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Issue: Vol. 5057 No. 2: 21 Oct. 2021
Type: Article
Published: 2021-10-21
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5057.2.2
Page range: 181-200
Abstract views: 826
PDF downloaded: 36

Amolops caelumnoctis Rao & Wilkinson, 2007, a Junior Synonym of A. splendissimus Orlov & Ho, 2007 (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae)

Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China 2Key Laboratory of Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China 3Michigan State University, East Lansing 48825, MI, United States
Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia 5Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
Key Laboratory of Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China
Department of Nature Conservation Curator of Herpetology, Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Department of Nature Conservation Curator of Herpetology, Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, UK
EDGE of Existence Programme, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, UK. Asian Turtle Program of Indo-Myanmar Conservation 1806, CT1-C14 Bac Ha Building, To Huu Street, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Western National Nature Reserve of Yunnan Province, Wenshan 663000, Yunnan, China
Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William St, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia 5Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
Key Laboratory of Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China 2Key Laboratory of Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China
Amphibian Ranidae species identification taxonomy China-Vietnam border

Abstract

Amolops splendissimus Orlov and Ho, 2007 and A. caelumnoctis Rao and Wilkinson, 2007 were described almost simultaneously from either side of the China-Vietnam border. The two species share a strong morphological resemblance, and their taxonomic distinctiveness has been questioned, yet no one has confirmed the taxonomic relationship and status between the two taxa. To resolve this taxonomic issue, we collected additional topotypic and near-topotypic specimens of A. splendissimus and A. caelumnoctis from both China (A. caelumnoctis: Wenshan County, Yunnan Province; type locality Luchun County, Yunnan Province), and Vietnam (A. splendissimus: Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province; type locality Mount Ky Quan San, Bat Xat, Lao Cai Province). Molecular analysis based on a 16S rRNA fragment revealed minimal genetic divergences between the two taxa (0.0%–0.4% uncorrected p-distance), and both species are closely related to A. viridimaculatus (2.1%–2.3%) and A. medogensis (3.5%–3.7%). Morphological comparisons between the newly collected specimens and the original descriptions of both species further support the lack of distinctiveness of the two species, hence, we conclude that A. caelumnoctis is a junior synonym of A. splendissimus.

 

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