Tadpoles of four sympatric megophryinid frogs (Anura, Megophryidae, Megophryinae) from Mangshan in southern China

By

Qian, Tianyu
Li, Yonghui
Chen, Jun
Li, Pipeng
Yang, Daode

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1139

Pages

1--32

Subjects

Amphibian , integrative taxonomy , Larvae , Megophrys , Nanling Mountains

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1139.81641

 

Abstract

Sympatric distribution and potentially long larval development time make the assignment of tadpoles confusing in Asian-horned frogs of the subfamily Megophryinae. In this study, we used molecular data to identify four syntopic megophryinid tadpoles from Mangshan on the border between Hunan and Guangdong provinces in southern China: Brachytarsophrys popei, Boulenophrys shimentaina, Bo. cf. ombrophila, and Bo. nanlingensis. A detailed re-description of the Br. popei tadpoles is provided as well as the first descriptions of three Boulenophrys tadpoles based on external morphology and coloration. An effort is attempted to distinguish these tadpoles by coloration patterns: the dorsal pattern, ventral pattern, and pattern on tail are useful for field identification of these tadpoles. However, the variation of color pattern could sometimes make species delineation difficult. Researchers are encouraged to document coloration in life with photographs and the collection of tadpoles of different development stages and sizes advocated in order to better understand how color may change during larval development.