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| Kurixalus qionglaiensis Guo, Zhong, Leung, Wang & Hu, 2022 Qionglai Frilled Tree Frog | 邛崃原指树蛙 || DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.293 |
Combining morphological and molecular data, we describe a new amphibian species of the genus Kurixalus Ye, Fei, & Dubois, 1999 from the Qionglai Mountain within the western margin of the Sichuan Basin in China. Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed based on a combination of the following morphological characters: medium-sized within genus (snout-vent length (SVL) in males 28.9−33.3 mm); tympanum distinct, subequal to half of eye diameter; snout pointed, prominence on tip; iris golden with brown spots; slight nuptial pad on first finger in males; background coloration of dorsal surface brown, lateral body and femoral yellow; white, dark brown edged triangular markings on cheek; chin shaded dark brown; pair of large symmetrical dark patches on chest; belly clouded brown and scattered black spots; toes moderately webbed, formula Ⅰ 2–2 Ⅱ 1.5–2.5 Ⅲ 1.5–2.5 Ⅳ 2.5–1.5 Ⅴ; tibia length slightly shorter than half of SVL, tibiotarsal articulation reaching posterior border of eye; single external vocal sac present. Based on the 16S rRNA gene, the genetic distance between the new species and its sister taxon K. idiootocus (Kuramoto & Wang, 1987) was 4%. At present, the new species is known only from a single location at an elevation of ~600 m in Pingle Town, Qionglai City, Sichuan, southwestern China. This location can represent a new northernmost geographical limit of the genus Kurixalus.
Seven tree frogs were collected in the Qionglai Mountains of Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Although these frogs were morphologically similar to frilled tree frogs (genus Kurixalus Ye, Fei, & Dubois, 1999) from the mountains of southern China, northeast India, Indochina, and Indonesia (Figure 1A), no species in the genus has been recorded north of N30°. Based on a combination of morphological characters and molecular data (see detailed comparison below), these specimens are described as a new species herein, named Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. This species represents a sister taxon to K. idiootocus (Kuramoto & Wang, 1987), with a mean 16S rRNA genetic distance of 4%, which is sufficient to indicate species-level divergence in Anura (Vieites et al., 2009).
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| Bayesian inference tree based on concatenated sequences of 16S rRNA gene. Node support is presented as Bayesian posterior probability (PP). Specimens are indicated by the GenBank accession Nos. |
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| A: Current distribution map of the genus Kurixalus, retrieved from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; iucn.org). Localities of species classified as Clade A in this study: (1) Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov.; (2) K. raoi; (3) K. lenquanensis; (4) K. gracilloides; (5) K. eiffingeri; (6) K. idiootocus; (7) K. berylliniris; and (8) K. wangi. |
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| Adult male Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. (holotype CIB 118031) in preservative. B: Dorsal view. C: Ventral view. D. Left hand. E: Right foot. F: Dorsolateral view of Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. (paratype CIB 118032) in life. G: Bamboo and scrub forests near stream at type locality. A: Current distribution map of the genus Kurixalus, retrieved from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; iucn.org). Localities of species classified as Clade A in this study: (1) Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov.; (2) K. raoi; (3) K. lenquanensis; (4) K. gracilloides; (5) K. eiffingeri; (6) K. idiootocus; (7) K. berylliniris; and (8) K. wangi. Photos by K. W. Leung, M.-J. Zhong, and C.-P. Guo. |
Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. Guo, Zhong, Leung, Wang & Hu
Qionglai Frilled Tree Frog
Qióng Lái Yuán Zhǐ Shù Wā (邛崃原指树蛙).
Diagnosis: The new species is assigned to the Kurixalus genus based on the following morphological characters: small body size; vomerine teeth present; inner and outer fingers not opposed; serrated dermal fringes along outer edge of forearm and tarsus; rough dorsal and lateral surface with tubercles; white tipped dermal tubercles on posterior thigh (Fei et al., 2009; Zeng et al., 2021).
Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: medium-sized within genus (SVL: 28.9–33.3 mm in adult males; n=7); snout pointed and projecting; tympanum subequal to half of eye diameter; iris golden with brown spots; weak nuptial pad present on first finger in males; background coloration of dorsal surface brown, lateral body and femoral yellow; white, dark brown edged triangular markings on cheek; chin shaded dark brown; pair of large symmetrical dark patches present on chest; ventral surface shaded brown; toes moderately webbed, formula Ⅰ 2–2 Ⅱ 1.5–2.5 Ⅲ 1.5–2.5 Ⅳ 2.5–1.5 Ⅴ; tibia length slightly shorter than half of SVL, tibiotarsal articulation reaching posterior border of eye; single external vocal sac present.
Etymology: The specific epithet “qionglaiensis” refers to the locality of the holotype in the Qionglai Mountain, Sichuan Province, southwestern China.
Ecological and natural history notes: Loud calls from adult males were heard during the field survey. Four individuals were found calling on shrub leaves ~0.5 m above the ground in a bamboo forest (Figure 1F). Three other individuals were found sitting on bamboo plants ~1 m above the ground. Bufo gargarizans Cantor, 1842 and Rana omeimontis Ye & Fei, 1993 were also encountered at the type locality.
There were no still water pools or other small water bodies in the surrounding area, but there were many bamboo plants and tree holes in the biotope. Rainfall accumulation in small depressions, tree holes, and bamboo stems could provide favorable conditions for reproductive activity of the new species. However, due to the scarcity of females and eggs discovered during the field survey, other details about reproductive behavior remain unknown.
Distribution: We formally report a new northernmost geographical limit of the genus Kurixalus (Figure 1A). Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. appears to be restricted to bamboo and scrub forests (Figure 1G) at elevations of ~600 m a.s.l., and likely inhabits similar habitats in the Sichuan Basin.
Chun-Peng Guo, Mao-Jun Zhong, Ka Wah Leung, Xiao-Yi Wang, Jun-Hua Hu. 2022. A New Species of the Genus Kurixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Sichuan Province, southwestern China. Zoological Research. 43(1); 90-94. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.293
