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Brachytarsophrys wui Lyu, Zhou & Long,
in Lyu, Zhou, Zhang, Fang, Ran, Dai, Jiang, Long et Yuan, 2026. |
Abstract
We describe a new species of megophryid frog from Mt. Foding National Nature Reserve in Guizhou Province, China. The new species is morphologically distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: medium body size (SVL 88.1–93.2 mm in five adult males and 108.7–111.2 mm in two adult females); head wider than long; tympanum hidden; dorsal skin slightly rough with irregularly shaped dark blotches and stripes; chin, ventral surface of throat rough with brown, irregularly shaped dark markings, two large longitudinal black-brown stripes on lateral throat; ventral surface brown-black with small brown granular spots; occipital region slightly uplifted; upper eyelid with tubercles, one of which is prominent, bluntly conical horn; margin of tongue shallow notched behind; toes webbing formular: I (1½)-(2) II (1½)-(3) III (2½)-(4) IV (4)-(2) V, webbing extending as a wide fringe along either side of each toe; large single subgular vocal sac located laterally on floor of mouth in males; tadpoles with a transverse white stripe on ventral surface and two longitudinal white stripes along sides of the body. In addition, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and COI fragment confirms its distinct identity, which clusters the new species closest to B. orientalis, with uncorrected p-distances of COI at least 3.77%. At present, the new species is known only from small streams in Mt. Foding National Nature Reserve at about 740–1000 m elevation. Its natural history and conservation status is discussed.
Key Words: Brachytarsophrys, Guizhou Province, Mt. Foding National Nature Reserve, new species, phylogeny, taxonomy
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Brachytarsophrys wui sp. nov. in life.
A. Dorsolateral view of the adult male holotype GIB1972747; B. Dorsolateral view of the adult female paratype GIB1972725;
C. Ventral view of the holotype GIB1972747; D. Ventral view of the paratype GIB1972725.
Photos by Jing-Cai Lyu. |
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Holotype of Brachytarsophrys wui sp. nov. GIB1972747. in life.
A. Dorsal view; B. Tympanum view; C. Upper eyelid with tubercles;
D. Throat view; E. Lateral view; F. Left hand in dorsal view;
G. Hand in ventral view; H. Pectoral gland area view; I. Cloacal area view.
Photos by Jing-Cai Lyu. |
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Brachytarsophrys wui sp. nov. GIB1972748 in habitat.
Photos by Sheng-Lun Zhou (A) and Jing-Cai Lyu (B). |
Brachytarsophrys wui Lyu, Zhou & Long, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Brachytarsophrys wui sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: (1) medium body size (SVL 88.1–93.2 mm in five adult males and 108.7–111.2 mm in two adult females); (2) head very large, wider than long, and nearly one-half as broad as the SVL; (3) tympanum hidden; (4) pupils black, iris brownish red; (5) upper eyelid with tubercles, one of which is enlarged and becoming a prominent, bluntly conical horn; (6) dorsal skin slightly rough with irregularly shaped dark blotches and stripes; (7) belly, chest, and limbs smooth with irregular off-white spots; (8) chin, ventral surface of throat rough with dark brown, irregularly shaped markings, two large longitudinal black-brown stripes on lateral throat; (9) single subgular vocal sac openings slit-like, located posterolateral on floor of mouth in male; (10) indistinct brown nuptial pad on the dorsal surface of the first and second fingers base, with dense, tiny, black nuptial spines in adult male during breeding season; (11) forelimb short and thick, webbing absent, One third as broad as distal toe phalanx; (12) relative length of fingers I<II<IV<III; (13) toes about I (1½)-(2) II (1½)-(3) III (2½)-(4) IV (4)-(2) V webbed in male; (14) tadpoles with a transverse white stripe, white speckles on posterior ventral surface, and two longitudinal white stripes along the sides of body; (15) oral disk with lips expanded vertically forming dorsally oriented funnel.
Etymology. The specific epithet ‘‘wui’’ is in honor of late professor and zoologist Lyu Wu (1915–1983), vice president (1969–1975) of Guizhou Academy of Sciences (Guizhou Province, China), in recognition of his efforts on biodiversity surveys and research in Guizhou Province in the 1960s and 70s. For the common name, we recommend “Wu’s Short-Legged Toad” (English) and “Wu Shi Duan Tui Chan” (伍氏短腿蟾) (Chinese).
Jing-Cai Lyu, Sheng-Lun Zhou, Ting-Bi Zhang, Yang Fang, Si-Yu Ran, Liang-Liang Dai, Xuan-Kong Jiang, Han-Wu Long and Guo Yuan. 2026. Morphological and Molecular Data reveal one New Species of the Genus
Brachytarsophrys Tian & Hu, 1983 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Guizhou, China.
Zoosystematics and Evolution. 102(1): 71-85. DOI:
doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.161437 [05 Jan 2026]
