[Herpetology • 2021] Megophrys acehensis & M. selatanensis • Two New Species of Megophrys Kuhl and Van Hasselt (Anura: Megophryidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia

Megophrys selatanensis

Munir, Nishikawa, Hamidy & Smith, 2021

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5057.4.3

Abstract

We evaluated the taxonomic status of the genus Megophrys in Sumatra using molecular and morphological data. Mitochondrial phylogenetic inference and morphological data revealed two undescribed species, one in southern Sumatra—Megophrys selatanensis sp. nov. and one in northern Sumatra—M. acehensis sp. nov. We also detected a potential cryptic species within M. parallela, but refrain from describing this lineage here due to insufficient data. Genetic variation within Sumatran Megophrys is highly structured and will require additional geographic sampling to understand the interplay between geography and genetics in Sumatran Megophrys.

Keywords: Amphibia, Bukit Barisan, molecular phylogeny, taxonomy, Sunda Shelf

Megophrys acehensis sp. nov. in life, adult male holotype MZB. Amph 26098. 

Megophrys acehensis sp. nov. in life, subadult male paratype UTA A-66178.

Megophrys acehensis sp. nov.

Etymology. The specific name acehensis is derived from the province of Aceh in northern Sumatra and the Latin suffix –ensis meaning from that place.

 Suggested English common name. Aceh Horned Frog 

Suggested Indonesian name. Katak–tanduk Aceh 

Megophrys selatanensis sp. nov. 

Etymology. The specific name selatanensis is derived from the Indonesian word Selatan (= south), as the new species exhibits a southern distribution within Sumatra and the Latin suffix – ensis meaning from that place. 

Suggested English common name. South-Sumatran Horned-Frog 

Suggested Indonesian name. Katak-tanduk Sumatra-selatan.

 Misbahul Munir, Kanto Nishikawa, Amir Hamidy and Eric N. Smith. 2021. Two New Species of Megophrys Kuhl and Van Hasselt (Amphibia: Megophryidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia. Zootaxa. 5057(4); 503-529. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5057.4.3

Dua Spesies Baru Katak-Tanduk Ditemukan di Pulau Sumatera

https://www.brin.go.id/dua-spesies-baru-katak-tanduk-ditemukan-di-pulau-sumatera/

[Herpetology • 2021] Chirixalus pantaiselatan • A New Species of Chirixalus Boulenger, 1893 (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Lowland Forests of Java, Indonesia

(A-B) Chirixalus pantaiselatan

Munir, Hamidy, Kusrini, Kennedi, Ridha, Qayyim, Rafsanzani & Nishikawa, 2021

RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69; 

Abstract

 The Old World tree frog genus Chirixalus is distributed from northeastern India, southern China, continental Southeast Asia to Sumatra and Java. The species of this genus were previously assigned to the genera Chiromantis or Philautus. Here, we describe a newly discovered species of Chirixalus from Java. Chirixalus pantaiselatan, new species, is a small rhacophorid frog (male snout-vent length = 25.3–28.9 mm) that can be distinguished from all congeners using a combination of morphological, molecular, and advertisement call characteristics. 

Key words. bioacoustics, Chirixalus, citizen science, taxonomy

   

the current distribution map of Chirixalus sp. (open diamond) and Chirixalus trilaksonoi (open circle). The distribution map was generated based on voucher material stored at the Museum Zooloogicum Bogoriense and sightings recorded from the ARK project on iNaturalist.

 Living specimen of Chirixalus trilaksonoi photographed by Wahyu Trilaksono.

Chirixalus pantaiselatan, new species, MZB. Amph 30547 in night-time (A) and MZB. Amph 30548 in the daytime (B),
uncollected Chiromantis trilaksonoi (C), and Feihyla vittiger, MZB. Amph 27238 (D).

C & D photographed by Farits Alhadi.

