 |
| Leptobrachella rubromammata Poyarkov, Nguyen, Duong, Le & Orlov, 2025 Red-nippled Litter Toad | http://rjh.folium.ru/index.php/rjh/article/view/2196 Cóc lá tý hon tuyêìn ngýc cam || Researchgate.net/publication/398787243 |
Abstract
A new species of Asian leaf litter toad of the genus Leptobrachella is described from montane evergreen forests of Chu Yang Sin National Park, Dak Lak Province, southern Vietnam, based on an integrative analysis of molecular and morphological data. The new species, Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov., is assigned to the Leptobrachella applebyi species group. Morphologically, it is most similar to L. maculosa, L. kalonensis, and L. bidoupensis but can be distinguished by its conspicuous orange supra-axillary and pectoral glands and a distinctive ventral coloration pattern. The new species is genetically divergent from all congeners, with uncorrected 16S rRNA gene distances ranging from 6.56% to 14.55%. Based on its restricted distribution and potential vulnerability to habitat disturbance, we propose that Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov. be listed as Vulnerable (VU) under the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Keywords: Leptolalax applebyi species group; molecular analyses; morphology; new species; taxonomy; Lang Bian Plateau
 |
| Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov. in life: A, holotype ZMMU A-8300; B, paratype ZMMU A-5215. Photographs by N. A. Poyarkov. |
 |
| The maximum likelihood (ML) phylogeny of the Leptobrachella applebyi species group (left) and corresponding sampling localities used in this study (right). Icons adjacent to species clades match those shown on the map. The type locality of Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov. in Chu Yang Sin National Park, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam, is indicated with a red star. Node values represent bootstrap support values (BS) and Bayesian posterior probabilities (BPP), respectively. Sequences of L. picta, L. pluvialis, and L. bourreti were used as outgroups. |
Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov.
Etymology. The specific epithet “rubromammata”is a Latin adjective in the nominative case (feminine gender), derived from Latin “ruber” meaning “red” and“mamma” meaning “breast,” “bosom.” The name isgiven in reference to the characteristic pair of bright red-dish-orange pectoral glands resembling two reddish nip-ples. We recommend “Red-nippled Litter Toad” as thecommon English name, “Cóc lá tý hon tuyêìn ngýc cam”as the Vietnamese name, and “Krasnogrudaya malayachesnochnitsa” as the common name in Russian.
 |
| Typical habitat of Leptobrachella rubromammata sp. nov. in the type locality: Chu Yang Sin NP, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam. Photographs by: N. A. Poyarkov. |
Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Tan Van Nguyen, Tang Van Duong, Son Xuan Le and Nikolai L. Orlov. 2025. A New Species of Leptobrachella (Anura: Megophryidae) from Chu Yang Sin National Park, Dak Lak Province, Southern Vietnam. Russian Journal of Herpetology. 32(4); 293-308
