Choerophryne is a genus of microhylidfrogs, commonly known as Torricelli mountain frogs, endemic to New Guinea.[1] These frogs are small, with the body length measured from snout to vent between 11 and 23 mm.[2]
The distinction between Choerophryne and the former genus Albericus was based solely on the orientation of the alary processes of the premaxillae, giving the former its distinctive snout. In 2013 a new Choerophryne species was described with an orientation intermediate between the two genera, suggesting Albericus is likely a junior synonym of Choerophryne.[2] Formal synonymisation of the two genera was suggested by Peloso and colleagues in 2016 based on molecular evidence.[3]
The genus name of the junior synonym Albericus is the Latin form of Alberich, the shape-shifting dwarf in the epic poem Nibelungenlied.[4] Several species derive also their specific names from Nibelungenlied, e.g. C. siegfriedi from Siegfried and C. fafniri from Fafnir.[5]
^ abcFrost, Darrel R. (2019). "Choerophryne Van Kampen, 1914". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
^ abKraus, F. (2013). "A new species of Choerophryne (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea, with remarks on the taxonomic status of Albericus". Zoosystematics and Evolution. 89 (2): 283–291. doi:10.1002/zoos.201300014.
^Burton, Thomas C. & Zweifel, Richard George (1995). "A new genus of genyophrynine microhylid frogs from New Guinea". American Museum Novitates (3129): 1–7. hdl:2246/3574.
^Menzies, J. I. (1999). "A study of Albericus (Anura: Microhylidae) of New Guinea". Australian Journal of Zoology. 47 (4): 327–360. doi:10.1071/ZO99003.
