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.
Highlights
Asian Mountain toads (Ophryophryne Boulenger, 1903) are a small group of frogs from southeast Asia with a rather limited distribution mostly in mountains of eastern Indochina and adjacent parts of southern China (Yunnan and Guangxi) and northern Thailand (Inger et al 1999, Ohler 2003, Orlov and Ananjeva 2007, Yang 2008)
Our results indicate the division of the genus Ophryophryne into two major reciprocally monophyletic groups: one corresponding to species found on the Langbian Plateau (Group II, Fig. 2), and another joining species found outside the plateau from central and northern Truong Son and adjacent areas (Group I, Fig. 2)
Similar patterns of geographic structuring of mtDNA lineages were reported for the genus Leptolalax, another megophryid genus inhabiting the Truong Son Mountains (Poyarkov et al 2015a, Rowley et al 2016)
Summary
Asian Mountain toads (Ophryophryne Boulenger, 1903) are a small group of frogs from southeast Asia with a rather limited distribution mostly in mountains of eastern Indochina and adjacent parts of southern China (Yunnan and Guangxi) and northern Thailand (Inger et al 1999, Ohler 2003, Orlov and Ananjeva 2007, Yang 2008). The genus Ophryophryne is still poorly studied, to date five (Ohler 2003, Stuart et al 2006) or six (Stuart et al 2010) species are recognized, with little consensus on the taxonomic status of several forms. Boulenger (1903) described the genus and species O. microstoma Boulenger, 1903, and though he clearly stated that Ophryophryne is closely allied to Megophrys Kuhl & Van Hasselt, 1822, he noted characters shared by members of the family Bufonidae Gray, 1825 (lacking vomerine and maxillary teeth and presence of horizontal pupil). Noble (1926), mostly based on morphology of the pectoral girdle, clearly demonstrated that the genus Ophryophryne is a member of Pelobatidae (at the time including the subfamily Megophryinae Bonaparte, 1850), and assumed its close affinities to Megophrys. Due to widespread misinterpretation of Boulengers’ original statement, the genus Ophryophryne was incorrectly listed as a member of Bufonidae in several classical works on batrachians (Bourret 1937, 1942, Gorham 1974, Guibé 1950, Nguyen and Ho 1996, Taylor 1962)
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