Chirixalus pantaiselatan, new species

Diagnosis. The new species was assigned to the genus Chirixalus based on the following external characters: horizontal pupil, tongue free and deeply notched, distinct tympanum, opposed fingers, toes webbed, tips of fingers and toes dilated into disks, outer metatarsal separated by web, terminal phalanges obtuse (Boulenger, 1893). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: snout truncate; SVL 25.3–28.9 mm in males; uniform lateral body colouration, without a light dorsolateral stripe from canthus rostralis through upper orbital to the body or a light lateral stripe from under orbital to mid-body; brown dorsal colouration, with an indistinct transverse dark brown patch on intercanthal and upper eyelid to interorbital area continued by an indistinct irregular hexagon-like shape covering the parietoscapular region, and a diamond-like shape on suprascapular region to mid-body; distinct dark brown tympanum; third finger disk diameter about half that of tympanum and unique advertisement call consisting of short (2–9 notes), medium (11–17 notes), and long calls (22–46 notes). Calls are 185.71–1,644.28, 1,420.78–2,708.46, and 3,292.29–7,055.79 ms in duration, respectively, with note durations of 4.14–18.03, 4.82–15.19, and 4.78–24.88 ms, respectively. Dominant frequencies ranging from 2.34–3.94, 2.53–3.75, and 2.72–3.94 kHz for calls of short, medium, and long duration.

Etymology. The specific name is an Indonesian adjective incorporating the words “Pantai,” meaning “coast,” and “Selatan,” meaning “south.” This name refers to the locality of this species in southern Java. 

Indonesian Name. Katak-pucat pantaiselatan

Misbahul Munir, Amir Hamidy, Mirza Dikari Kusrini, Umar Fhadli Kennedi, Mohammad Ali Ridha, Dzikri Ibnul Qayyim, Rizky Rafsanzani and Kanto Nishikawa. 2021. A New Species of Chirixalus Boulenger, 1893 (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Lowland Forests of Java. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69; 219–234 

lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/07/RBZ-2021-0018.pdf

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/09/scientists-describe-new-tree-frog-in-push-to-catalog-indonesias-amphibians/

[Herpetology • 2018] Phylogenetic Surveys on the Newt Genus Tylototriton sensu lato (Salamandridae, Caudata) reveal Cryptic Diversity and Novel Diversification Promoted by Historical Climatic Shifts

Figure 1: Sampling localities (A) and Maximum likelihood (ML) tree obtained based on mtDNA data of Tylototriton s.l. and relatives (B). Sample number 1–108 refer to Table S1. Five clades (I, II, III, IV and V) of the genus were denoted as different colors. Bootstrap supports (bs) resulted from ML analyses and posterior probability (pp) resulted from Bayesian inference (BI) method were labeled on major nodes. Node supports ML1 and BI1 were resulted from analyses on mtDNA data, while ML2 and BI2 were from analyses on four-gene concatenated data. Black: bs > 70% or pp > 0.95, grey: bs = 50–70% or pp = 0.85–0.95, white: bs < 50% and pp < 0.85.

in Wang, Nishikawa, Matsui, et al​., 2018.

  DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4384 

Abstract

Global climatic transitions and Tibetan Plateau uplifts are hypothesized to have profoundly impacted biodiversity in southeastern Asia. To further test the hypotheses related to the impacts of these incidents, we investigated the diversification patterns of the newt genus Tylototriton sensu lato, distributed across the mountain ranges of southeastern Asia. Gene-tree and species-tree analyses of two mitochondrial genes and two nuclear genes revealed five major clades in the genus, and suggested several cryptic species. Dating estimates suggested that the genus originated in the early-to-middle Miocene. Under different species delimitating scenarios, diversification analyses with birth-death likelihood tests indicated that the genus held a higher diversification rate in the late Miocene-to-Pliocene era than that in the Pleistocene. Ancestral area reconstructions indicated that the genus originated from the northern Indochina Peninsula. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the Miocene Climatic Transition triggered the diversification of the genus, and the reinforcement of East Asian monsoons associated with the stepwise uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau promoted the radiation of the genus in southeastern Asia during the Miocene-to-Pliocene period. Quaternary glacial cycles likely had limited effects on speciation events in the genus, but mainly had contributions on their intraspecific differentiations.

Figure 1: Sampling localities (A) and Maximum likelihood (ML) tree obtained based on mtDNA data of Tylototriton s.l. and relatives (B).
Sample number 1–108 refer to Table S1. Five clades (I, II, III, IV and V) of the genus were denoted as different colors. Bootstrap supports (bs) resulted from ML analyses and posterior probability (pp) resulted from Bayesian inference (BI) method were labeled on major nodes. Node supports ML1 and BI1 were resulted from analyses on mtDNA data, while ML2 and BI2 were from analyses on four-gene concatenated data. Black: bs > 70% or pp > 0.95, grey: bs = 50–70% or pp = 0.85–0.95, white: bs < 50% and pp < 0.85.

in Wang, Nishikawa, Matsui, et al​., 2018.

  DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4384

Conclusions: 

Our findings provided evidence for the profound influences of historical climate shifts especially associated with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau on the diversification of animals occurring in the southeastern Asia. The results basically confirmed the reports on plant lineages, such as Rheum (Sun et al., 2012), Lepisorus (Wang et al., 2012a; Wang et al., 2012b), Juniperus (Mao et al., 2010) and Isodon (Yu et al., 2014), and on animal groups, such as Chiastocheta Pokorny, 1889 (Anthomyiidae, Diptera, Insecta; Espíndola, Buerki & Alvarez, 2012) and spiny frogs (Dicroglossidae, Anura, Amphibia; Che et al., 2010). Yet the present study further supplied some other indications. Primarily, although diversification of the newt group was promoted by the climatic shifts, several factors, for example, niche limits and their intrinsic low dispersal capacity, might have contributed to their Pleistocene rate-slowdown diversification. In addition, this study provided a putative “complete” species tree for Tylototriton s.l. to date. The inclusion of many putative cryptic species in the diversification analyses seems to be effective in finding diversification models of the group. But at present, wild populations of Tylototriton s.l. show a significant decline due to many reasons, such as climate changes, human capture and habitat deterioration. Further deep investigations of undetected cryptic lineages might supply the basic requirement for disclosing “true” diversification history of the taxa.

Bin Wang, Kanto Nishikawa, Masafumi Matsui, Truong Quang Nguyen, Feng Xie, Cheng Li, Janak Raj Khatiwada, Baowei Zhang, Dajie Gong, Yunming Mo, Gang Wei, Xiaohong Chen, Youhui Shen, Daode Yang, Rongchuan Xiong and Jianping Jiang​. 2018. Phylogenetic Surveys on the Newt Genus Tylototriton sensu lato (Salamandridae, Caudata) reveal Cryptic Diversity and Novel Diversification Promoted by Historical Climatic Shifts. PeerJ. 6:e4384.  DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4384

[Herpetology • 2017] Cnemaspis leucura • A New Species of Rock Gecko Genus Cnemaspis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Western Sarawak, Malaysia

Cnemaspis leucura 

Kurita, Nishikawa, Matsui & Hikida, 2017 

Curse Rock Gecko | DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4258.6.2

Abstract

A new species of Asian rock gecko, genus Cnemaspis, is described from Padawan, western Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The new species forms a clade with C. paripari and C. nigridia of the C. nigridia group in a mitochondrial DNA phylogeny and is similar to them morphologically in some characters such as caudal scalation. It differs from the other Asian Cnemaspis species in its unique combination of snout–vent length (up to 62.7 mm), 4–9 precloacal pores in males, keeled subcaudals with an enlarged, smooth, median row, presence of ventrolateral caudal tubercles, and coloration (head and upper flanks dark-yellow; anterior portion of tail black; posterior portion of tail white with black, paravertebral blob). Phylogenetic relationships within the C. nigridia group and the distributional ranges of species within the group suggest allopatric speciation by geographic isolation.

Keywords: Borneo, Gunung Penrissen, sandstone, Cnemaspis nigridia group, Reptilia, Malaysia

 Cnemaspis leucura sp. nov., coloration in life of the holotype (SRC 00022)  

Etymology. The specific epithet leucura is from the Greek leukos and oura, meaning white-tailed, referring to white subcaudal color on the posterior part of tail in the male holotype. The generic name is feminine in gender.

Distribution. Cnemaspis leucura is known from the montane area of Gunung Penrissen, Kuching District, Sarawak, East Malaysia.


