A taxonomic study of Whitehead's torrent frog, Meristogenys whiteheadi, with descriptions of two new species (Amphibia: Ranidae)

Unexpectedly high levels of lineage diversity in Sundaland puddle frogs (Dicroglossidae: Occidozyga Kuhl and van Hasselt, 1822)

One of the most urgent contemporary tasks for taxonomists and evolutionary biologists is to estimate the number of species on earth. Recording alpha diversity is crucial for protecting biodiversity, especially in areas of elevated species richness, which coincide geographically with increased anthropogenic environmental pressures - the world's so-called biodiversity hotspots. Although the distribution of Puddle frogs of the genus Occidozyga in South and Southeast Asia includes five biodiversity hotspots, the available data on phylogeny, species diversity, and biogeography are surprisingly patchy. Samples analyzed in this study were collected throughout Southeast Asia, with a primary focus on Sundaland and the Philippines. A mitochondrial gene region comprising ~ 2000 bp of 12S and 16S rRNA with intervening tRNA Valine and three nuclear loci (BDNF, NTF3, POMC) were analyzed to obtain a robust, time-calibrated phylogenetic hypothesis. We found a surprisingly high level of genetic diversity within Occidozyga, based on uncorrected p-distance values corroborated by species delimitation analyses. This extensive genetic diversity revealed 29 evolutionary lineages, defined by the > 5% uncorrected p-distance criterion for the 16S rRNA gene, suggesting that species diversity in this clade of phenotypically homogeneous forms probably has been underestimated. The comparison with results of other anuran groups leads to the assumption that anuran species diversity could still be substantially underestimated in Southeast Asia in general. Many genetically divergent lineages of frogs are phenotypically similar, indicating a tendency towards extensive morphological conservatism. We present a biogeographic reconstruction of the colonization of Sundaland and nearby islands which, together with our temporal framework, suggests that lineage diversification centered on the landmasses of the northern Sunda Shelf. This remarkably genetically structured group of amphibians could represent an exceptional case for future studies of geographical structure and diversification in a widespread anuran clade spanning some of the most pronounced geographical barriers on the planet (e.g., Wallace's Line). Studies considering gene flow, morphology, ecological and bioacoustic data are needed to answer these questions and to test whether observed diversity of Puddle frog lineages warrants taxonomic recognition.

PL, Lim KKP, Imbun PY, Anuar MSS. An investigation into the taxonomy of Abavorana luctuosa (Peters, 1871) (Anura, Ranidae) and the resurrection of Rana decorata Mocquard, 1890 from Borneo

The taxonomic status of the ranid frog Abavorana luctuosa (Peters, 1871) was investigated using a combination of molecular and morphological data. The analyses revealed that A. luctuosasensu lato is composed of two species in Borneo. One of these species agrees with the description of Rana decorata Mocquard, 1890 which is resurrected in the combination Abavorana decoratacomb. nov. (Mocquard, 1890). Abavorana decorata is recovered as the sister lineage to the remainder of Abavorana and differs by a 16.0–17.0 % uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence from its congeners A. nazgul and A. luctuosa, respectively. It is distinguishable morphologically from A. luctuosa and A. nazgul by its ventral pattern (bold, black and white reticulations on its venter along with bold banding on the underside of hind limbs vs. generally immaculate and spotted in the latter two species), and a prominent white streak beneath the eye and/or tympanum extending to the corner of the jaw. Abavorana decorata further differs from A. luctuosa by having a significantly wider head and snout, larger interorbital and tympanum diameters, longer femur in both sexes, and various combinations of other mensural characters. Both species are sympatric in Borneo and this discovery adds to a growing number of widespread Sundaic species shown to be species complexes with distinct forms in Borneo.

