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| Amolops tanfuilianae, A. sengae A. kottelati, A. attiguus Sheridan, Phimmachak, Sivongxay & Stuart, 2023 ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວ || DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e102475 |
Abstract
The Lao torrent frog Amolops cremnobatus Inger & Kottelat, 1998 was recently hypothesized, based on mitochondrial DNA, to consist of more than a single species across its range in Laos and flanking regions of Vietnam and Thailand. We tested this hypothesis using mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA, and quantitative and qualitative morphological data from adults and larvae. We found corroborating lines of evidence for five distinct evolutionary lineages that we hypothesize to be species. Amolops cremnobatus sensu stricto is restricted to the southeastern portion of its previous range, and remaining populations are described as four new species. Some of the new species are easier to diagnose with morphology as larvae than as adults. Further sampling in northern Thailand may reveal an additional species of this torrent frog complex.
Keywords: Amphibians, frogs, morphology, phylogeny, Southeast Asia, tadpoles
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| Photos in life. A Amolops cremnobatus, B A. tanfuilianae sp. nov., C A. sengae sp. nov., D A. kottelati sp. nov., E A. attiguus sp. nov. |
Amolops cremnobatus Inger & Kottelat, 1998
Suggested Common Names: Inger’s Lao torrent frog (English),
ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວອິງເກີ (Khiat Korpha Lao Inger; Lao).
Amolops tanfuilianae sp. nov.
Suggested Common Names: Fui Lian’s Lao torrent frog (English),
ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວຟຸຍຫຼຽນ (Khiat Korpha Lao Fui Lian; Lao).
Diagnosis: A member of the Amolops larutensis group having the combination of 3–4 vomerine teeth reliably present; relative finger lengths I<II<IV<III; mean ± SE SVL of adult males 32.2 ± 1.5 mm (range 28.0–35.3 mm; n = 51) and of adult females 40.0 ± 1.8 (range 35.0–43.1; n = 47); tadpoles with glands near groin in individuals above S30; tadpoles with BL 15.9 ± 2.8 mm (range 12.9–21.5 mm); and tadpoles with BH 5.9 ± 1.1 mm (range 4.6–8.0; n = 16).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a matronym for Tan Fui Lian, Malaysian herpetologist, illustrator of the holotype of A. cremnobatus (figure 1 of Inger and Kottelat 1998), and wife of the late Robert F. Inger who led the description of A. cremnobatus. Fui Lian’s scientific contributions and her generous hospitality to us and innumerable visitors to the Field Museum of Natural History have had immeasurable positive impacts on Southeast Asian herpetology.
Amolops kottelati sp. nov.
Suggested Common Names: Kottelat’s Lao torrent frog (English);
ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວກົດເຕີລັດ (Khiat Korpha Lao Kottelat; Lao).
Diagnosis: A member of the Amolops larutensis group having the combination of 3–4 vomerine teeth reliably present; relative finger lengths I<IV<II<III; mean ± SE SVL of adult males 33.3–35.0 mm (n = 2) and of adult females 39.0 ± 1.8 (range 38.0–41.7 mm; n = 4); and tadpoles with BL 17.0 ± 0.2 mm (range 16.8–17.1 mm; n = 3).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronym for Maurice Kottelat, Swiss ichthyologist and specialist of the Indochinese fish fauna, collector and co-describer of the types of A. cremnobatus, and collector of the larvae of the new species. Kottelat’s larval collections proved invaluable for the present study, exemplified by A. kottelati sp. nov. being most readily diagnosed by its larval characters.
Amolops sengae sp. nov.
Suggested Common Names: Seng’s Lao torrent frog (English),
ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວແສງ (Khiat Korpha Lao Seng; Lao), เขียดเกาะผาลาว,
กบลายหินเมืองน่าน.
Diagnosis: A member of the Amolops larutensis group having the combination of 2–3 vomerine teeth, sometimes faint or absent; relative finger lengths I <IV<II <III; spinose glands above the arm absent; mean ± SE SVL of adult males 29.8 ± 1.5 mm (range 27.2–31.2 mm; n = 5) and of females 39.2–39.6 mm (n = 2); SNT 4.9 ± 0.3 mm (range 4.4–5.2 mm) in males and 5.2–5.8 mm in females; FTL 14.3 ± 0.7 mm (range 13.1–15.1 mm) in males and 18.4–19.1 mm in females; HND 8.7 ± 0.9 mm (range 7.3–9.6 mm) in males and 11.8–12.0 mm in females; and SHK 17.7 ± 0.9 mm (range 16.2–18.4 mm) in males and 24.0–24.5 mm in females.
Etymology: The specific epithet is a matronym for Sengvilay (“Seng”) Seateun of the National University of Laos, co-collector of much of the new material described here, major contributor to the herpetology of Laos, native of Xaignabouli Province that is home to the type locality of the new species, and cherished friend and colleague of the authors.
Distribution and natural history: This species is known from clear streams with torrents from Vientiane Province, Laos westward across the Mekong River into Xaignabouli Province, Laos. A population from Nan Province, Thailand, is provisionally referred to this species.
Amolops attiguus sp. nov.
Suggested Common Names: Similar Lao torrent frog (English),
ຂຽດເກາະຜາລາວແອດທີກຸສ (Khiat Korpha Lao Sumphan; Lao).
Diagnosis: A member of the Amolops larutensis group having the combination of 2–3 vomerine teeth, sometimes faint or absent; relative finger lengths I <IV<II <III; mean ± SE SVL of adult males 30.2 ± 0.9 mm (range 28.9–31.3 mm; n = 5) and of females 39.2–39.4 mm (n = 2); EYE 4.7 ± 0.3 mm (range 4.1–4.8 mm) in males and 5.3–6.1 mm in females; TEY 0.7 ± 0.1 mm (range 0.5–0.9 mm) in males and 1.1–1.3 mm in females; SNT 4.1 ± 0.1 mm (range 4.5–4.7 mm) in males and 5.4–5.5 mm in females; and FTL 15.8 ± 0.7 mm (range 15.0–16.8 mm) in males and 18.6–18.7mm in females.
Etymology: The specific epithet taken from attigua (L.) for neighboring or adjacent, in reference to the new species’ nested geographic distribution between its morphologically similar relatives A. tanfuilianae sp. nov. and A. kottelati sp. nov. (Fig. 1).
Jennifer A. Sheridan, Somphouthone Phimmachak, Niane Sivongxay and Bryan L. Stuart. 2023. Systematics of the Lao Torrent Frog, Amolops cremnobatus Inger & Kottelat, 1998 (Anura: Ranidae), with Descriptions of Four New Species. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 931-956. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e102475
