Bioacoustics of Microhyla taraiensis

Distribution and habitat. Microhyla taraiensis sp. nov is currently known only from its type locality in Jamun Khadi, Jhapa district, Eastern Nepal ( 26.65358o N & 87.91161o E ; 119 m asl). Jamun Khadi is an artificial wetland with a few scattered Sal trees ( Shorea robusta ). This wetland is surrounded by agricultural lands. Rice is planted twice in a year in the area. During our survey work, most of the areas were fallow and only a few plots were planted with rice. Microhyla taraiensis sp. nov. was collected from fallow land near a rice plantation area. We propose to list this species as Data Deficient (DD) under the IUCN Red List criteria ( IUCN 2001 ). Most of the males were detected by the loud calls. Microhyla taraiensis sp. nov. is sympatric with Fejervarya sp., Duttaphrynus sp. and Hoplobatrachus sp. Vocalization. Advertisement calls of Microhyla taraiensis sp. nov. (NHM-TU-17A-0110) were recorded in Jamun Khadi, Nepal on 15th May 2015 between 19:00–23:00. Males start calling at dust and can be heard from approximately 50 m away. The characteristics and structure of a call are shown in Fig. 5 A and 5B. The call sounds were ‘karr…karr…karr….’. Each call consists of several notes, and a total of 10 notes were analyzed from two males. Each note had 13–14 pulses. The intervals between notes and pulses were 0.985±0.106 (1.151 ̶0.818 sec.) and 0.022±0.003 (0.027̶0.015 sec.), respectively. Call duration was 0.75 ± 0.12 (0.688 ̶0.911 sec.). The average dominant frequency was 3305.50 ± 95.46 (3433 ̶3101 Hz). The advertisement call of Microhyla taraiensis sp. nov. was recorded at a water temperature of 25.6°C, a water pH of 4.6, a soil temperature of 28.6°C, a soil moisture of 45%, a soil pH of 6.6, an air temperature of 28.6°C and a relative humidity of 63%.

Range extension of M. nilphamariensis . The molecular analysis revealed that Microhyla species collected from the three populations of central and eastern Nepal formed a single clade in the ML tree. The genetic divergence between Nepalese and type specimens from Nilphamari, Bangladesh is 0.40%. M. nilphamariensis in this study were characterized by the following characters: head length and width almost equal, eye diameter 35% of the head length, upper eyelid 82% of the eye diameter, nostril to eye distance less than one and half times greater than the nostril to snout distance, inter-orbital distance more than one and half times greater than the internarial distance, small oval inner metacarpal, small rounded outer metacarpal tubercle, rounded inner metatarsal tubercle, elongated outer metatarsal tubercle, toes with poorly developed webbing, the absence of digital discs, and irregular back spots present all over the belly ( Fig. 3 D). TABLE ³. Morphological comparison between Microhyla . Taraiensis sp.nov., M. nilphamariensis anđ M. ornata . Description of M. ornata was đeriveđ from Howlađer et al . (2015b) đue lack of voucher specimens. The results are presenteđ as mean anđ stanđarđ đeviation, with minimum anđ maximum range in parentheses. All measurements are given in millimeters (mm). Morphological characters Microhyla taraiensis sp.nov. Microhyla nilphamariensis Microhyla ornata Male (4) Female (³) Male (18) Female (7) Male (6) Female (4) 20.46 2³.7 17.50 19.³7 0 0 :HW 0.90±0.06 0.68±0.17 1.05±0.³1 1.01±0.³³ 0.95±0.0³ 0.97±0.02 (0.9600.8³) (0.8700.5³) (1.6400.61) (1.4600.61) (0.8900.97) (0.9501.00) :SVL 0.29±0.02 0.18±0.07 0.28±0.080 0.25±0.06 0.28±0.01 0.28±0.02 (0.³000.25) (0.2700.1³) (0.4200.17) (0.³100.15) (0.2700.29) (0.2600.³0) :HL 0.³2±0.02 0.41±0.02 0.29±0.06 0.³2±0.07 0.49±0.0³ 0.47±0.0³ (0.³400.29) (0.4³00.³7) (0.4100.20) (0.4500.26) (0.4500.54) (0.4³00.50) UEW:EL 0.67±0.08 1.09±0.4³ 0.87±0.³³ 0.78±0.³1 0.³9±0.0³ 0.³9±0.02 (0.7³00.54) (1.³500.59) (1.5³00.40) (1.2200.41) (0.³400.41) (0.³600.42) :NS 1.³³±0.17 2.12±0.72 1.29±0.28 1.67±0.8³ 1.51±0.2³ 1.60±0.22 (1.4701.15) (2.5701.29) (1.8500.87) (³.³700.91) (1.2401.92) (1.4³01.92) :NS 1.52±0.25 1.98±0.³ 6 1.³³ ±0.44 1.6³±0.82 1.68±0.³6 1.77±0.41 (1.7³01.19) (2.2201.57) (2.7800.86) (³.³100.82) (1.³001.86) (1.³702.³2) :IN 1.4±0.27 1.14±0.1 1.5³±0.³6 1.55±0.³ 6 ³.09 ±0.44 2.87±0.2³ (1.7701.16) (1.2³01.04) (2.2800.72) (1.9701.15) (2.790³.65) (2.60³.12) : HL 0.42±0.05 0.57±0.08 0.64±0.2³ 0.69±0.09 0.41±0.02 0.³9±0.01 (0.4900.³7) (0.6500.48) (1.1600.³5) (0.800.55) (0.³800.4³) (0.³800.41) Hand ( Fig. 3 G anđ 3I ) ( Fig. 3 K) metacarpal tubercle rounđ shapeđ smaller anđ oval shapeđ goblet-shapeđ metacarpal tubercle elongateđ small anđ rounđeđ large, prominent anđ heart-shapeđ ( Fig. 3 H anđ 3J) ( Fig. 3 L) inner metatarsal tubercle rounđeđ rounđeđ elongateđ, large anđ very prominent outer metatarsal tubercle large ovoiđ ovoiđ-shapeđ, minute, anđ inđistinct compresseđ anđ large in size Dorsal colouration light brown, ređ spots all over the đorsal siđe light brown light brown Distributional range 119 masl 7001440m - Advertisement calls of M. nilphamariensis were recorded in Jhuwani, Nepal on 13th May 2015 between 19:00– 23:00. Males start calling after sunset. The characteristics and structure of a call are shown in Fig. 6 A and 6B. The call sounds were ‘karr…karr…karr….’ A total of 10 notes were analyzed from two males. Each note had 19–20 pulses. The interval between notes and pulses were 2.039±0.212 (2.119 ̶1.718 sec.) and 0.016±0.0008 (0. 016– 0.015 sec.), respectively. Each note call duration was 0.357±0.211 (0.506 ̶0.384 sec.). The average dominant frequency was 2595.32±689.85 (3569 2261 Hz). The advertisement call of nilphamariensis was recorded at a water temperature of 25.4°C, a water pH of 4.7, a soil temperature of 27.8°C, a soil moisture of 85%, a soil pH of 6.2, an air temperature of 28.2°C and a relative humidity of 75%. M. nilphamariensis showed a wide range of elevational distribution from 120 to 1690 m in Nepal. All specimens of M. nilphamariensis were observed near rice fields and were sympatric with Fejervarya sp., Duttaphrynus sp., Polypedates sp. and Hoplobatrachus sp.