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| Amolops sangzhiensis Qian, Xiang, Jiang, Yang & Gui, 2023 |
Abstract
We described a new species of the Amolops mantzorum group (Anura: Ranidae) from northwestern Hunan Province, China based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species differs from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics: moderate body size of SVL 40.3–40.9 mm in adult males (N=3), and 52.6–57.7 mm in adult females (N=3); head length about equal to or larger than head width (HDL/HDW 1.01–1.03); skin on dorsum smooth; dorsolateral folds absent, but developed a series of elongated glands forming an incomplete line; dense small spiny tubercles on lower flanks, and sparse flat tubercles on upper flanks; skin on belly slightly granular, posterior half of ventral surface of thigh glandular; tympanum indistinct, small, covered by glandular skin; presence of dense spiny tubercles around the mouth corner; vomerine teeth present, attached on two oblique ridges; presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of fingers II, III and IV; several protruding tubercles around the cloacal region, with a pair of larger tubercles on sides of the anus; webs on each side of toe IV reaches the region between third subarticular tubercle and digit; and absence of vocal sacs and linea masculine in males.
Keywords: Amolops sangzhiensis sp. nov., morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy, torrent frogs
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| Type specimens of Amolops sangzhiensis sp. nov. in life. A–B: dorsolateral and ventral view of body; C: lateral view of head; D volar view of right hand; E: plantar view of left foot; F: dorsal view of nuptial pad on first finger of left hand; G: schematic illustration of webbing on foot of the male holotype CSUFT 907; H: dorsolateral view of female paratype CSUFT 901; and I: dorsolateral view of male paratype CSUFT 933. Scale bars equal 10 mm (A–E, and H–I) and 5 mm (F), respectively. |
Amolops sangzhiensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Amolops sangzhiensis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners of the A. mantzorum group by the combination of characters: (1) moderate body size of SVL 40.3–40.9 mm in adult males (N=3), and 52.6–57.7 mm in adult females (N=3); (2) head length about equal to or larger than head width (HDL/ HDW 1.01–1.03); (3) skin on dorsum smooth; (4) dorsolateral folds absent, but developed a series of elongated glands forming an incomplete line; (5) dense small spiny tubercles on lower flanks, and sparse flat tubercles on upper flanks; (6) skin on belly slightly granular, posterior half of ventral surface of thigh glandular; (7) tympanum indistinct, small, covered by glandular skin; (8) presence of dense spiny tubercles around the mouth corner; (9) vomerine teeth present, attached on two oblique ridges; (10) presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of fingers II, III and IV; (11) several protruding tubercles around the cloacal region, with a pair of larger tubercles on sides of the anus; (12) webs on each side of toe IV reaches the region between third subarticular tubercle and digit; and (13) absence of vocal sacs and linea masculine in males.
Etymology: The specific name is derived from the type locality of the new species, Sangzhi County.
Tianyu Qian, Jianjun Xiang, Jianping Jiang, Daode Yang and Jian Gui. 2023. A New Species of the Amolops mantzorum Group (Anura: Ranidae: Amolops) from Northwestern Hunan Province, China. Asian Herpetological Research. 14(1); 54–64.
