A new species of bush frog (Anura, Rhacophoridae, Raorchestes) from southern Xizang, China

Abstract

Based on molecular evidence and morphological data, we describe a new species Raorchestes yadongensis sp. nov. from Yadong County, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished based on a combination of the following characters: (1) small body size, SVL 17.8–24.1 mm in adult males; (2) head wider than long; (3) eye diameter about three times as much as tympanum diameter; (4) tympanum distinct; (5) fingers with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral dermal fringes; relative finger lengths I < II < IV < III; number of subarticular tubercles in fingers 1, 1, 2, 1; (6) toes with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral dermal fringes; relative toe lengths I < II < III < V < IV; number of subarticular tubercles in toes 1, 1, 2, 3, 2; inner metatarsal tubercle distinct, outer metatarsal tubercle absent; (7) tips of fingers and toes present discs, and discs pale brown or yellow in life; (8) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the tip of snout when adpressed; (9) milky nuptial pad present on the dorsal surface of first finger; (10) dorsal surface light brown with white warts, ventral surface with irregular white patches. The new species is currently known in Yadong County, Xizang, China, but may also occur in neighboring Bhutan and India. A key to Chinese species of the genus Raorchestes is also provided.

A new species of Xenophrys (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae) from southern Tibet, China

“…This region is extremely unique and deserves our continued attention. In recent years, many new species have been gradually discovered in this area ( Jiang et al 2012 , 2016a , 2016b , 2016c ; Shi et al 2020 ; Che et al 2020 ; Zhang et al 2022 ). There is also high species diversity in the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, for example, Mahony et al (2018) revealed cryptic diversity within the Megophrys major species group, which suggests that the species diversity in this area may have been previously underestimated and therefore needs to be further investigated.…”

“…Over the past two years, several field surveys were conducted in this area and specimens of the family Megophryidae were collected. Also, a new bush frog, Raorchestes yadongensis Zhang, Shu, Liu, Dong, & Guo, 2022, was recently found and described ( Zhang et al 2022 ). Based on morphological comparison and molecular phylogenetic analyses, some specimens were identified a new member of Xenophrys .…”