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Issue: Vol. 4300 No. 4: 4 Aug. 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-08-04
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4300.4.5
Page range: 551–570
Abstract views: 158
PDF downloaded: 4

A new species of the genus Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Guangxi, China

College of Forestry, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China
The High School Affiliated to Yunnan Normal University in Yunnan, Kunming 650106, Yunnan, China
Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay pyi Taw 05282 Myanmar
Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney NSW 2010, Australia Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 541004, China
Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 541004, China
Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, Yunnan, China Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay pyi Taw 05282 Myanmar
Amphibia Leptolalax maoershanensis sp. nov. taxonomy Maoershan phylogeny

Abstract

We describe a new species of megophryid frog from Maoershan Nature Reserve in southern China. Leptolalax maoershanensis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: medium size (SVL 25.2–30.4 mm in eight adult males and 29.1 mm in one adult female); head longer than wide; externally distinct tympanum; distinct black supratympanic line present; dorsal skin shagreened with small tubercles and longitudinal folds; distinct dark spots on the flank; creamy-white chest and belly with irregular black spots; grey-pinkish to dark brownish-violet ventral skin of limbs with numerous whitish speckles; distinct ventrolateral glands forming a white line; finger webbing and fringes absent; toe webbing rudimentary and lateral fringes narrow; longitudinal ridges indistinct under toes and not interrupted at the articulations; and a bicolored iris. The new species differs from all known congeners by an uncorrected p-distance of >6.6% at the 16S rRNA gene fragment examined, and phylogenetic analysis clusters the new species with L. laui and L. liui. At present, the new species is known from montane small bamboo forest in Maoershan Nature Reserve at about 1550 m elevation.

 

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