 |
| Leptobrachella dushanensis Li, Li, Cheng, Liu, Wei & Wang, in S. Li, W. Li, Cheng, Liu, Wei & Wang, 2024. |
Abstract
Background:
The Asian leaf litter toads of the genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) inhabit the forest floor and rocky streams in hilly evergreen forests and are widely distributed from southern China, west to north-eastern India and Myanmar, through mainland Indochina to Peninsular Malaysia and the Island of Borneo.
New information:
A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella from Guizhou Province, China is described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI genes and nuclear RAG1 gene sequences indicated that the new species is genetically divergent from its congeners. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) body of medium size in males (SVL 31.9 – 32.9 mm); (2) distinct black spots present on flanks; (3) toes rudimentarily webbed, with wide lateral fringes; (4) skin on dorsum shagreened with fine tiny granules and short ridges; (5) heels overlapped when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; (6) tibia-tarsal articulation reaching interior corner of the eye.
Keywords: Taxonomy, molecular phylogenetic analyses, morphology, new species
 |
| Photos of the holotype CIB DS20220409002 Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. in life. A dorsolateral view; B ventral view; C dorsal view; D ventral view of hand E ventral view of foot. |
 |
| Colour variation in Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. A dorsal view of the male specimen MT DS20230310001; B ventral view of the male specimen MT DS20230310001; C dorsal view of the male specimen MT DS20230310002; D ventral view of the female specimen MT DS20230310002. |
Leptobrachella dushanensis Li, Li, Cheng, Liu, Wei, Wang sp. nov.
Diagnosis:
Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. is assigned to the genus Leptobrachella, based on molecular data and the following morphological characters: medium size, rounded finger tips, the presence of two elevated inner palmar tubercle not continuous to the thumb, presence of macroglands on body (including supra-axillary, pectoral and femoral glands), vomerine teeth absent, tubercles on eyelids and anterior tip of snout with vertical white bar (Dubois 1983; Fei et al. 2009).
Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body of medium size in males (SVL 31.9 – 32.9 mm); distinct black spots present on flanks; toes rudimentarily webbed, with wide lateral fringes; skin on dorsum shagreened with fine tiny granules and short ridges; heels overlapped when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibia-tarsal articulation reaching interior corner of the eye.
 |
| Habitats of Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. A landscape of the type locality Dushan County, Guizhou Province, China; B a mountain stream in the type locality. |
Etymology: This specific name “Dushan” refers to the distribution of this species in Dushan County, Guizhou Province, China. We suggest its English common name “Dushan leaf litter toad” and Chinese name “Dushan Zhang Tu Chan (独山掌突蟾)”.
Distribution: Leptobrachella dushanensis sp. nov. was only found in Dushan County, Guizhou Province, China. Elevations recorded range from 1000 m to 1200 m.
Shize Li, Wei Li, Yanlin Cheng, Jing Liu, Gang Wei and Bin Wang. 2024. Description of A New Asian Leaf Litter Toad of the Genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) from southern Guizhou Province, China. Biodiversity Data Journal. 12: e113427. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e113427
