Elachistocleis araios

Description of the holotype. Adult female (Fig. 4 – 5, 7 A). Body ovoid, skin smooth. Head small, HL 20.2 % of SVL, 85.2 % of HW. Snout prominent, projected beyond the mouth, protruding in lateral view. Tiny eyes, slightly prominent. Nostrils small, laterally oriented. Canthus rostralis slightly concave and convex in loreal. Complete occipital fold. Postcomissural glands poorly developed. Upper jaw projected beyond lower jaw. Arms robust, short, without tubercles, a thick ulnar fold present. Fingers slender, short. Relative lengths of fingers: I <II <IV <III. Subarticular tubercles round. Palmar tubercle longitudinally divided, internal section rounded and external ovoid, four times larger than thenar tubercle. Supernumerary tubercles absent. Lateral fringe on fingers weak. Finger tips rounded, weakly expanded. Posterior extremities without tubercles, tarsal fold present. Legs short, robust. Thigh larger than shank, but shorter than foot length. Toes slender. Relative toes lengths: I <II <V <III <IV. Subarticular tubercles round. Supernumerary plantar tubercles absent. Lateral fringe on toes weak. Inner metatarsal tubercle oval. Outer metatarsal tubercle absent. Toes tips rounded, weakly expanded. Tips of fingers and toes with terminal rounded discs. Interdigital web of hands and foots absent. (Fig. 5 C – D). Measurements of the holotype in mm: SVL 25.7; HL 5.0; HW 6.1; ED 1.8; IOD 2.7; IND 1.4; END 2.1; THL 9.9; TBL 11.0; FL 12.4; HDL 3 5.2; HDL 4 3.6; FAL 4.3; FD 3 0.5; FT 4 0.7. Variation. Measurement from the paratype in mm: SVL 26.1; HL 7.1; HW 6.6; ED 2.8; IOD 2.6; IND 1.6; END 2.3; THL 9.7; TBL 10.7; FL 11.2; HDL 3 7.1; HDL 4 3.4; FAL 4.4; FD 3 0.4; FT 4 0.6. The patterns of coloration and design do not represent major differences except that, in the paratype the dorsal line is thinner and less visible in the anterior direction and absent in the head (Fig. 6, 7 A, 7 B). Coloration of the holotype in life. The coloration of dorsum, thighs, shanks, and arms is light brown with small black patches and tiny yellowish-cream dots. A narrow light cream dorsal line extends from the tip of snout to the vent. A thin dorsolateral line resulting from the combination of brown spots extends from the nostrils to the inguinal region and, creates a clearly marked edge between dorsum and flank colorations. Two inguinal spots are present visible from the dorsum. The posterior surface of thighs has a light cream line extending to the inguinal region. Irregular dark brown lines are distributed in thighs, tibia, and feet and, a slightly cream line running along the back of the thighs and across the urostyle bump. Flanks and ventral surfaces of head are light brown with small yellowish-cream spots. Venter is uniform light yellow anteriorly and grayish-yellow posteriorly. Ventral surface of thighs and arms is yellowish cream with light brown (Fig. 4). Coloration of the holotype in preservative. The coloration of dorsum and forelimbs is uniformly dark brown with few cream spots. The dorsolateral line is not distinguishable; flanks and ventral surface of the head are grayish-cream. The middorsal line is cream, the two black patches on the posterior surfaces of dorsum, the cream line on the thighs, and the irregular dark brown lines in the forelimbs are distinct. The venter is yellowish-cream anteriorly and grayish-cream posteriorly (Fig. 7).