 Takaki Kurita, Kanto Nishikawa, Masafumi Matsui and Tsutomu Hikida. 2017. A New Species of Rock Gecko Genus Cnemaspis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Western Sarawak, Malaysia. Zootaxa. 4258(6); 525–538.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4258.6.2

[Herpetology • 2016] Leptobrachella itiokai • A New Highland Species of Dwarf Litter Frog Genus Leptobrachella (Anura: Megophryidae) from Sarawak

Leptobrachella itiokai 

Eto, Matsui & Nishikawa, 2016

LKCNHM.nus.edu.sg

Abstract

 A new highland species of the dwarf litter frog, Leptobrachella itiokai, is described from Gunung Mulu National Park, northern Sarawak, East Malaysia. It occurs syntopically with another highland species, L. brevicrus, but differs from it by a unique call that may be described as a chirp, with dominant frequency of ca. 10 kHz. The new species is morphologically distinguishable from congeners by the combination of the following traits: rounded ventrolateral glands usually not in series; side of body with small black spots; ventrum entirely dark-coloured with tiny light spots; male with thread-like lineae masculinae.

Key words: Leptobrachella, MtDNA; Phylogeny; Taxonomy; Borneo

Koshiro Eto, Masafumi Matsui and Kanto Nishikawa. 2016. A New Highland Species of Dwarf Litter Frog Genus Leptobrachella (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Sarawak. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 64: 194–203. http://LKCNHM.nus.edu.sg/nus/images/data/raffles_bulletin_of_zoology/vol64/64rbz194-203.pdf

  

[Herpetology • 2014] Leptolalax sabahmontanus • A New Leptolalax (Anura, Megophryidae) from the Mountains of Sabah, Borneo

Leptolalax sabahmontanus 

Matsui, Nishikawa & Yambun, 2014.

DOI: 10.11646/Zootaxa.3753.5.3 

ABSTRACT

 A new species of Leptolalax is described from Kinabalu National Park in western Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The new species had been assigned to L. dringi, L. gracilis, or L. fritinniens in the past. It differs from all congeners, including these species, by a unique combination of morphological characters, including small body size, rounded snout, narrower interorbital than upper eyelid, basal toe webbing, smooth skin with tiny tubercles on dorsum and dorsal side of head, small pectoral glands, absence of supraaxillary glands and ventrolateral glandular ridges, spotted venter, advertisement call consisting of long series of 1-149 notes, each composed of three or four pulses, and dominant frequency at 6.90-7.35 kHz, without prominent frequency modulation.

Keywords: Amphibia, Leptolalax sabahmontanus sp. n., advertisement call, Sabah, mtDNA phylogeny

 Masafumi Matsui, Kanto Nishikawa and Paul Yambun. 2014. A New Leptolalax from the Mountains of Sabah, Borneo (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae).

 Zootaxa. 3753(5):440-452. DOI: 10.11646/Zootaxa.3753.5.3

ResearchGate.net/publication/261913938_A_New_Leptolalax_from_the_mountains_of_Sabah_Borneo_(Amphibia_Anura_Megophryidae)

[Herpetology • 2014] Leptolalax marmoratus • A New Species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Sarawak, western Borneo

A new megophryid species is described from southwestern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. In appearance, Leptolalax marmoratus sp. nov. is most similar to L. hamidi also from southwestern Sarawak, but differs from it by mtDNA sequence, larger body size, and higher dominant frequency of advertisement call. The assumption that more than one species of Leptolalax coexist at one locality in Borneo is supported. The finding of the new species raises the species number of Leptolalax known from Borneo to nine, and the island is thought to be one of the diversification centers of the genus.

Keywords: acoustics, Borneo, Leptolalax , new species, Southeast Asia, molecular phylogeny

   

Masafumi Matsui, Ramlah Zainudin and Kanto Nishikwa. 2014. A New Species of Leptolalax from Sarawak, western Borneo (Anura: Megophryidae).  ZOOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 31(11):773-779. DOI: 10.2108/zs140137

researchgate.net/publication/267763947_A_new_species_of_Leptolalax_from_Sarawak_western_Borneo_(Anura_Megophryidae)

facebook.com/HerpAsia/photos./294447294084568

[Herpetology • 2015] Leptobrachella juliandringi • Description of A New Species of the Genus Leptobrachella (Anura, Megophryidae) from Borneo

Leptobrachella juliandringi

Eto, Matsui & Nishikawa, 2015

Fig. 7. Dorsolateral view of a male paratype of Leptobrachella juliandringi sp. nov. (SRC 00230) from the type locality.

doi: 10.5358/hsj.34.128

Abstract

We describe a tiny megophryid frog Leptobrachella juliandringi sp. nov. from Northeastern to Central Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. This species is distributed in hilly and montane regions, and has long been confused with L. mjobergi. Based on the assessment using morphological and bioacoustic approaches, we conclude that the new species is distinct from all the other congeneric species including topotypic L. mjobergi from western Sarawak in possessing a series of elongate glands ventrolaterally on the trunk, broken reticulated marking on the ventrum, strap-like lineae masculinae, and an advertisement call with a chirp. The new species is also differentiated phylogenetically from the other congeners, and tends to form a group with true L. mjobergi but with a large genetic divergence.

