title: A new genus and species of arboreal toad with phytotelmonous larvae, from the Andaman Islands, India (Lissamphibia, Anura, Bufonidae).
abstract: A new bufonid amphibian, belonging to a new monotypic genus, is described from the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, Republic of India, based on unique external morphological and skeletal characters which are compared with those of known Oriental and other relevant bufonid genera. Blythophryne gen. n. is distinguished from other bufonid genera by its small adult size (mean SVL 24.02 mm), the presence of six presacral vertebrae, an absence of coccygeal expansions, presence of an elongated pair of parotoid glands, expanded discs at digit tips and phytotelmonous tadpoles that lack oral denticles. The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of the new taxon (that we named as Blythophryne beryet gen. et sp. n.) was ascertained by comparing its 12S and 16S partial genes with those of Oriental and other relevant bufonid lineages. Resulting molecular phylogeny supports the erection of a novel monotypic genus for this lineage from the Andaman Islands of India.
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001, Uttarakhand, India; Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chandramouli
authors.affiliation: CSIR-CCMB, Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species, Pillar 162, PVNR Expressway, Hyderguda, Attapur Ring Road, Hyderabad 500048, India.
authors.forename: Karthikeyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun-248001, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harikrishnan
authors.affiliation: Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS), Nature House, Gaudasahi, Angul, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Sushil Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Sciences (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
authors.forename: S Jegath
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Janani
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Sciences (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Indraneil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Sciences (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
keywords: Amphibian; bufonid; molecular phylogeny; rRNA; skeletal characters; tadpole