An updated checklist of the amphibian diversity of Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia

The current account presents the results of a 14-day amphibian survey at Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA). With a total of approximately 170 man-hrs, 44 species were detected at four study sites during the field period; four more species were later discovered outside the two-week campaign. The results are compared to the results of previous surveys. Apart from adults, we present the first photographic documentation of the larval stages ofChiromantisinexpectatusand BorneanPhrynoidisjuxtaspera, along with a brief tadpole description; the better-known tadpoles of four more species were recorded. The results of our expedition suggest that nine more species are present at MBCA than reported by previous studies. We present an updated list of known species in the MBCA, comprising 61 species. The species accumulation curve over the 14 days period of the core survey did not show signs of asymptotic saturation. We conclude that the definitive species number for MBCA amphibians has the potential to increase with more thorough surveys in the future.

Hidden species diversity in Sylvirana nigrovittata (Amphibia: Ranidae) highlights the importance of taxonomic revisions in biodiversity conservation

Accurately delimiting species and their geographic ranges is imperative for conservation, especially in areas experiencing rapid habitat loss. Southeast Asia currently has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, is home to multiple biodiversity hotspots, and the majority of its countries have developing economies with limited resources for biodiversity conservation. Thus, accurately delimiting species and their ranges is particularly important in this region. We examined genetic and morphological variation in the widespread frog species Sylvirana nigrovittata (and its long-treated junior synonym S. mortenseni) with the goal of clarifying its taxonomic content and geographic range boundaries for conservation. We present evidence that the current concept of S. nigrovittata contains at least eight species, two of which are each known from only two localities, but that S. mortenseni is more geographically widespread than currently realized. Five of these species are described as new to science.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a taxonomically unstable ranid from Sumatra, Indonesia, reveals a new genus with gastromyzophorous tadpoles and two new species

The presence of an adhesive abdominal sucker (gastromyzophory) allows tadpoles of certain species of anurans to live in fast-flowing streams. Gastromyzophorous tadpoles are rare among anurans, known only in certain American bufonids and Asian ranids. To date,Huia sumatrana, which inhabits cascading streams, has been the only Sumatran ranid known to possess gastromyzophorous tadpoles. In the absence of thorough sampling and molecular barcoding of adults and larvae, it has remained to be confirmed whether other Sumatran ranid species living in similar habitats, i.e.,Chalcorana crassiovis, possesses this larval type. Moreover, the taxonomic status of this species has long been uncertain and its taxonomic position within the Ranidae, previously based exclusively on morphological characters, has remained unresolved. To study the diversity and relationships of these frogs and to establish the identity of newly collected gastromyzophorous tadpoles from Sumatra, we compared genetic sequences ofC. crassiovis-like taxa from a wide range of sites on Sumatra. We conducted bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses on a concatenated dataset of mitochondrial (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and tRNAval) and nuclear (RAG1 and TYR) gene fragments. Our analyses recoveredC. crassiovisto be related toClinotarsus,Huia, andMeristogenys. The DNA barcodes of the gastromyzophorous tadpoles matched adults from the same sites. Herein, we provide a re-description of adultC. crassiovisand propose “C. kampeni” as a synonym of this species. The molecular evidence, morphological features, and distribution suggest the presence of two related new species. The two new species andC. crassiovistogether represent a distinct phylogenetic clade possessing unique molecular and morphological synapomorphies, thus warranting a new genus.

Molecular, morphological and acoustic assessment of the genus Ophryophryne (Anura, Megophryidae) from Langbian Plateau, southern Vietnam, with description of a new species

Asian Mountain Toads (Ophryophryne) are a poorly known genus of mostly small-sized anurans from southeastern China and Indochina. To shed light on the systematics within this group, the most comprehensive mitochondrial DNA phylogeny for the genus to date is presented, and the taxonomy and biogeography of this group is discussed. Complimented with extensive morphological data (including associated statistical analyses), molecular data indicates that the Langbian Plateau, in the southern Annamite Mountains, Vietnam, is one of the diversity centres of this genus where three often sympatric species of Ophryophryne are found, O.gerti, O.synoria and an undescribed species. To help resolve outstanding taxonomic confusion evident in literature (reviewed herein), an expanded redescription of O.gerti is provided based on the examination of type material, and the distributions of both O.gerti and O.synoria are considerably revised based on new locality records. We provide the first descriptions of male mating calls for all three species, permitting a detailed bioacoustics comparison of the species. We describe the new species from highlands of the northern and eastern Langbian Plateau, and distinguish it from its congeners by a combination of morphological, molecular and acoustic characters. The new species represents one of the smallest known members of the genus Ophryophryne. At present, the new species is known from montane evergreen forest between 700–2200 m a.s.l. We suggest the species should be considered Data Deficient following IUCN’s Red List categories.

