Molecular, morphological and acoustic assessment of the genus Ophryophryne (Anura, Megophryidae) from Langbian Plateau, southern Vietnam, with description of a new species

Abstract

Asian Mountain Toads (Ophryophryne) are a poorly known genus of mostly small-sized anurans from southeastern China and Indochina. To shed light on the systematics within this group, the most comprehensive mitochondrial DNA phylogeny for the genus to date is presented, and the taxonomy and biogeography of this group is discussed. Complimented with extensive morphological data (including associated statistical analyses), molecular data indicates that the Langbian Plateau, in the southern Annamite Mountains, Vietnam, is one of the diversity centres of this genus where three often sympatric species of Ophryophryne are found, O. gerti, O. synoria and an undescribed species. To help resolve outstanding taxonomic confusion evident in literature (reviewed herein), an expanded redescription of O. gerti is provided based on the examination of type material, and the distributions of both O. gerti and O. synoria are considerably revised based on new locality records. We provide the first descriptions of male mating calls for all three species, permitting a detailed bioacoustics comparison of the species. We describe the new species from highlands of the northern and eastern Langbian Plateau, and distinguish it from its congeners by a combination of morphological, molecular and acoustic characters. The new species represents one of the smallest known members of the genus Ophryophryne. At present, the new species is known from montane evergreen forest between 700–2200 m a.s.l. We suggest the species should be considered Data Deficient following IUCN’s Red List categories.

Taxonomic status of two populations of Bent-toed Geckos of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with description of a new species from Nui Chua National Park, southern Vietnam

“…'s forest is critically important for biodiversity conservation as it houses the most arid forest ecosystem in Vietnam and, probably, in Southeast Asia (Vu et al 2013). Recent studies on the herpetofauna of this national park indicate that despite low rainfall, Nui Chua Mountain hosts a unique population of stream-dwelling horned toads of the genus Oprhyophryne (see Poyarkov et al 2017) and several rare reptile species. The sylvicolous Cyrtodactylus sangi sp.…”

A striking new genus and species of cave-dwelling frog (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae: Asterophryinae) from Thailand

“…Morphological description of larval stages follows Poyarkov et al (2015 , 2017) , and Vassilieva et al (2014 , 2017) and includes the following 16 measurements: total length (ToL); body length (BL); tail length (TaL); maximum body width (BW); maximum body height (BH); maximum tail height (TH); SVL; snout to spiracle distance (SSp); maximum upper tail fin height (UF); maximum lower tail fin height (LF); internarial distance (IND); interpupilar distance (IP); rostro-narial distance (RN); naro-pupilar distance (NP); eye diameter (ED), and mouth width (MW). Tadpoles were staged according to the table of Gosner (1960) .…”

越南南部发现掌突蟾属一新种（两栖纲：角蟾科）

“…Other anuran species recorded in Song Hinh District include Ophryophryne cf. synoria Stuart, Sok & Neang (indicated as O. hansi Ohler by Do et al, 2017b , identification following Poyarkov et al, 2017 ); Calluella guttulata (Blyth); Kalophrynus cf. honbaensis Vassilieva, Galoyan, Gogoleva & Poyarkov ( Vassilieva et al, 2014 ); Kaloula indochinensis Chan, Blackburn, Murphy, Stuart, Emmett, Ho & Brown; Microhyla mukhlesuri Hasan, Islam, Kuramoto, Kurabayashi & Sumida (identification following Poyarkov et al, 2014 , Yuan et al, 2016 ); Microhyla pulchra (Hallowell), Fejervaria limnocharis (Gravenhorst); Limnonectes cf.…”

“…Morphological data were recorded from preserved specimens. Measurements were taken using a digital caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm; the morphometrics of adults and character terminology follow Mahony ( 2011 ), Mahony et al ( 2013 ), and Poyarkov et al ( 2017 ). Morphometric abbreviations are: snout to vent length (SVL); head width (HW); head length (HL); eye diameter (ED); tympanum diameter (TYD); eye to tympanum distance (E-T); snout length, measured from snout tip to the anterior corner of the eye (E-S); eye to nare distance (E-N); nare to snout distance (N-S); interorbital distance, measured as the narrowest distance between upper eyelids (IO); internarial distance (IN); upper eyelid width (ELW); forearm length (FAL); hand length (HAL); first finger length (FIL); second finger length (FIIL); third finger length (FIIIL); fourth finger length (FIVL); tibia length (TbL); femur length (FeL); foot length (FOL); tibiotarsal articulation to tip of fourth toe distance (TFOL); and inner metatarsal tubercle length (IMT).…”