Abstract
Little is known about the life history, ecology, and distribution of the genus Allopaa (Dicroglossidae) and far less recent data are available about the larvae of this taxon. Here, we provide data on the larval stage of Allopaa hazarensis (Dubois & Khan, 1979) from northern Pakistan based on the examination of three tadpoles. Specimens were obtained from two sites in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Morphological and genetic analysis (mtDNA and nDNA) confirmed the identity of the tadpoles as A. hazarensis. Tadpole characterizations were illustrated by detailed imagery. Basic measurements and details on oral apparatus provide relevant taxonomic characteristics to distinguish the tadpoles of this species from other spiny frogs. The illustration and description of the tadpole of A. hazarensis should facilitate the identification of this species in the field.
Highlights
The Hazara (Torrent) Frog, Allopaa hazarensis (Dubois & Khan, 1979), belongs to the tribe Paini (Dicroglossidae), which are found across the Himalayan mountain arc from northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India, through Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan, and in the valleys of southern and eastern Tibet, eastwards to eastern China, and southwards to the mountains of Indochina (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam; Frost 2021)
We confirmed the identity of the two tadpoles as Allopaa hazarensis
Our tadpole sequences nested in the clade of A. hazarensis that includes sequences from the type locality; the placement within this clade was highly supported (Suppl. material 1: Fig. S1)
Summary
The Hazara (Torrent) Frog, Allopaa hazarensis (Dubois & Khan, 1979), belongs to the tribe Paini (Dicroglossidae), which are found across the Himalayan mountain arc from northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India, through Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan, and in the valleys of southern and eastern Tibet, eastwards to eastern China, and southwards to the mountains of Indochina (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam; Frost 2021). They live mostly in boulder-rich streams (Dubois 1975) or clear pools with flowing water (Khan et al 2008; Ahmed et al 2020; own observation). This study indicates no close taxonomic relations between the two genera and their geographical neighbouring spiny frogs and suggests a trans-Tibet dispersal during the late Oligocene (Chrysopaa) and early Miocene (Allopaa) from the eastern margin of the HTO
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