On the variability of fire-bellied toads in the Far East

Abstract

We studied external morphology and molecular genetics of two forms of the oriental fire-bellied toad, described as separate subspecies Bombina orientalis silvatica Korotkov, 1972, and Bombina orientalis practicola Korotkov, 1972. We have found significant differences between them in body size, coloration and some morphometric parameters but not in genetics. Taking into account their geographical separation, one can consider them as forest and meadow ecological morphs but not different taxa. Therefore, the names Bombina orientalis practicola Korotkov, 1972, and B. orientalis silvatica Korotkov, 1972, should be considered as junior synonyms of the name Bombina orientalis (Boulenger, 1980). We suppose that these morphs have been isolated from each other recently, and their morphological differences at genetic similarity are related to high plasticity of the species, when ecologically determined morphological differentiation precedes genetic differentiation.