Keywords: New species, MtDNA, Phytogeny, Leptobrachella mjobergi, Borneo, Taxonomy

Fig. 7. Dorsolateral view of a male paratype of Leptobrachella juliandringi sp. nov. (SRC 00230) from the type locality.

Leptobrachella juliandringi sp. nov. 

English name: Dring’s Dwarf Litter Frog

Nesobia mjobergi: Inger, 1966: 49 (part). 

Leptobrachella mjobergi: Dring, 1983: 92 (part); Inger, 1983: 27 (part);
Inger, 1985: 6 (part); Oberhummer et al., 2014: 63. 

Etymology: The species is named in honor of Mr. Julian Dring in recognition of his great contribution to the taxonomic study of the Bornean amphibians.  

Range: Northeastern to Central Sarawak, eastern Malaysia. 

Natural history: In the type locality, males seemed to prefer calling from open places such as on leaves (ca. 0.2 to 0.8 m above the ground or the water surface: Fig. 7), close to small streams (ca. 1 to 3 m wide).  Males were seldom found calling on the ground or in hidden places.  These habitat selections are similar to those of topotypic L. mjobergi, males of which also preferred open places for calling, but were often found calling on the ground and the rocks (Matsui and Eto, unpublished data).  The eggs, the tadpoles, and the oviposition site are unknown, although some previous studies on the larvae of L. mjobergi (e.g., Inger, 1983, 1985) may contain information on the tad-poles of the new species. 

Koshiro Eto, Masafumi Matsui and Kanto Nishikawa. 2015. Description of A New Species of the Genus Leptobrachella (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae) from Borneo. Current Herpetology. 34(2):128-139. doi: 10.5358/hsj.34.128
ResearchGate.net/publication/281457105_Description_of_a_New_Species_of_the_Genus_Leptobrachella_(Amphibia_Anura_Megophryidae)_from_Borneo

[Herpetology • 2014] Tylototriton shanorum • A New Species of Tylototriton (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from Central Myanmar

Figure 3. Photograph of specimens of Tylototriton verrucosus verrucosus from Myanmar (A and B: dorsal and ventral views of CAS 230940 [male]; C: dorsal view of CAS 230933 [female]), dorsal view of male topotype of T. verrucosus verrucosus (D), and dorsal view of male holotype of T. uyenoi (E). Scale bar = 20 mm.
Figure 4. Photograph of dorsal head of specimens of Tylototriton verrucosus verrucosus from Myanmar (A: CAS 230940 [male]; B: CAS 230933 [female]), male topotype of T. v. verrucosus (C), and male holotype of T. uyenoi (D). Scale bar = 10 mm.

ABSTRACT

We describe a new species of Tylototriton from Taunggyi, Shan State, central Myanmar, based on molecular and morphological evidence. The new species, Tylototriton shanorum, is classified as a member of the subgenus Tylototriton. The species differs morphologically from all known congeners by having the combination of dull-colored markings, weakly protruding dorsolateral bony ridges on head, narrow and weakly segmented vertebral ridge, and narrow vomerine tooth series. The taxonomic relationship between T. verrucosus and T. shanjing is briefly discussed based on the molecular phylogeny obtained in this study.

Key words: Tylototriton, morphology, new species, Myanmar

 Kanto Nishikawa, Masafumi Matsui and Dingqi Rao. 2014. A New Species of Tylototriton (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from Central Myanmar. The Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society. 60(1):9-22.

researchgate.net/publication/267810165_A_NEW_SPECIES_OF_TYLOTOTRITON_(AMPHIBIA_URODELA_SALAMANDRIDAE)_FROM_CENTRAL_MYANMAR

[Herpetology • 2014] Limnonectes cintalubang • A New Burrow-utilising Fanged Frog (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Sarawak, East Malaysia

Limnonectes cintalubang

 Matsui, Nishikawa & Eto, 2014

Abstract

 We found a unique, burrow-utilising dicroglossid frog of the genus Limnonectes from western Sarawak, East Malaysia. This frog is always found near burrows on the ground, into which it escapes when disturbed. It is much divergent from other congeners in morphology and mtDNA sequences. This species is nested using molecular phylogeny in a clade with Bornean populations of L. kuhlii complex and L. hikidai, but differs completely from the others by having relatively smooth skin, distinct tympanum, and chocolate brown dorsum with tiny blue spots laterally. We thus describe it as a new species and discuss its unique habit of burrow utilisation.

