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| Odorrana sudianensis Kilunda, Yu, Wu & Che, in Kilunda, Yang, L. T. Nguyen, Le, Suwannapoom, Stuart, S. N. Nguyen, Zuo, Zhang, Duan, Duan, Yu, Wu et Che, 2025. |
Abstract
Species discovery within Odorrana has gradually increased over the years, establishing a remarkable diversity for the genus. During recent herpetological surveys, we collected specimens from Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China with additional samples from Thailand and Vietnam. Based on combined morphological and phylogenetic analyses, we describe a new species Odorrana sudianensis sp. nov. from Sudian Town, Yingjiang County, China and report new records of O. heatwolei for Thailand and Vietnam. Phylogenetic analyses, based on the 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene fragment, confirm the new species as a distinct evolutionary lineage with a genetic divergence (p-distance) of 4.6% from its closest sister species O. dulongensis. Odorrana sudianensis sp. nov. is morphologically distinguishable from all its known congeners by having a robust medium adult body size, a head length longer than wide, a mottled grass-green dorsum with dark brown blotches on the posterior region, absence of dorsolateral folds and circum-marginal grooves for all finger discs expanded with lateroventral grooves. Additionally, the new species record sequences from Thailand and Vietnam nested within the O. heatwolei subclade with a low p-distance (0.0–0.5%) from topotypic sequences of O. heatwolei. Examined specimen shows morphological congruence with topotypic O. heatwolei in key diagnostic traits. Our new species and new species records increase the number of recognised species of Odorrana to 46 in China, seven in Thailand and 23 in Vietnam. We also address existing taxonomic disputes within Odorrana and provide comments and recommendations on the taxonomy of several species within the genus.
Key Words: Odorrana, Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, new species, new species record, Odorrana sudianensis sp. nov., taxonomy
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| Morphology and colour patterns of Odorrana sudianensis sp. nov. in life (holotype KIZ058904, female). A. Lateral view; B. Ventral view; C. Ventral view of hand; D. Dorsal view; E. Dorsolateral view of head; F. Dorsal view of tarsus; photos by Shen-Pin Yang. |
Odorrana sudianensis Kilunda, Yu, Wu & Che, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Odorrana sudianensis sp.nov. is assigned to the genus Odorrana and differs from its congeners based on the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) Robust medium adult body size (SVL 78.9–85.3 mm, based on two females); (2) head length longer than head width (HL/HW 1.08); (3) iris with intricate golden reticulations forming a circumpupillary ring around the periphery; (4) anterior part of dorsum mottled grass green with mottled dark brown blotches covering the posterior region; (5) dorsolateral folds absent; (6) distinct dark brown crossbands on the dorsal surface of limbs; (7) supratympanic fold obvious, weak and short; (8) dorsal and lateral skin slightly granular; (9) tongue cordiform, deeply notched posteriorly; (10) finger discs significantly expanded; (11) circummarginal grooves for all finger discs expanded with lateroventral grooves; (12) inner metacarpal tubercle, large and elongated, two outer metacarpal tubercles, with outer one larger than medial one; (13) supernumerary tubercles below the base of fingers present and rounded; (14) web on toes entirely covered; (15) inner metatarsal tubercle oval and present, outer metatarsal tubercle absent; supernumerary tubercles below the base of toes absent, subarticular tubercles of toes oval and prominent.
Etymology. The specific epithet “sudianensis” is a latinised name referring to the type locality Sudian Town, where the new species was collected. We propose “Sudian odorous frog” and “苏典臭蛙” (Pinyin: Sū Diǎn Chòu Wā) as the English and Chinese common names, respectively.
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| Comparison of morphological characteristics with congeners. A. Dorsal and B. Ventral views of Odorrana sudianensis sp. nov. paratype KIZ058839 (female) in life; C. Dorsal and D. Ventral views of Odorrana dulongensis holotype (male) in life; photos by Shen-Pin Yang and Xiao-Long Liu. |
Felista Kasyoka Kilunda, Shen-Pin Yang, Luan Thanh Nguyen, Manh Van Le, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom, Bryan L. Stuart, Sang Ngoc Nguyen, An-Ru Zuo, Ding-Can Zhang, Zheng-Pan Duan, Pei-Wen Duan, Zhong-Bin Yu, Yun-He Wu and Jing Che. 2025. Unveiling Hidden Diversity in Odorrana (Anura, Ranidae) with Description of A New Species from Yingjiang, China and the First national records of Odorrana heatwolei in Thailand and Vietnam. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101(4): 2337-2356. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.162366
