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| Nanorana xuelinensis Liu, Zhang & Rao, 2021 |
Abstract
A new species of Nanorana Günther, 1896 is described from Yunnan Province, China, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Morphologically, Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following diagnostic characters: body size large; adult males with keratinized spines on chest, belly, lateral body, posterior dorsum, buttocks, outer side of the fore limbs, the inner metacarpal tubercle, fingers I and II, and upper eyelids; no spines on the inner side of the lower and upper arm; forelimbs strongly hypertrophied in adult males; anterior dorsum skin smooth; dorsolateral folds absent; finger I longer than finger II; webbing deeply incurved between tips of toes; present outer metacarpal tubercle and absent outer metatarsal tubercle. The new species is separated from all other congeners by uncorrected genetic distances ranging from 5.2% to 7.3% based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and ranging from 3.9% to 7.6% based on mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene.
Keywords: 12S, 16S, morphology, phylogeny, spiny frog, systematic, taxonomy
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| Figure 5. Different views of the male holotype (KIZL2019016) of Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov. in life. |
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| Figure 6. Different views of the female paratype (KIZL2019017) of Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov. in life. |
Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis:
Large body size, SVL 101.7–107.3 mm in adults; adult males with keratinized spines on chest, belly, lateral body, posterior dorsum, buttocks, outer side of the fore limbs, the inner metacarpal tubercle, fingers I and II, and upper eyelids; no spines on the inner side of the lower and upper arm; forelimbs strongly hypertrophied in adult males; tympanum big but indistinct, ca 2/3 of eye diameter; anterior dorsum skin smooth; dorsolateral folds absent; finger I longer than finger II; webbing deeply incurved between tips of toes; no tarsal fold; present outer metacarpal tubercle and absent outer metatarsal tubercle; vomerine teeth distinct.
The living specimens were yellowish brown with distinct or indistinct black spots on the dorsum and sides of the body and the dorsal side of limbs; no band on arms and legs. Ventral surface white with no spots, throat yellow in adult males.
Sexual dimorphism: The forelimbs of adult males are strongly hypertrophied; in addition, adult males have keratinized spines on chest, belly, lateral body, posterior dorsum, buttocks, outer side of the fore limbs, the inner metacarpal tubercle, fingers I and II, and upper eyelids. The forelimbs of adult females are not hypertrophied, and adult females have distinct black spots on the dorsum, lateral body, and the dorsal side of limbs, no keratinized spines on chest, belly, lateral body, posterior dorsum, buttocks, and upper eyelids, and only some keratinized spines on finger I and a few small spines on finger II.
Etymology: The name refers to Xuelin Township, the locality where the new species was found. We propose “Xuelin Paa Frog” or “Xuelin Spiny Frog” for the common English name and “雪林棘蛙” (Xuě Lín Jí Wā) for the common Chinese name of the new species.
Distribution: Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov. is recorded in Lancang County (Pu’er City), Shuangjiang County (Lincang City), and Jinghong City (Xishuangbanna Prefecture), Yunnan Province, China.
Habitat: The type series was found in a still-water pond. At the type locality we found three other species of amphibians: Chirixalus cf. doriae Boulenger, 1893; Raorchestes hillisi Jiang Ren, Guo, Wang & Li, 2020; Tylototriton verrucosus Anderson, 1871a; and three species of reptiles: Calotes emma Gray, 1845; Pareas xuelinensis Liu & Rao, 2021; and Pseudocalotes microlepis (Boulenger, 1887).
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| Figure 7. Habitat of Nanorana xuelinensis sp. nov. at the type locality. |
Shuo Liu, Peisong Zhang and Dingqi Rao. 2021. A New Species of Nanorana Günther, 1896 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from Yunnan, China. ZooKeys. 1048: 49-67. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1048.65620