Key words. New Limnonectes, MtDNA phylogeny, burrow utilisation, Sarawak, taxonomy

Fig. 3. Dorsolateral view of a male holotype of Limnonectes cintalubang, new species (KUHE 47859).

Etymology. The species name is from the Malay words “cintai”, meaning to love, and “lubang”, meaning a hole, alluding burrow-utilising habits of the new species.

 Masafumi Matsui, Kanto Nishikawa & Koshiro Eto. 2014. A New Burrow-utilising Fanged Frog from Sarawak, East Malaysia (Anura: Dicroglossidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 62: 679–687.

http://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/nus/images/data/raffles_bulletin_of_zoology/zoology_volume_62/62rbz679-687.pdf

[Herpetology • 2014] Limnonectes hikidai • Description of A New Species of Limnonectes (Dicroglossidae, Anura) from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Limnonectes hikidai 

Matsui & Nishikawa, 2014

ABSTRACT 

A Southeast Asian dicroglossid frog, long known as Limnonectes laticeps, has recently been synonymized with L. khasianus. The Bornean population of this species is very divergent acoustically from some conspecific populations from the continent. Furthermore, in the mtDNA phylogeny, the Bornean population is nested in a clade with Bornean populations of the L. kuhlii complex, and not with the continental L. khasianus, which is close to L. tweediei and L. macrognathus. Because the Bornean population is also divergent morphologically from a continental population and the syntypes of Rana laticeps, we describe it as a new species.

 Masafumi Matsui and Kanto Nishikawa. 2014. Description of A New Species of Limnonectes from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (Dicroglossidae, Anura). Current Herpetology. 33(2):135-147. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.5358/hsj.33.135

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265088770_Description_of_a_new_species_of_Limnonectes_from_Sarawak_Malaysian_Borneo_(Dicroglossidae_Anura)

[Herpetology • 2014] Leptobrachium kantonishikawai • A New Species of Leptobrachium (Anura, Megophryidae) from Bario, the Kelabit Highland of Sarawak, Northwestern Borneo

Adult male Leptobrachium kantonishikawai from Bario, Kelabit Highland of Sarawak, Northwestern Borneo

Four species of endemic Leptobrachium are known from Borneo, two lowland species L. kanowitense and L. abbotti, a montane species L. montanum, and a highland species L. gunungense. Of these, both L. montanum and L. abotti were found to contain several cryptic species by recent molecular studies. The population from Bario, Kelabit Highland of Sarawak, is one such cryptic species and was once called Lineage 2 of L. abbotti. Our morphological survey on this population proved that it has characteristics distinct from all other congeners, and therefore, we describe the Bario population as a new species, Leptobrachium kantonishikawai sp. nov. The new species is distinguished from putative topotypes of L. montanum and L. abbotti, as well as from L. gunungense by having a grayish brown abdomen, usually vermiculated, although sometimes spotted or blotched with white, and some unique morphometric characteristics.

Keywords: Leptobrachium abbotti, Leptobrachium montanum, cryptic species, Bario, Borneo

Hamidy A, Matsui M 2014. A New Species of Leptobrachium from the Kelabit Highland, Northwestern Borneo (Anura, Megophryidae). Curr Herpetol. 33(1): 57-67.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5358/hsj.33.57 | http://jstage.jst.go.jp/article/hsj/33/1/33_57

http://antaranews.com/berita/415538/spesies-katak-baru-dari-borneo

[Herpetology • 2013] Ichthyophis pauli • A New Striped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo)

Ichthyophis pauli
Nishikawa, Matsui, Sudin & Wong 2013

Abstract

A new striped Ichthyophis is described based on one adult male collected from the southeastern slope of Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia. The new species is characterized by the absence of yellow marking on the jaw angle and the presence of a lateral stripe on most of the collar region, and is distinguished from all other striped congeners by a combination of characters that includes body size and proportion, position of tentacles, shape of annular grooves, and number of annuli, scale rows, and splenial teeth. The anterior phallodeum morphology is also described for the new species.

