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| Leptobrachella ventripunctata (Fei, Ye, and Li, 1990) in Wu, Pawangkhanant, Chen, ... et Che, 2021. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.9.e74097 |
Abstract
Background:
Thailand is considered a global biodiversity hotspot that is known to harbour a striking diversity of endemic species. However, several research studies have determined that the level of amphibian diversity in the country has been significantly underestimated. The megophryid genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 is currently known to include 89 species that are primarily distributed throughout southern China and Southeast Asia; however, only seven species have been found in Thailand.
New information:
Based on an integrative approach encompassing genetic and morphological analyses, we have concluded that the population identified from Chiang Rai Province of Thailand is conspecific with Leptobrachella ventripunctata (Fei, Ye, and Li, 1990). Importantly, this is the first confirmation record of this species, based on molecular and morphological evidence in Thailand. The discovery of this species reaffirms that the diversity within the genus has been underestimated with many species yet to be discovered. In addition, the findings of our study further highlight the lack of existing knowledge on amphibian taxonomy and an underestimation of the biodiversity that exists along these national border areas.
Keywords: Megophryidae, national new record, Chiang Rai Province, 16S rRNA
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| Male of Leptobrachella ventripunctata (AUP-00326) in life. A. Dorsolateral view B. ventral view C. lateral view of the head. Photo by P. Pawangkhanant. |
Leptobrachella ventripunctata (Fei, Ye & Li, 1990)
Ecology This species lives mainly in the litter on both sides of streams. An individual specimen was observed at night sitting on the branch of a shrub that was about 1-2 m off the ground in an evergreen forest surrounded by trees near a stream with nearby herbaceous plants (Fig. 5). This species has been associated with the sympatric distribution of Micryletta inornata and Limnonectes taylori.
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| Map showing the new record in Thailand (red circle) and the type locality of Leptobrachella ventripunctata (red star) in China. |
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| Habitat at collection site of Leptobrachella ventripunctata in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. |
Yun-He Wu, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Jin-Min Chen, Wei Gao, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom and Jing Che. 2021. Confirmation of Leptobrachella ventripunctata (Fei, Ye, and Li, 1990), based on Molecular and Morphological Evidence in Thailand. Biodiversity Data Journal. 9: e74097. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.9.e74097
