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| Rana hainan Wang, Qiu, Song, Qi, Wang, Li & Wang, in H.-T. Wang, Huang, Liao, Qiu, Song, Qi, Ding, Zhuo, W. Wang, Wu, B. Wang, Y.-Y. Wang, Li et J.-C. Wang, 2026. |
Abstract
A new species of the genus Rana is described from Hainan Island, southern China, based on morphological and molecular evidence. During herpetological surveys conducted in Wanning City and Mt. Diaoluo, Hainan Province, a series of Rana specimens assignable to the R. johnsi group were collected from montane tropical rainforest habitats. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial 16S, COI, and cyt b sequences recovered the Hainan population as a distinct and well-supported lineage within the R. johnsi group. Morphometric analyses, including PCA, DAPC, and PERMANOVA, further demonstrated significant differentiation between the Hainan population and its congeners. The new species, Rana hainan Wang, Qiu, Song, Qi, Wang, Li & Wang, sp. nov., is characterized by a medium body size, head longer than wide, a distinct triangular black patch on the temporal region, straight and narrow dorsolateral folds, toe tips with connected lateroventral grooves, absence of tarsal folds, and breeding males possessing a continuous grayish-white nuptial pad on finger I. Historical records of R. varians, R. nigrotympanica, and R. johnsi from Hainan are reviewed. Records from Mt. Diaoluo are reassigned to the new species, whereas records from other localities are conservatively treated as Rana cf. johnsi pending further investigation.
Key words: Hainan Island, historical records, integrative taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, Rana johnsi group
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| The female paratypes of Rana hainan sp. nov. in life. A. SYS a009526; B. SYS a009527 (Field NO. SYNU 900774); 1. Dorsolateral view; 2. Ventral view; 3. Palmar surface of right hand; 4. Plantar surface of right foot. Photos by Hao-Tian Wang and Xian-Chun Qiu. |
Rana hainan Wang, Qiu, Song, Qi, Wang, Li & Wang, sp. nov.
Chresonymy. Rana nigrotympanica – Wang et al. (2007).
Rana johnsi – Shi et al. (2011, in part).
Diagnosis. Rana hainan sp. nov. is distinguished by the following morphological characteristics: (1) body medium-sized, SVL 44.4–45.4 (44.9 ± 0.5, n = 3) mm in adult males, 45.4–57.5 (51.2 ± 4.2, n = 9) mm in adult females; (2) head length significantly larger than head width; (3) a distinct triangular black patch on the temporal region; (4) dorsolateral fold distinct and thin, extending straight from posterior margin of upper eyelid to above groin; (5) internarial distances larger than interorbital distances; (6) eyes relatively small; (7) tympanum diameter significantly smaller than eye diameter; (8) fingers without lateroventral grooves, unwebbed, relative finger lengths II < I < IV < III; (9) presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of each finger, presence of three separated metacarpal tubercles; (10) toe tips slightly expanded into small discs, lateroventral grooves present on all toe tips, connected at the anterior margin, toes webbing formula: I 0–1/2 II 0–1/2 III 1- – 1/2 IV 1- – 0 V, relative toe lengths I < II < III < V < IV; (11) tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward beyond tip of snout; (12) heels overlapping; (13) dorsal skin smooth, flanks smooth with few granules; (14) presence of vocal sacs in males; (15) breeding males possessing a grayish-white nuptial pad forming a continuous patch on finger I, extending from the tip of the finger to the posterior margin of the inner metacarpal tubercle, and densely covered with tiny hoary nuptial spines.
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| Rana hainan sp. nov. A. Habitat in Shangxi Provincial Nature Reserve; B. Microhabitat in Shangxi Provincial Nature Reserve; C. Female Paratype SYS a009746 from Mt. Diaoluo in its natural habitat. Photos by Hao-Tian Wang and Chen-Xi Liao. |
Hao-Tian Wang, Ming-Hong Huang, Chen-Xi Liao, Xian-Chun Qiu, Han-Ming Song, Shuo Qi, Da-Er Ding, Shang-Biao Zhuo, Wei Wang, Jun Wu, Bin Wang, Ying-Yong Wang, Pi-Peng Li and Ji-Chao Wang. 2026. A New Species of Rana (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from Hainan, Southern China. ZooKeys. 1296: 185-208. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1296.211503 [04-11-2026]
