modified_Dehling_on the identities of two enigmatic frog taxa from South Sudan_HerPeToZoA.qxd 28.07.2015 14:59 Seite 1 HerPeToZoA 28 (1/2): 39 - 47 39 Wien, 30. Juli 2015 on the identities of two enigmatic reed frog taxa from South Sudan, Rappia papyri Werner , 1908 and Rappia pachyderma Werner , 1908 (Anura: Hyperoliidae) über die Identitäten zweier rätselhafter riedfroschtaxa aus dem Südsudan, Rappia papyri Werner , 1908 und Rappia pachyderma Werner , 1908 (Anura: Hyperoliidae) J. m AxImIlIAn DeHlInG KUrZFASSUnG Die Identitäten zweier riedfroschtaxa werden neubewertet. es wird gezeigt, daß Rappia papyri Werner , 1908 eine eigenständige und valide Art in der H.-nasutus -Gruppe der Gattung Hyperolius ist. Rappia pachyderma Werner , 1908 wird aus der Synonymie mit Hyperolius viridiflavus (DUmérIl & B IBron , 1841) herausgenommen und in die Synonymie von H. papyri gestellt. ABSTrACT The identities of two reed frog taxa are re-assessed. Rappia papyri Werner , 1908 is shown to represent a distinct and valid species in the H. nasutus group of the genus Hyperolius . Rappia pachyderma Werner , 1908 is removed from the synonymy of Hyperolius viridiflavus (DUmérIl & B IBron , 1841) and referred to the synonymy of H. papyri . KeY WorDS Amphibia: Anura: Hyperoliidae; Rappia papyri , Rappia pachyderma , Hyperolius nasutus , Hyperolius viridi - flavus , synonymy, systematics, taxonomy, Anglo-egyptian Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, ethiopia InTroDUCTIon In 1905, Franz Werner conducted a had “not been able to find among the more zoological expedition to the Anglo-egypt - than fifty described species of this large and ian Sudan (“Ägyptischen Sudan”) and the difficult genus the three Sudanese represen - north of the British Protectorate of Uganda tatives” and he had “to assume that they (“nord-Uganda”). He collected mostly be - were still unknown”. However, currently tween Khor Attar (09° 20’ 11” n, 031° 25’ only one of the three species is considered 08” e) and Gondokoro (04° 54’ 09” n, 031° valid ( H. balfouri ), whereas H. pachyder - 39’ 46” e) along the White nile, a region mus is considered a junior synonym of H. which nowadays lies within the political viridiflavus (DUmérIl & B IBron , 1841) boundaries of South Sudan. The results of (lAUrenT 1951) and H. papyri , which for a the expedition were published in a series of long time had been regarded a junior syn - papers, including one about the amphibians onym of H. nasutus GünTHer , 1865 ( noBle and reptiles ( Werner 1908). Werner 1924), is placed “ incertae sedis ” in the (1908) assigned the frogs he had collected genus Hyperolius (CHAnnInG et al. 2002, to 22 species, of which he regarded six as 2013; FroST 2014). new; among them three of the genus Rappia In the course of a study of the taxono - GünTHer , 1865 (= Hyperolius rAPP , 1842): my and systematics of east and Central Af - Rappia papyri Werner , 1908, Rappia pa - rican Hyperolius , the author of the present chyderma Werner , 1908, and Rappia bal - paper examined Werner ’s material depos - fouri Werner , 1908. Werner stated that he ited in the collection of the naturhi stori - modified_Dehling_on the identities of two enigmatic frog taxa from South Sudan_HerPeToZoA.qxd 28.07.2015 14:59 Seite 2 40 J. m. D eHlInG sches museum Wien, Austria (nHmW). The the current taxonomic status of H. pachyder - examination of the Hyperolius types revealed mus as a junior synonym of H. viridiflavus is that H. papyri should be regarded a valid unwarranted; instead, it is herein referred to species within the H. nasutus group and that the synonymy of H. papyri . mATerIAlS AnD meTHoDS Specimens are deposited in the herpe - of web on the preaxial side is given left of tological collection of the nHmW. locality the numeral, that on the postaxial side right and collecting data are presented in the tax - of the numeral, except for the first and last onomic account. digits for which only the number of free The following measurements were phalanges on the postaxial and the preaxial taken with a digital calliper (to the nearest side, respectively, is given. If the webbing 0.1 mm) under a dissecting microscope, extends to the proximal or distal edge of a mostly following DeHlInG (2012): Snout- subarticular tubercle, this is indicated by vent length (SVl, from tip of snout to vent); adding a plus (“+“) or a minus sign (“-”), tibiofibula length (TFl, measured by both respectively, to the number of free pha - knee and tibio-tarsal articulation flexed); langes. If the number of free phalanges thigh length (THl, from vent to knee with varies between individuals, the different thigh being held laterally at right angle to states are listed, from the smallest to the the body and knee flexed); foot length largest number, separated by commas (“,”); (FoT, from proximal end of inner meta - and the percentage x, rounded to a natural tarsal tubercle to tip of fourth toe); head number, of individuals in which the particu - width (HW, measured at corners of the lar state was observed is given in subscript - mouth); head length (Hl, from posterior ed square brackets (“ [x] ”). The webbing of end of mandible to tip of snout); horizontal the holotype of H. papyri is also illustrated eye diameter (eD); eye-to-nostril distance using a diagram, following CHAnnInG et al. (en, from anterior edge of orbit to centre of (2013). Sex was determined by examina - nostril); nostril-snout distance (nS, from tion of the vocal sac and throat region and centre of nostril to tip of snout); internarial comparing them to states observed in distance (nn, distance between centres of series of subadult and adult males of other nostrils); snout length (Sl, from anterior species of Hyperolius (Hyperolius rwandae edge of orbit to tip of snout); interorbital DeHlInG , S InSCH , r ö Del & C HAnnInG in distance (Io, shortest distance between CHAnnInG , H IllerS , l öTTerS , r öDel , upper eyelids); upper eyelid width (eW, SCHICK , C onrADIe , r öD Der , m erCUrIo , maximal width of upper eyelid). To WAGner , D eHlInG , DU PreeZ , K IelGAST & describe the extent of the webbing between BUrGer , 2013, H. viridi flavus , and H. casta - fingers and toes, formulae are given as fol - neus AHl , 1931; specimens from the lows: Digits are indicated by bold roman author’s working collection, University of numerals ( I-IV [fingers] and I-V [toes], Koblenz). Because of the brittleness of the starting from the pollex and the hallux, specimens, the author refrained from an respectively). The digits are separated by examination of the gonads. slashes (“/”). The number of phalanges free reSUlTS The examined material of Hyperolius in HÄUPl et al. (1994) [ GrIllITSCH in litt. papyri consists of the holotype (nHmW 2015. 06.26] and a third individual (nHmW 14847, Figs. 1A, 1B, 1D), specimen nHmW 3704) collected by Werner (1919) during 33144 (Fig. 1C), erroneously referred to as his second Sudan expedition to Kurdufan paratype of Rappia papyri Werner , 1908, (“Kordofan”). The three specimens are very modified_Dehling_on the identities of two enigmatic frog taxa from South Sudan_HerPeToZoA.qxd 28.07.2015 14:59 Seite 3 Identities of Rappia papyri and Rappia pachyderma 41 Fig. 1: A - Dorsal view of the holotype of Hyperolius papyri (Werner , 1908) (nHmW 14847), B - lateral view of the holotype of H. papyri , C - dorsolateral view of the specimen erroneously referred to as paratype of H. papyri (nHmW 33144), D - ventral view of the holotype of H. papyri , e - holotype of Hyperolius pachydermus (Werner , 1908) (left, nHmW 22900, subadult male, SVl 16.3 mm) and syntype of Hyperolius viridiflavus (DUmérIl & B IBron , 1841) (right, nHmW 22896, female, SVl 30.3 mm), F - dorsolateral view of the holotype of H. pachydermus , G - ventral view of the holotype of H. pachydermus , H - head profile of the holotype of H. pachydermus . Abb. 1: A - Dorsalansicht des Holotypus von Hyperolius papyri (Werner , 1908) (nHmW 14847), B - lateralansicht des Holotypus von H. papyri , C - Dorsolateralansicht des irrtümlich als Paratypus von H. papyri bezeichneten exemplars (nHmW 33144), D - Ventralansicht des Holotypus von H. papyri , e - Holotypus von Hyperolius pachydermus (Werner , 1908) (links, nHmW 22900, subadultes männchen, Krl 16,3 mm) und Syntypus von Hyperolius viridiflavus (DUmérIl & B IBron , 1841) (rechts, nHmW 22896, Weibchen, Krl 30,3 mm), F - Dorsolateralansicht des Holotypus von H. pachydermus , G - Ventralansicht des Holotypus von H. pachydermus , H - Profilansicht des Kopfes von H. pachydermus . modified_Dehling_on the identities of two enigmatic frog taxa from South Sudan_HerPeToZoA.qxd 28.07.2015 14:59 Seite 4 42 J. m. D eHlInG similar in their external morphology and 1988). The skin thickens and the increased there is no doubt that they belong to the amount of iridophores causes a light skin same species. The combination of several coloration up to “a brilliant white” at air diagnostic characters (see below) places them temperatures above 37 °C ( KoBelT & l In- in the H. nasutus group of the genus Hyper - SenmAIr 1986) which is the most likely ex - olius and distinguishes them from all other planation for the skin color of the holotype species in the group, as recently defined by of H. pachydermus . Although the dorsal CHAnnInG et al. (2013). Therefore, H. skin of the specimen is generally light, two papyri is regarded here as a distinct, valid silvery-white dorsolateral bands are trace - species. The species is re-described below. able which run from the snout along the Hyperolius pachydermus had been upper eyelids to the groin and are common described by Werner based on a single in species of the H. nasutus group specimen from Gondokoro (holotype, (CHAnnInG et al. 2013), including the nHmW 22900, see also HÄUPl et al. 1994; nHmW specimens of H. papyri . The body Figs. 1e, 1F, 1G, 1H). Werner (1908) stat - except the largely unpigmented parts on the ed that it was female, but it is a subadult thigh and the vocal sac is speckled with male with a still developing gular disc and minute rounded dots which is also the case vocal sac (Fig.