Nine new species of microhylid frogs from the Muller Range in western Papua New Guinea (Anura, Microhylidae)

Abstract

We describe nine new species of microhylid frogs in the genera Austrochaperina, Cophixalus, Copiula, Hylophorbus, Oreophryne and Xenorhina from the Muller Range in western Papua New Guinea. Each of the new species differs from congeners by a suite of morphological and acoustic characters. The discovery of so many new species during a survey of short duration (three weeks) and limited geographical coverage suggests that many additional species remain to be detected within this poorly known mountainous region.