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| Zhangixalus yunnanensis Pan, Hou, Yu & Liu, 2024 |
Abstract
We described herein Zhangixalus yunnanensis sp. nov., a new treefrog species from central and western Yunnan, China, which had previously been confused with Z. nigropunctatus, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that the new species is sister to the clade of Z. nigropunctatus and Z. melanoleucus with strong support (100% and 73% for BI and ML, respectively). Our morphological analysis suggested that Z. yunnanensis sp. nov. is distinctly different from all known congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: black blotches on body flank and hind-limb, medium body size (SVL31.3–36.0 mm in males and 47.6–48.6 mm in females), head wider than long, iris yellowish-brown, dorsum uniformly green, vocal sac external, throat black, webbing greyish and fingers webbed one third and toes webbed half. Additionally, we revealed that the specimens ROM 38011 (Sa Pa, Vietnam) and VNMN 4099 (Son La, Vietnam) are neither Z. dorsoviridis nor Z. nigropunctatus, but probably represent one or two cryptic species of Zhangixalus pending further morphological and molecular data. Including the new species described herein, the genus Zhangixalus currently comprises 42 species, 30 of which are distributed in China with 11 species known from Yunnan. Amongst different zoogeographic regions in Yunnan, south-eastern Yunnan has the highest diversity of Zhangixalus, followed by western Yunnan and southern Yunnan. More studies are required to clarify the species diversity of this genus based on multiple lines of evidence (e.g. morphological and molecular data).
Key Words: cryptic species, treefrog, Zhangixalus, Zhangixalus nigropunctatus
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| Zhangixalus yunnanensis sp. nov. Views of the holotype (GXNU YU20160340) in life and in preservative. Photos by Guohua Yu. |
Zhangixalus yunnanensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: The new treefrog species is assigned to Zhangixalus by the presence of intercalary cartilage between terminal and penultimate phalanges of digits, Y-shaped distal end of terminal phalanx, tips of digits expanded into large discs bearing circum-marginal grooves, and vomerine teeth present, dermal folds along limbs not significant, tarsal projections absent, green dorsa colouration and medium body size (Jiang et al. 2019). Phylogenetically, the new species is nested within the genus Zhangixalus with strong support (100% for BI and 73% for ML).
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Etymology: The species epithet is named for Yunnan, China, where the species was collected. We suggest the English common name “Yunnan tree frog” and the Chinese common name “Yún Nán Shù Wā (云南树蛙)”.
Yuanqiang Pan, Mian Hou, Guohua Yu, Shuo Liu. 2024. A New Species of Zhangixalus (Anura, Rhacophoridae) from Yunnan, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(1): 183-197. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.113850