Keywords: Caecilian, Ichthyophis, New species, Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo

K. Nishikawa, M. Matsui, A. Sudin, and A. Wong. 2013. A New Striped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Current Herpetology. 32 (2), 159-169.

http://bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5358/hsj.32.159

http://facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=515558905191597

[Herpetology • 2012] Ichthyophis lakimi • A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Ichthyophis lakimi
Nishikawa, Matsui & Yambun 2012

Abstract

A new unstriped Ichthyophis is described based on one adult male and five larval specimens collected from the northwestern slope of Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The new species is distinguished from all other unstriped congeners by a combination of characters that includes position of tentacles and number of annuli, scale rows, splenial teeth, and vertebrae. The anterior phallodeum morphology is described for the new species. The evolution of large larvae of unstriped Ichthyophis is discussed briefly.

 Keywords: Caecilian, Ichthyophis, Taxonomy, New species, Borneo

Nishikawa K, Matsui M, Yambun P. 2012. A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Current Herpetology. 31: 67-77.

http://bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5358/hsj.31.67

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=428538&one=T

[Herpetology • 2013] Tylototriton ziegleri | Ziegler's Crocodile Newt • A New Species of Tylototriton (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from Northern Vietnam

Ziegler's Crocodile Newt | Tylototriton ziegleri

Nishikawa, Matsui & Nguyen, 2013 

Abstract

A new species of the salamandrid genus Tylototriton is described from Ha Giang and Cao Bang provinces, northern Vietnam, based on molecular and morphological data. The new species differs morphologically from all known congeners in the combination of blackish body coloration; medium-sized body; distinctly rough skin; tubercular vertebral ridge; knob-like rib nodules; large eye; and low, narrow tail. The distribution pattern of species of Tylototriton in Vietnam is briefly discussed.

 Keywords: Tylototriton, Molecular phytogeny, Morphology, New species, Vietnam

Larva of Ziegler's crocodile newt

Photo: Tao Thien Nguyen 

New newt species found in northern Vietnam 

via http://www.thanhniennews.com/

A group of Vietnamese and Japanese scientists have found a new species of newt in the northern mountainous areas of Ha Giang and Cao Bang provinces.

The Vietnam National Museum of Nature announced Tuesday on its website (http://VNMN.ac.vn) that the recently-discovered Tylototriton ziegleri, was named after Dr. Thomas Ziegler from the Cologne Zoo in Germany.

Ziegler has made many contributions to biodiversity conservation and research in Vietnam, according to the museum.

Nguyen Thien Tao, a member of the research group, said male and female Tylototriton ziegleri grow an estimated 54-68 millimeters and 71 millimeters long, respectively, without their tails.

The newt has rough, dark brown or black skin with tiny bumps on it, a long furrow along its back and lines of large nodules on both sides of the body, as well as thin, long legs and thin tails. There are also orange marks on the nodules, at the end of its limbs, its anus, and parts of the tails. 

According to Tao, there are seven types of newts found in Vietnam, with Paramesotriton deloustali (also known as Tam Dao salamander), Tylototriton vietnamensis (Vietnamese crocodile newt) and the new Tylototriton ziegleri only found in northern Vietnam.

This discovery, which has been published in the Japanese magazine Current Herpetology, is the result of cooperation between the Vietnam National Museum of Nature and Japan’s Kyoto University.   

____________________

Kanto Nishikawa, Masafumi Matsui and Tao Thien Nguyen. 2013. A New Species of Tylototriton from Northern Vietnam (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae). Current Herpetology. 32(1):34-49.
DOI: 10.5358/hsj.32.34

researchgate.net/publication/261913812_A_new_species_of_Tylototriton_from_northern_Vietnam_(Amphibia_Urodela_Salamandridae)

The beautiful amphibian from Hell: scientists discover new crocodile newt in Vietnam

http://news.mongabay.com/2013/0318-hance-crocodilenewt-new.html

New newt species found in northern Vietnam 

http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20130307-new-newt-species-found-in-northern-vietnam.aspx

http://www.vnmn.ac.vn/news.php?cat=21&id=595