KYARRANUS MOORE (ANURA, LEPTODACTYLIDAE) FROM THE TERTIARY 
OF QUEENSLAND 
Michael J. Tyler 
Department of Zoology. University of Adelaide, Box 498 GPO, Adelaide, South Australia 5001 
Tyler, M.J., 1991:06:30. Kyarranus Moore (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from the Tertiary of 
Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 103 (1): 47-51. ISSN 0035- 
921L 
The first fossil record of the leptodactylid frog Kyarranus Moore is from the Tertiary of 
northwestern Queensland. Sixteen specimens of the new species K. borealis have been re¬ 
covered and described from a series of Oligo-Miocene sites far to the north of the geographic 
range of the three extant congeners. Ilial characters provide evidence to sustain the recog¬ 
nition of Philoria Parker as a distinct genus. 
THE LEPTODACTYLID frog genus Kyarranus 
Moore, 1958 was erected to accommodate the 
species K. sphagnicolus Moore, 1958 from 
northeastern New South Wales, and Philoria lov- 
eridgei Parker (1940) from the adjacent portion 
of southeastern Queensland. A third species 
subsequently was referred to it, K. kundagungan 
Ingram & Corben, 1975. 
Kyarranus is most closely related to the gen¬ 
uinely monotypic Philoria Spencer of Mt Baw 
Baw, Victoria. Each of the Kyarranus and Phil¬ 
oria species is restricted to localised montane 
habitats. The breeding biology is specialised. In 
both genera macrolecithal eggs are laid in moist 
situations out of water. Larval mouthparts are 
rudimentary and development is accomplished 
without feeding (Moore 1961, Littlejohn 1963, 
Anstis 1981). 
Kyarranus has not been reported in the fossil 
record. However, a series of ilia clearly referable 
to this genus has been recovered recently from a 
series of Oligo-Miocene sites at Riversleigh 
Station in northwestern Queensland. In the 
present paper the specimens are described as a 
new species, and the geographic and palaeo- 
climatic significance of the discovery is dis¬ 
cussed. 
MATERIAL AND METHODS 
The fossil material is deposited in the collections 
of the Queensland Museum, Brisbane (QM) and 
the South Australian Museum, Adelaide (SAM). 
Letters following the abbreviations are depart¬ 
mental identifications. 
Comparative studies were based on osteologi- 
cal collections of the Department of Zoology, 
University of Adelaide. Osteological nomencla¬ 
ture follows Tyler (1976). Methods of measure¬ 
ment and orientation of specimens follows the 
techniques described by Tyler (1989). 
Details of sites, stratigraphy, etc. are provided 
by Archer et al. (1989). 
SYSTEMATICS 
Family Leptodactylidae Werner, 1896 
Subfamily Limnodynastinae Lynch, 1971 
Genus Kyarranus Moore, 1958 
The description of the ilial features of the genus 
by Tyler (1976) was based on K sphagnicolus 
and K, kundagungan (reported there as Kyar¬ 
ranus sp.”). Since that date specimens of K. lov- 
eridgei have become available, and they do not 
differ conspicuously from the other species (Fig. 
1). In all species the dorsal prominence and dor¬ 
sal protuberance are particularly well-devel¬ 
oped, and commonly project anteriorly as a 
spine. This feature is unique to Kyarranus. 
Kyarranus borealis sp. nov. 
Fig. 2 
Holotype . QM FI8167, an almost entire left 
ilium collected at RSO Site, Riversleigh Station, 
Queensland. 
Description of holotype. Ilial shaft cylindrical 
and very slightly curved; almost entire. Very 
shallow grooves on medial surface at proximal 
and distal extremities. 
Acetabular fossa very large, deep and with 
prominent rim bounding inferior half. Dorsal 
margin of acetabular fossa situated slightly 
superior to inferior margin of ilial shaft. Pre- 
acetabular zone evenly rounded and moderately 
47 
