Description of two cryptic species of the Amolops ricketti group (Anura, Ranidae) from southeastern China

By

Lyu, Zhi-Tong
Huang, Lin-Sheng
Wang, Jian (Herpetologist)
Li, Yuan-Qiu
Chen, Hong-Hui
Qi, Shuo
Wang, Ying-Yong

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

812

Pages

133--156

Subjects

Amolops sinensis sp. n. Amolops yatseni sp

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.812.29956

 

Abstract

Two cryptic species, which were previously reported as Amolopsricketti, are revealed on the basis of significant morphological and genetic divergences. Amolopssinensissp. n. from central Guangdong, northeastern Guangxi and southwestern Hunan can be distinguished by the longitudinal glandular folds on the skin of the shoulders and other character combinations. Amolopsyatsenisp. n. from the coastal hills of west Guangdong can be distinguished by the dense tiny round translucent, or white, spines on the dorsal skin of the body, dorsal and dorsolateral skin of the limbs, and other character combinations. The phylogenetic interrelationships of the A.ricketti group have been inferred as (A.wuyiensis + A.ricketti) + (A.yunkaiensis + (A.albispinus + (A.sinensissp. n. + A.yatsenisp. n.))). This work indicates that the current records of A.ricketti might be a species complex composed of multiple species, and further work is needed to figure out this puzzle.