Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang, 2020

Lyu, Zhi-Tong, Li, Yuan-Qiu, Zeng, Zhao-Chi, Zhao, Jian, Liu, Zu-Yao, Guo, Guo-Xin & Wang, Ying-Yong, 2020, Four new species of Asian horned toads (Anura, Megophryidae, Megophrys) from southern China, ZooKeys 942, pp. 105-140 : 105

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys..47983

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:96C50618-823C-4800-9348-97879B6B3B06

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/D466B824-AE2D-4EAA-94D1-A6BF39534942

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:D466B824-AE2D-4EAA-94D1-A6BF39534942

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang
status

sp. nov.

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang sp. nov. Figures 4D View Figure 4 , 6C View Figure 6 , 8 View Figure 8

Chresonymy.

Megophrys sp28 (SYS a002877, 2888-2890 in Liu et al. 2018)

Holotype.

SYS a002887 (Figs 4D View Figure 4 , 8 View Figure 8 ), adult male, collected on 12 June 2014 by Yu-Long Li and Ying-Yong Wang from Mt Yangming (26.1177N, 111.8945E; ca 1360 m a.s.l.), Shuangpai County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, PR China.

Paratypes.

Seven adult specimens from the same locality as the holotype: female SYS a002877, and males SYS a2888-2889, 2891-2892, collected at the same time as the holotype; male SYS a002307 and SYS a002310/ CIB 116073, collected on 8 September 2013 by Zu-Yao Liu.

Etymology.

The specific epithet yangmingensis refers to its type locality, Mt Yangming.

Common name.

Mt Yangming Horned Toad (in English) / Yáng Míng Shān Jiăo Chán (阳明山角蟾in Chinese)

Diagnosis.

(1) Body size small, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm (35.3 ± 1.4, N = 7) in adult males and SVL 45.2 mm in adult female; (2) snout rounded in dorsal view; (3) tympanum clear, TD/ED 0.42-0.50; (4) presence of weak vomerine ridge, absence of vomerine teeth; (5) margin of tongue rounded, not notched behind; (6) hindlimbs slender, heels overlapping and tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward at the anterior corner of the eye; (7) tibia 0.47-0.51 of SVL and foot 0.64-0.69 of SVL in males, while tibia 0.44 of SVL and foot 0.51 of SVL in female; (8) fingers without lateral fringes, presence of distinct subarticular tubercles at the bases; (9) toes with lateral fringes and rudiment of webs, presence of subarticular tubercles at the bases; (10) presence of small horn-like tubercle at the edge of upper eyelid; (11) dorsal skin rough with sparse granules, a discontinuous X-shaped ridge with two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges on two side on the back; (12) sparse tubercles on the flanks; (13) orange-brown or light brown above, a dark interorbital triangle with light colored center and edge, a dark X-shaped making with light edge on the central of dorsum; (14) single subgular vocal sac in males; (15) presence of villiform black nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of the first and second fingers in adult males.

Comparison.

Comparative data of Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. with M. (Pa.) mirabilis sp. nov., M. (Pa.) shimentaina sp. nov., M. (Pa.) xiangnanensis sp. nov., and 42 recognized congeners of Panophrys are given in Table 4 View Table 4 .

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) mirabilis sp. nov. by the smaller body size, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm in males and 45.2 mm in single female (vs. 55.8-61.4 mm in males and 68.5-74.8 in females), small horn-like tubercle at upper eyelid (vs. slightly large), presence of vocal sac in males (vs. absent), and presence of nuptial spines in adult males (vs. absent).

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) shimentaina sp. nov. by the larger body size, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm in males (vs. 28.0-30.6 mm in males), absence of vomerine teeth (vs. present), and absence of tiny spines on the whole dorsal skin, flanks, dorsal limbs, the region around cloaca, and rear of hindlimbs (vs. such spines present).

