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| Boulenophrys yezhongensis Liu, Feng, Shen, Li, Cheng, Wei, Wang & Su, 2025 |
Abstract
Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, a new species of the genus Boulenophrys is described from Yezhong Nature Reserve, Shuicheng County, Guizhou Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COI indicate that this new species represents an independent species-level lineage, closely related to B. fanjingmontis, B. qianbeiensis, B. sangzhiensis, and B. spinata. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics: (1) body size moderate (SVL 41.2–46.2 mm in adult males and 51.8–58.6 mm in adult females); (2) a single small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid; (3) vomerine teeth absent; (4) tongue not notched posteriorly; (5) tympanum distinctly visible, round; (6) toes with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral fringes; (7) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; (8) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level of the middle of the eye when the leg is stretched forward; (9) a single internal subgular vocal sac in males; (10) in breeding males, the nuptial pads have black nuptial spines on the bases of the first and second fingers.
Key Words: Boulenophrys yezhongensis sp. nov., molecular phylogenetic analysis, morphology, taxonomy
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| Male holotype CIB SC20240531005 of Boulenophrys yezhongensis 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. |
Boulenophrys yezhongensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis.
Boulenophrys yezhongensis sp. nov. is assigned to the genus Boulenophrys based on molecular phylogenetic analyses and the following generic diagnostic characters: snout shield-like; projecting beyond the lower jaw; canthus rostralis distinct; chest glands small and round, closer to the axilla than to midventral line; femoral glands on rear part of thigh; vertical pupils; and the presence of subarticular tubercles at the base of each finger (Fei et al. 2016; Lyu et al. 2023).
Boulenophrys yezhongensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: body size moderate (SVL 41.2–46.2 mm in adult males and 51.8–58.6 mm in adult females); a small horn-like tubercle at edge of each upper eyelid; vomerine teeth absent; tongue not notched posteriorly; tympanum distinctly visible, round; two metacarpal tubercles on hand; toes with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral fringes; heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level to the middle of eye when leg stretched forward; a single internal subgular vocal sac in adult males; in breeding males, nuptial pads with black nuptial spines on the dorsal bases of the first and second fingers.
Etymology. The specific epithet yezhongensis refers to the type locality of the species. We propose the common English name “Yezhong Horned Toad” and the Chinese name “Yě Zhōng Jiǎo Chán (野钟角蟾)” for this species.
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| Color variation in Boulenophrys yezhongensis sp. nov. in life. A. Dorsolateral view of adult male CIB SC20240531003; B. Dorsolateral view of adult male CIB SC20240531002; C1. Dorsolateral view of adult female CIB SC20240531006; C2. Ventral view of adult female CIB SC20240531006; D1. Dorsolateral view of adult female CIB SC20240531007; D2. Ventral view of adult female CIB SC20240531007. |
Jing Liu, Chao-Bo Feng, Tuo Shen, Shi-Ze Li, Yanlin Cheng, Gang Wei, Bin Wang and Haijun Su. 2025. A New Species of the genus Boulenophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from Guizhou, China. Herpetozoa. 38: 117-136. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e155430