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Boulenophrys puningensis; Boulenophrys hungtai Wang, Zeng, Lyu, Xiao & Wang, in Wang, Zeng, Lyu, Qi, Liu, ... et Wang, 2022. |
Abstract
The hilly region in eastern Guangdong, China lacks comprehensive scientific investigations for decades, especially in terms of herpetofauna. In recent years, several highly threatened amphibians have been gradually discovered from this region. In this work, three new species of the genus Boulenophrys are described, which are endemic from only one or two known localities in eastern Guangdong. These discoveries enrich the diversity of Boulenophrys in eastern Guangdong. With the large number of threatened urodeles and anuran species occurring in this densely populated area, the unique herpetological diversity in eastern Guangdong is facing the impacts of habitat degradation and fragmentation, and conservation actions are urgently required.
Key words: Asian horned toads, conservation, diversity, herpetofauna, taxonomy
Boulenophrys puningensis sp. nov. Wang, Zeng, Lyu, Xiao & Wang
Puning Horned Toad (in English)
Pǔ Níng Jiǎo Chán (普宁角蟾 in Chinese)
Etymology. The specific epithet “puningensis” refers to the type locality of the new species in Puning. Three of the authors of this work (Jian Wang, Hui-Wen Xiao and Can-Rong Lin) chose this nomen in honor of their hometown.
Distribution and natural history. Currently, Boulenophrys puningensis sp. nov. is only known from its type locality, Longkeng Village of Puning. It inhabits flowing montane streams and the nearby forest floor and leaf litter at elevations between 120–300 m. Advertisement calls of males were heard from February until April. Males were found calling in rock crevices in the flowing streams. Tadpoles could be found in this period.
Boulenophrys hungtai sp. nov. Wang, Zeng, Lyu, Xiao & Wang
Hung-Ta Chang’s Horned Toad (in English)
Jiē Yáng Jiǎo Chán (揭阳角蟾 in Chinese)
Etymology. The specific epithet “hungtai” is a patronym in honor of Professor Hung-Ta Chang (=Hong-Da Zhang, 张宏达, 1914–2016), an outstanding botanist who was born in Jiexi.
Distribution and natural history. Currently, Boulenophrys hungtai sp. nov. is known from Mt. Liwangzhang of Jiexi (800–1000 m a.s.l.) and Shuangkeng Forestry Station (500–800 m a.s.l.) of Jiedong, which are ca. 55 km from each other. This toad inhabits flowing montane streams and the nearby forest floor and leaf litter, and is sympatric with Pachytriton brevipes (Sauvage, 1876). Cynops orphicus Risch, 1983 can also be observed in the surrounding area. Advertisement calls of males from Mt. Liwangzhang were heard from November to the following January. A single male (SYS a008576) from Shuangkeng Forestry Station was noticed discontinuously calling on March after the heavy rain. Males were found calling under the leaf litter or in rock crevices in flowing streams
Boulenophrys fengshunensis sp. nov. Wang, Zeng, Lyu & Wang
Fengshun Horned Toad (in English)
Fēng Shùn Jiǎo Chán (丰顺角蟾 in Chinese)
Etymology. The specific epithet “fengshunensis” refers to the type locality of the new species, the Fengshun County.
Distribution and natural history. Currently, Boulenophrys fengshunensis sp. nov. is only known from its type locality, Mt. Tongguzhang of Fengshun. It inhabits flowing montane streams and the nearby forest floor and leaf litter at elevations between 800–1500 m. Boulenophrys fengshunensis sp. nov. is found to be sympatric with Pachytriton granulosus Chang, 1933 and Cynops glaucus Yuan, Jiang, Ding, Zhang & Che, 2013. Advertisement calls of males were heard during April and June. Males were found calling under the leaf litters around the flowing seeps. Tadpoles could be found in this period. Female specimens collected during August had immature eggs; males were not heard calling during this period, but sub-adults were observed.
Jian Wang, Zhao-Chi Zeng, Zhi-Tong Lyu, Shuo Qi, Zu-yao Liu, Hong-Hui Chen, Yu-hong Lu, Hui-wen Xiao, Can-rong Lin, Kai Chen and Ying-Yong Wang. 2022. Description of Three New Boulenophrys Species from eastern Guangdong, China, emphasizing the Urgency of Ecological Conservation in This Region (Anura, Megophryidae). Zootaxa. 5099(1); 91-119. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5099.1.4
