Abstract
In this study, we describe a new species of salamander, Paramesotriton maolanensis sp. n., from the MaolanNational Nature Reserve, Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. The new species is placed in the genusParamesotriton based on morphological characteristics and molecular data. It differs from all other members of thegenus in a number of morphological characteristics, especially in its much larger body size, absence of granularwarts from head and body, largely reduced external eyes and peculiar shape of epibranchia in hyoid apparatus. Weexamined the relationships of nuclear POMC haplotypes between and within the new species and six recognizedspecies. POMC variation and published mitochondrial data suggested that the new species’ closest known relativesare P. longliensis, P. zhijinensis and P. caudopunctatus, and it should be placed into the P. caudopunctatus species group or subgenus Allomesotriton.References
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