A new toad of Oreolalax Myers & Leviton, 1962 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Sichuan Province, southwest China

By

Hou, Yinmeng
Zheng, Puyang
Yu, Haoqi
Wang, Bin
Chen, Xiaohong
Xie, Feng

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1212

Pages

109--127

Subjects

16S , COI , Hengduan Mountains , new species , Oreolalax species , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.122222

 

Abstract

A new species of the genus Oreolalax Myers & Leviton, 1962 is described from Sichuan Province, southwest China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial gene sequences clustered the new species as an independent clade nested with O. rugosus, O. liangbeiensis, and O. major. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size moderate (39.8–52.8 mm in male); head broad; tympanum absent; interorbital region with dark triangular pattern; 1/3 toes webbed, with broad lateral fringes, belly smooth, brown yellow or medium yellow scattered variable brown spots; skin on dorsum relatively rough with fine tiny and large warts granules; middle pectoral glands are evident in males; flanks with dark-brown warts granules; upper surface of limbs with dark bars; and iris orange above and creamy-white below. The new species inhabits subtropical alpine scrub and swamp.