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| Megophrys praestes Mahony, Phimmachak, Seateun, Sivongxay, Hoang, Le, Streicher, Rowley & Stuart, 2026 |
Abstract
The Megophrys subgenus Brachytarsophrys includes the largest species of Asian horned frogs north of the Malay Peninsula. The subgenus comprises two clades known as the feae group and carinensis group. Though the Chinese members of the feae group have been the focus of recent taxonomic studies, little is known of the two members of the carinensis group, M. carinensis and M. intermedia, from Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Megophrys carinensis was long considered to be widespread in China until, relatively recently, some populations were found to represent species of the feae group, indicating that there is widespread confusion regarding the identification of M. carinensis. No sequence data have been available for M. carinensis and M. intermedia from their respective type localities to verify their genetic identities.
In this study, a near complete review of the global knowledge of the carinensis group is provided based on the literature, supplemented with multi-locus molecular phylogenetic analyses and a comprehensive morphological dataset for 35 adult specimens and five juveniles. Recently collected samples from 12 specimens of M. intermedia (including from the Langbiang Plateau) were sequenced, and a minimally destructive archival DNA Illumina protocol was used to obtain the complete mitochondrial genome for a 137-year-old ethanol preserved “topotype” of M. carinensis.
Molecular phylogenetic analyses identified two deeply divergent lineages in M. intermedia, one from the type locality of M. intermedia and a second representing all other previously sequenced populations of M. “intermedia” from outside the upper reaches of the Langbiang Plateau. The morphological data for adult frogs also strongly supported the recognition of two diagnosable taxa within M. intermedia sensu lato. Adults differed in morphometrics and qualitative characteristics, but the tadpoles differed slightly in morphometrics but not in any qualitative characteristics. Detailed taxonomic redescriptions are provided for both M. carinensis and M. intermedia, and a new species of Megophrys from the carinensis group is described. A comprehensive literature review of these three species is provided, identifications of populations are updated, and new information is given on behaviour and habitat association. A counter argument to the recent proposal to treat some of Malcolm Smith’s species epithets as nouns in apposition to the gender of the genus name is provided, clarifying the spelling of M. intermedia (and proposing to reject Alcalus pullus as the valid name for A. tasanae), and correcting the gender of M. carinensis and M. platyparieta. We highlight extensive misunderstandings in the literature regarding the identities of the type series of both M. carinensis and M. intermedia, and revise the geographic distributions of all species based on published and unpublished evidence (including online citizen science data).
Published records of M. “carinensis” from China, Laos, Vietnam, and India are individually reviewed to clarify the taxonomic identities of many of the populations. All Chinese and Vietnamese populations are suggested to represent feae group taxa, and we provide the most complete account of the distribution of this group. Fundamental errors are identified in the original descriptions of all recent feae group species (M. popei, M. orientalis, Megophrys guilinensis comb. nov., Megophrys qiannanensis comb. nov., Megophrys wenshanensis comb. nov., and Megophrys wui comb. nov.), surmising that there is currently insufficient evidence to morphologically diagnose the marginally genetically divergent named populations M. orientalis, M. guilinensis comb. nov. and M. wui comb. nov. as distinct from M. popei, and propose their synonymy. Beyond updates to the identification of populations resulting from this proposed synonymy, provisional updates are recommended for the identifications of more than 30 additional known Chinese populations.
Megophrys intermedia is now range-restricted to upper elevations on the Langbiang Plateau. Based on a review of the species’ extinction threat status, we recommend that it should potentially be considered Endangered, further highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive modern taxonomic redescriptions of historically described species in Southeast Asia.
Amphibia, Anura, Megophryinae, toad, taxonomy, systematics, nomenclature, literature review, natural history, phylogenetics, conservation, Endangered, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
Megophrys praestes sp. nov.
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STEPHEN MAHONY, Somphouthone PHIMMACHAK, Sengvilay SEATEUN, Niane SIVONGXAY, Huy Duc HOANG, Duong Thi Thuy LE, Jeffrey W. STREICHER, Jodi J. L. ROWLEY and Bryan L. STUART. 2026. A Comprehensive Review of the Megophrys (Brachytarsophrys) carinensis group (Amphibia: Megophryidae) reveals A New giant horned frog from Indochina and Evidence for Taxonomic Inflation in the feae Group. Zootaxa. 5854(1); 1-166. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5854.1.1 [2026-07-24]