Undiagnosed cryptic diversity in small, microendemic frogs (Leptolalax) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam

A major obstacle in prioritizing species or habitats for conservation is the degree of unrecognized diversity hidden within complexes of morphologically similar, "cryptic" species. Given that amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of organisms on the planet, our inability to diagnose their true diversity is likely to have significant conservation consequences. This is particularly true in areas undergoing rapid deforestation, such as Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asian genus Leptolalax is a group of small-bodied, morphologically conserved frogs that inhabit the forest-floor. We examined a particularly small-bodied and morphologically conserved subset, the Leptolalax applebyi group, using a combination of molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data to identify previously unknown diversity within. In order to predict the geographic distribution of the group, estimate the effects of habitat loss and assess the degree of habitat protection, we used our locality data to perform ecological niche modelling using MaxEnt. Molecular (mtDNA and nuDNA), acoustic and subtle morphometric differences revealed a significant underestimation of diversity in the L. applebyi group; at least two-thirds of the diversity may be unrecognised. Patterns of diversification and microendemism in the group appear driven by limited dispersal, likely due to their small body size, with several lineages restricted to watershed basins. The L. applebyi group is predicted to have historically occurred over a large area of the Central Highlands of Vietnam, a considerable portion of which has already been deforested. Less than a quarter of the remaining forest predicted to be suitable for the group falls within current protected areas. The predicted distribution of the L. applebyi group extends into unsurveyed watershed basins, each potentially containing unsampled diversity, some of which may have already been lost due to deforestation. Current estimates of amphibian diversity based on morphology alone are misleading, and accurate alpha taxonomy is essential to accurately prioritize conservation efforts.

Systematics and biogeography of the Hylarana frog (Anura: Ranidae) radiation across tropical Australasia, Southeast Asia, and Africa

We present an inclusive molecular phylogeny for Hylarana across its global distribution, utilizing two mitochondrial and four nuclear gene regions for 69 of the 97 currently described species. We use phylogenetic methods to test monophyly of Hylarana, determine relationships among ten putative subgenera, identify major clades, reconstruct biogeographic history, and estimate continental dispersal dates. Results support Hylarana as a monophyletic group originating approximately 26.9MYA and comprising eight clades that partly correspond to currently described subgenera plus two new groups. The African and Australasian species each form clades embedded within a paraphyletic Southeast Asian group. We estimate that Africa and Australasia were colonized by Hylarana s.l. from SE Asia approximately 18.7 and 10.8MYA, respectively. Biogeographic reconstructions also support three separate colonization events in India from Southeast Asia. Examination of museum specimens identified morphological characters useful for delineating subgenera and species. We herein elevate all supported subgenera to genus rank and formally describe two new genera to produce a revised taxonomy congruent with our new phylogenetic and biogeographic findings.

Cryptic anuran biodiversity in Bangladesh revealed by mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences

To survey the diversity of anuran species in Bangladesh, we compared mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences (approximately 1.4 kbp) from 107 Bangladesh frog specimens. The results of genetic divergence and phylogenetic analyses incorporating data from related species revealed the occurrence of at least eight cryptic species. Hoplobatrachus tigerinus from two districts diverged considerably, indicating the involvement of a cryptic species. Two Fejervarya sp. (large and medium types) and Hylarana cf. taipehensis formed lineages distinct from related species and are probably new species. Microhyla cf. ornata differed from M. ornata with respect to type locality area and involved two distinct species. In addition, we found that Hylarana sp. and Microhyla sp. did not match congeners examined to date in either morphology or 16S rRNA sequence. The occurrence of M. fissipes was tentatively suggested. Consequently, at least, 19 species were found from Bangladesh in this study. These findings revealed a rich anuran biodiversity in Bangladesh, which is unexpected considering the rather simple topographic features of the country.