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| Quasipaa phamanhi Liu, Zhu, Pham, Hoang, Nguyen Vu, Hou, Mo & Rao, 2025 大围山棘蛙 | Ếch gai sần phạm anh || Pham Anh’s Spiny Frog |
Abstract
A new species of the Quasipaa verrucospinosa complex is described from southern China and northern Vietnam based on morphological and molecular differences. The new species can be separated from other congeners by having a relatively short head; tympanum invisible; dorsum with thick ridges and varying sized round tubercles; supratympanic fold prominent; nuptial spines present on prepollex, fingers I–II, chest, anterolateral belly and lower part of flanks in adult males and iris pale copper. Genetically, the new species is found to diverge from the most closely related taxon, Q. verrucospinosa, by a p-distance of 3.4%, and from other species in the genus Quasipaa by 4.5%–7.5% in 16S rRNA gene sequences.
Key words. 16S rRNA, Daweishan Mountain, molecular divergence, morphology, Phu Tho Province, taxonomy
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| The holotype (KIZ2025001) of Quasipaa phamanhi, new species, in life. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, lateral view of the head; D, close-up view of the palm; E, close-up view of the thumb. |
Quasipaa phamanhi, new species
Diagnosis. Size large, SVL 80.9–108.5 mm; head short, HL/SVL 0.32–0.37, broader than long, HL/HW 0.74–0.85; vomerine teeth distinct; tympanum invisible; dorsum with thick longitudinal ridges and varying sized round tubercles; supratympanic fold thick; dorsolateral fold absent; adult males with nuptial spines on prepollex, fingers I–II, chest, anterolateral parts of belly, and lower part of flanks; relative finger lengths III > I > IV > II; finger tips not expanded, toe tips slightly expanded; toes fully webbed to distal end of terminal phalanx; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching to or beyond snout tip when limb adpressed along body; iris copper on upper half and greyish on lower half in life.
Etymology. The specific epithet, phamanhi, is a patronymic noun honouring Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Anh from University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam. The designation of this species name honours his contributions to herpetological research in Vietnam, particularly in taxonomy of the anuran species complexes.
We propose “Pham Anh’s Spiny Frog” for the common English name, “大围山棘蛙” for the common Chinese name and “Ếch gai sần phạm anh” for the common Vietnamese name of the new species.
Shuo Liu, Meibo Zhu , Cuong The Pham, Chung Van Hoang, Truong Quang Nguyen Duong Xuan Vu, Mian Hou, Mingzhong Mo and Dingqi Rao. 2025. A New Species of the Quasipaa verrucospinosa complex (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from China and Vietnam. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 73: 488–503