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) xiangnanensis sp. nov. by the smaller body size, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm in males (vs. 38.6-42.0), heels overlapping (vs. just meeting), tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward at the anterior corner of the eye (vs. between eye and tympanum), and narrow lateral fringes on toes (vs. wide).

Compared with the five Panophrys species previously recorded from the hilly areas among Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan, Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) acuta by the larger body size, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm in males and 45.2 mm in single female (vs. 27.1-33.0 mm in males and 28.1-33.6 mm in females), small horn-like tubercle at upper eyelid (vs. slightly large), snout rounded in dorsal view (vs. strongly remarkably pointed), and heels overlapping (vs. not meeting). M. (Pa.) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) brachykolos by the narrow lateral fringes on toes (vs. absent), and heels overlapping (vs. not meeting). M. (Pa.) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) nanlingensis by the absence of vomerine teeth (vs. present), and tongue not notched behind (vs. notched). M. (Pa.) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) obesa by the narrow lateral fringes on toes (vs. absent), and heels overlapping (vs. not meeting). M. (Pa.) yangmingensis sp. nov. differs from M. (Pa.) shunhuangensis sp. nov. by the presence of vomerine ridge (vs. absence).

With a small body size, SVL 33.2-37.1 mm in adult males, Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. is significantly different from nine congeners whose SVL> 40 mm in males, namely M. (Pa.) baolongensis , M. (Pa.) binlingensis , M. (Pa.) caudoprocta , M. (Pa.) jingdongensis , M. (Pa.) liboensis , M. (Pa.) omeimontis , M. (Pa.) sangzhiensis , M. (Pa.) shuichengensis , and M. (Pa.) spinata .

Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. can be further distinguished from the remaining 28 congeners by the following characteristics: small horn-like tubercle at upper eyelid [vs. slightly large in M. (Pa.) jinggangensis , M. (Pa.) latidactyla , and M. (Pa.) palpebralespinosa ]; vomerine teeth absent [vs. present in M. (Pa.) daweimontis , M. (Pa.) dongguanensis , M. (Pa.) fansipanensis , M. (Pa.) hoanglienensis , M. (Pa.) insularis , M. (Pa.) jinggangensis , M. (Pa.) jiulianensis , M. (Pa.) latidactyla , M. (Pa.) nankunensis , M. (Pa.) palpebralespinosa , and M. (Pa.) rubrimera ]; tongue not notched behind [vs. notched in M. (Pa.) cheni , M. (Pa.) boettgeri , M. (Pa.) fansipanensis , M. (Pa.) hoanglienensis , M. (Pa.) huangshanensis , M. (Pa.) insularis , M. (Pa.) jiulianensis , M. (Pa.) kuatunensis , M. (Pa.) minor , and M. (Pa.) rubrimera ]; lateral fringes on toes narrow [vs. absent in M. (Pa.) daweimontis , M. (Pa.) dongguanensis , M. (Pa.) fansipanensis , M. (Pa.) hoanglienensis , M. (Pa.) huangshanensis , M. (Pa.) insularis , M. (Pa.) jiangi , M. (Pa.) jiulianensis , M. (Pa.) leishanensis , M. (Pa.) lishuiensis , M. (Pa.) minor , M. (Pa.) nankunensis , M. (Pa.) ombrophila , M. (Pa.) tuberogranulatus , M. (Pa.) wugongensis , and M. (Pa.) wuliangshanensis ; vs. wide in M. (Pa.) binchuanensis , M. (Pa.) boettgeri , M. (Pa.) cheni , M. (Pa.) latidactyla , M. (Pa.) lini , and M. (Pa.) palpebralespinosa ; vs. absent in females while wide in males in M. (Pa.) wushanensis ]; rudimentary webs on toes [vs. more than one-fourth webs in M. (Pa.) palpebralespinosa ; vs. lacking webs in M. (Pa.) daweimontis , M. (Pa.) fansipanensis , M. (Pa.) hoanglienensis , M. (Pa.) huangshanensis , M. (Pa.) kuatunensis , M. (Pa.) lishuiensis , M. (Pa.) ombrophila , M. (Pa.) rubrimera , and M. (Pa.) wuliangshanensis ]; tympanum clear with distinct edge [vs. upper 1/4 of tympanum concealed by supratympanic fold in M. (Pa.) mufumontana ]; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward at the anterior corner of the eye [vs. between tympanum and eye in M. (Pa.) xianjuensis ].

