Hidden in the bamboo: A new parachuting frog (Rhacophoridae, Rhacophorus) from the borderlands of western China, with comments on the taxonomy of R. rhodopus

By

Lee, Ping Shin
Zhong hua jiao yu wen hua ji jin dong shi hui bian yi wei yuan hui 中华教育文化基金董事会编译委员会
Ouyang, Meng
Ai, Renda
Liu, Xiaolong
He, Yanhong
Huang, Pingqian
Ye, Yingchun
Naveen, R.S.
Yuan, Zhiyong
Chen, Jinmin

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

Zoosystematics and evolution

Volume

100

Pages

851--862

Subjects

Biodiversity hotspot , Frog , Gaoligong Mountains , new record species , new species , systematics

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.120224

 

Abstract

The Gaoligong Mountains are characterized by large variations in elevation and topography, which support high levels of biodiversity and endemism that remain largely understudied. Herein, based on the integration of morphological comparisons and phylogenetic reconstruction, we describe a new species of Rhacophorus from the northern Gaoligong Mountains, Yunnan Province, China. The new species, Rhacophorus dulongensis sp. nov., is morphologically distinguishable from its congeners based on the differences in body size, head length, tibia length, snout and tongue shape, toe webbing formula and coloration, ventral skin texture and coloration, dorsal pattern and coloration, body macroglands, iris coloration, and pattern of markings on flanks. Phylogenetically, it differs from its congeners by uncorrected p-distances of >4.8% for the 16S rRNA gene fragment. Rhacophorus dulongensis sp. nov. is likely to be found in Myanmar, considering its type locality lies close to the China-Myanmar border. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the “widespread” species, R. rhodopus, is a species complex and a composite of five distinct lineages. The results revealed that R. napoensis is also found in Vietnam, making it a new country record for Vietnam. Interestingly, R. dulongensis sp. nov. likely breeds in bamboo, a hidden behavioral characteristic that makes them easy to overlook. Given the ongoing habitat loss and degradation in the region, further biological exploration is urgently needed in the Gaoligong Mountains as a biodiversity reservoir.