A new species of the horned toad Megophrys Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1822 (Anura, Megophryidae) from southwest China

A species of the genus Panophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from southeastern Guizhou Province, China

Herein, we describe Panophryscongjiangensissp. nov. obtained from the Yueliangshan Nature Reserve, Congjiang County, Guizhou Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COI indicated that this new species represented an independent lineage, closely related to P.leishanensis. The uncorrected genetic distances between the new species and its closest congener, P.leishanensis, were 3.0% for 16S rRNA and 8.4% for COI. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics (1) medium body size (SVL 28.6–33.4 mm in males and 38.4–40.2 mm in females); (2) a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid; (3) the tympanum distinctly visible (TD/ED ratio 0.47–0.66); (4) vomerine teeth absent; (5) the tongue not notched behind; (6) a narrow and unobvious lateral fringe on toes; (7) relative finger lengths II < I < V < III; (8) rudimentary webs on toes; (9) hindlimbs slender, heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; (10) two metacarpal tubercles on the palm, with the inner metatarsal tubercle long and oval-shaped; (11) the tibiotarsal articulation reaching the nostril when the leg is adpressed and stretched forward; (12) dorsal skin rough with numerous orange–red granules, ventral surface smooth; (13) a single internal subgular vocal sac present in males; and (14) in breeding males, weak gray-black nuptial pads with black nuptial spines present on the dorsal surface of the bases of the first and second fingers. To date, the new species is only known from the type locality.

A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) from northwest Guizhou Province, China

A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella is described from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses support the new species as an independent lineage deeply nested in the Leptobrachella clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: body size medium (SVL 29.7–31.2 mm in five adult males); dorsal skin shagreened, some of the granules forming longitudinal short skin ridges; tympanum distinctly discernible, slightly concave; supra-axillary, femoral, pectoral and ventrolateral glands distinctly visible; absence of webbing and lateral fringes on fingers; toes with narrow lateral fringes but without webbing; heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibia-tarsal articulation reaching the middle of eye when leg stretched forward. The discovery highlighted the underestimated species diversity in the Leptobrachella toads in southwestern China.

Description of a new horned toad of Megophrys Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1822 (Amphibia, Megophryidae) from Zhejiang Province, China

A new species of the Asian horned toad genus Megophrys is described from Zhejiang Province, China, based on multiple data. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA indicated the new species as an independent clade deeply clustered into the Megophrys clade. The new species is identified from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size small (SVL 28.4-32.4 mm in males); vomerine teeth absent; tongue not notched behind; tympanum distinctly visible, oval; a small horn-like tubercle present at the edge of each upper eyelid; two metacarpal tubercles distinctly visible in hand; toes without webbing; heels overlapped when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level to middle of eye when leg stretched forward; an internal single subgular vocal sac in male; in breeding male, the nuptial pads present on the dorsal base of the first two fingers.

Description of a new Megophrys Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1822 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Guizhou Province, China

A new species of the genus Megophrys is described from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA indicated the new species as a clade clustered into the Megophrys clade. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size moderate (SVL 40.0-45.5 mm in males and 48.9-51.2 mm in females); vomerine teeth absent; tongue not notched behind; tympanum distinctly visible, oval; a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid; two metacarpal tubercles in hand; toes with rudimentary webbing; heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level of mid-eye when leg stretched forward; in breeding males, an internal single subgular vocal sac present and brownish nuptial pads, made up of black nuptial spines, present on the dorsal base of the first two fingers.

Description of a new horned toad of Megophrys Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1822 (Anura, Megophryidae) from southwest China

A new species of the genus Megophrys is described from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses supported the new species as an independent clade nested into the Megophrys. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size moderate (SVL 49.3–58.2 mm in males); vomerine ridges present distinctly, vomerine teeth present; tongue feebly notched behind; tympanum distinctly visible, oval; two metacarpal tubercles in hand; toes with one-third webbing and wide lateral fringes; heels overlapped when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between tympanum and eye when leg stretched forward; an internal single subgular vocal sac present in male; in breeding male, the nuptial pads with large and sparse black nuptial spines present on the dorsal bases of the first two fingers.