Abstract
We review the taxonomy and distribution of Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) species from Vietnam, with a special regional focus on the southern parts of the Annamite mountain range (Kon Tum and Langbian Plateaus, Tay Nguyen highlands) and its foothills. Recent field work in this area revealed specimens of five yet undescribed species, which are differentiated from all congeners by a combination of morphological traits: Microhyla pineticola sp. nov. from Lam Dong and Dak Lak provinces; Microhyla pulchella sp. nov. from Lam Dong Province; Microhyla minuta sp. nov. from Dong Nai Province; Microhyla darevskii sp. nov. from Kon Tum Province; and Microhyla arboricola sp. nov. from Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa provinces. Microhyla annamensis Smith, 1923 is redescribed based on recently collected material. The intrageneric systematic relationships of the new species are discussed. We provide first larval descriptions for four of the new species as well as for Microhyla annamensis Smith 1923. Notes on the breeding ecology and natural history of all above mentioned species are compiled for the first time. With Microhyla minuta sp. nov. and Microhyla arboricola sp. nov. we describe the probably smallest tetrapods currently known from mainland Southeast Asia. The latter species also represents the second record of a phytotelm breeder within the genus Microhyla. A key to the currently known Vietnamese species of Microhyla is provided.
Keywords: Indochina; systematics; Microhyla pineticola sp. nov.; Microhyla pulchella sp. nov.; Microhyla minuta sp. nov.; Microhyla darevskii sp. nov.; Microhyla arboricola sp. nov.; Microhyla annamensis; miniaturization; tadpole; phytotelm breeding
Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Jr., Anna B. Vassilieva, Nikolai L. Orlov, Eduard A. Galoyan, Tran Thi Anh Dao, Le Duong Thi Thuy, Valentina D. Kretova and Peter Geissler. 2014. Taxonomy and Distribution of Narrow-Mouth Frogs of the Genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) from Vietnam with Descriptions of Five New Species. Russian Journal of Herpetology. 21(2):89–148.
