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| Leptobrachella jinshaensis Cheng, Shi, Li, Liu, Li & Wang, 2021 |
Abstract
A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella is described from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses support the new species as an independent lineage deeply nested in the Leptobrachella clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: body size medium (SVL 29.7–31.2 mm in five adult males); dorsal skin shagreened, some of the granules forming longitudinal short skin ridges; tympanum distinctly discernible, slightly concave; supra-axillary, femoral, pectoral and ventrolateral glands distinctly visible; absence of webbing and lateral fringes on fingers; toes with narrow lateral fringes but without webbing; heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibia-tarsal articulation reaching the middle of eye when leg stretched forward. The discovery highlighted the underestimated species diversity in the Leptobrachella toads in southwestern China.
Keywords: Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov., molecular phylogenetic analyses, morphology, Taxonomy
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| Photos of the holotype CIBCS20200516004 of Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov. in life A dorsal view B ventral view C dorsal view of hand D ventral view of hand E ventral view of foot. |
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| Colour variation in Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov. A dorsal view of the male specimen CIBJS20200516002 B dorsal view of the male specimen CIBJS20200516005 C ventral view of the male specimen CIBJS20200516005 D ventral view of the male specimen CIBJS20200516003. |
Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov. is assigned to the genus Leptobrachella based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and the following morphological characters: medium size, rounded finger tips, the presence of an elevated inner palmar tubercle not continuous to the thumb, the presence of macroglands on body (including supra-axillary, pectoral, and femoral glands), vomerine teeth absent, tubercles on eyelids, and the anterior tip of snout with a vertical white bar.
Leptobrachella jinshaensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body of medium size (SVL 29.7–31.2 mm in five adult males); dorsal skin shagreened, some of the granules forming longitudinal short skin ridges; tympanum distinctly discernible, slightly concave; supra-axillary, femoral, pectoral, and ventrolateral glands distinctly visible; absence of webbing and lateral fringes on fingers; toes with narrow lateral fringes and without webbing; heels overlapping when thighs positioned at right angles to the body; tibia-tarsal articulation reaching the middle eye when leg stretched forward.
Etymology: The specific name jinshaensis refers to the distribution of this species, Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, China. We suggest its English common name “Jinsha Leaf Litter Toads” and Chinese name “Jin Sha Zhang Tu Chan (金沙掌突蟾)”.
Yan-Lin Cheng, Sheng-Chao Shi, Jiaqi Li, Jing Liu, Shi-Ze Li and Bin Wang. 2021. A New Species of the Asian Leaf Litter Toad Genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) from northwest Guizhou Province, China. ZooKeys. 1021: 81-107. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1021.60729
