, 1, 1, 1; supernumerary tubercles absent; metacarpal tubercle indistinct; nuptial pad indistinct.

Heels generally in touch when legs are folded at right angle to body; relative length of toes is I <II <III <V <IV; tips of toes expanded into discs with circum-marginal and transverse ventral grooves; webbed between toes, webbing formula: I2‒ 2II 1.5‒3.25 III2 ‒3.5IV3.25‒ 2V; subarticular tubercles prominent, formula 1, 1, 2, 2, 1; supernumerary tubercles absent; a small inner metatarsal tubercle, oval; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; the tibiotarsal articulation reaches the posterior border of the eye.

Numerous small white warts scattered on top and side of head, upper eyelids, dorsum, flanks, and dorsal surface of limbs; patch of white warts below the vent; throat and ventral part of thigh and tibia smooth; belly and lower surface of the upper arm granular; linea masculina presented in males, whitish.

Coloration in life. Dorsal color pale brown or dark brown, with a dark triangular blotch covering part of interorbital area and occiput and a butterfly-like dark band on the back; two symmetric yellow blotches behind eyes on the back; each side of lumbar region with a dark blotch; arms and legs with more or less distinct dark bars; finger discs and toe discs greyish or faint yellow. Three specimens (KIZ 20160372‒20160374) have a light yellow mid-dorsal vertebral strip running from snout to vent and a light yellow strip along hind limbs, and these two strips cross at vent region; similar strips are absent in other three specimens (KIZ 20160365‒20160367). Ventral surface of body and limbs flesh-colored with white flecks and small dark spots, less so on the lower abdomen; iris brown.

Coloration in preservative. In preservative, yellow faded. Dorsal surfaces of body and limbs greyish or brown, color pattern same as in life; ventral surfaces of body and limbs whitish obscured by many small brown spots and dark brown marblings.

Habitat. In Yunnan, R. parvulus was found calling on bushes (Fig. 6) and there was no pond nearby. Eggs were not observed.