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| Rhacophorus hoabinhensis
Nguyen, Pham, Nguyen, Ninh & Ziegler, 2017
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Abstract
We describe a new species of Rhacophorus based on two adult specimens collected from Hoa Binh Province, northern Vietnam. Rhacophorus hoabinhensis sp. nov. is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following morphological characters: size small (SVL 31.1–32.5 mm in males); head slightly longer than wide; vomerine teeth absent; snout short (SNL/SVL 0.16); dorsal skin smooth; forearm and tarsus with dermal fringes; dermal appendage at vent present; webbing formula on fingers I12/3-12/3II1-2III1-1IV and on toes I3/4-1II1/2- 1III1/2-1IV1-1/2V; dorsal surface grey yellow with brown spots; lower jaw region dark grey, throat, chest and belly cream; anterior and posterior thighs, as well as ventral surface of tibia orange. The interspecific uncorrected genetic distances (16S rRNA gene) between the new species from Hoa Binh and other analyzed congeners varied from 9.8% to 17.4%. In the phylogenetic analyses, the new species revealed to be a representative of Rhacophorus and was nested within the R. hoanglienensis-orlovi species group.
Keywords: Rhacophorus hoabinhensis sp. nov., karst forest, molecular phylogeny, taxonomy, Hoa Binh Province
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| Figure 2 Dorsal and ventral views of the adult male holotype (IEBR A.2016.18) of Rhacophorus hoabinhensis sp. nov. from Hoa Binh Province, northern Vietnam. |
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| Figure 4 Rhacophorus hoabinhensis sp. nov. in its biotope in Hang Kia–Pa Co Nature Reserve, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam. |
Rhacophorus hoabinhensis sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet “hoabinhensis” refers to
the type locality of the new species, Hoa Binh Province.
For the common names we suggest Hoa Binh Treefrog
(English), and Ếch cây hòa bình (Vietnamese).
Distribution: R. hoabinhensis is currently is known
only from the type locality in Hang Kia–Pa Co Nature
Reserve, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.
Natural history: Rhacophorus hoabinhensis appears to
be closely associated with karstic environment. Specimens
were found at night between 19:00 and 23:30h, near a
small pond. The surrounding habitat was secondary karst
forest, consisting of medium and small hardwoods mixed
with shrubs and vines. Specimens were found on leaves
and branches of trees, about 1.2–1.5 m above the ground.
The advertisement call of the species was not heard. The
air temperatures at the times of collection ranged from
14.8 to 18.9o
C and relative humidity from 84% to 93%.
Other rhacophorid species recorded in Hang Kia–Pa Co
Nature Reserve were Raorchestes parvulus Boulenger,
R. feae Boulenger, R. kio Ohler and Delorme, R. orlovi
Ziegler and Köhler, Theloderma albopunctatum Liu and
Hu, T. gordoni Taylor, and T. lateriticum Bain, Nguyen
and Doan. Females and the tadpole of Rhacophorus
hoabinhensis have not been recorded so far.
Tao Thien Nguyen, Cuong The Pham, Truong Quang Nguyen, Hoa Thi Ninh and Thomas Ziegler. 2017. A New Species of Rhacophorus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam. Asian Herpetological Research. 8(4); 221–234. DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.170046
Ếch cây hoà bình – Rhacophorus hoabinhensis