Description of holotype.

Adult male. Body size moderate, SVL 35.1 mm; head width slightly larger than head length, HDW/HDL 1.01; snout rounded in dorsal view, projecting, protruding well beyond margin of lower jaw; top of head flat; eyes large, ED 0.43 of HDL, pupil vertical; nostril oblique-ovoid; canthus rostralis well developed; loreal region slightly oblique; internasal distance slightly larger than interorbital distance; tympanum clear, TD/ED 0.43; large ovoid choanae at the base of the maxilla; presence of weak vomerine ridge, absence of vomerine teeth; margin of tongue rounded, not notched behind; presence of a single subgular vocal sac, a pair of slit-like openings at posterior of jaw.

Radio-ulna length 0.24 of SVL and hand 0.23 of SVL; hand without webs, fingers without lateral fringes, relative finger length II <I <IV <III; tips of fingers slightly dilated, round; one distinct subarticular tubercle at the bases of each finger; inner metacarpal tubercle observably enlarged and the outer one smaller; villiform black nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of the first and second fingers. Hindlimbs slender, tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward at the anterior corner of eye when hindlimb is stretched along the side of the body; heels overlapping when the flexed hindlimbs are held at right angles to the body axis; tibia length 0.51 of SVL and foot length 0.67 of SVL; relative toe length I <II <V <III <IV; tips of toes round and slightly dilated; toes with lateral fringes and rudiment of webs; one subarticular tubercle at the bases of each toe; inner metatarsal tubercle long ovoid and the outer one absent.

Dorsal skin rough with sparse granules; sparse tubercles on the flanks and hindlimbs; several tubercles on upper eyelid, including a horn-like prominent tubercle on the edge; clear supratympanic fold curving postero-ventrally from posterior corner of eye to a level above insertion of arm; a discontinuous X-shaped ridge and two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges on two sides at the central back; four transverse skin ridges on the dorsal shank and thigh; ventral surface smooth; several granules on posterior hindlimbs; small pectoral gland closer to axilla; a single large femoral gland on rear of thigh.

Coloration.

Orange-brown above in life; a triangular making with light edge between eyes; a dark X-shaped making with light edge on the central of dorsum; supratympanic fold light brown; dark vertical band below the eye; iris orange-brown; throat and anterior chest purplish brown; belly dark gray with a large white blotch on the central; ventral limbs purplish; ventral hands reddish brown with dark stripes, tips of fingers pale-grey, metacarpal tubercle reddish; ventral feet purplish, tips of fingers pale-grey, metatarsal tubercle reddish; pectoral gland and femoral gland white.

Variations.

Measurement data of type series are listed in Table 8 View Table 8 . All paratypes are similar to the holotype. The single female (SVL 45.2 mm) are distinctly larger than males (SVL 33.2-37.1 mm), while with relatively shorter hindlimbs. Dorsal surfaces lighter brown in SYS a002877, 2888-2889, 2891-2892.

Distribution and ecology.

Currently, Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. is only known from Mt Yangming, southwestern Hunan. This toad inhabits near flowing mountain streams over 1300 m a.s.l. Males call from early June to early September. Males found in early June bear well developed nuptial spines, while the spines are absent in males found in early September, suggesting the breeding season of this toad is before September. Only one female was found, and tadpoles and more ecological information remain unknown.

Vocalization.

The advertisement calls of Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis sp. nov. were recorded from the Holotype at 16 °C air temperature on 12 June 2014. Five calls with 160 notes are measured and the spectrograms are shown in Fig. 6C View Figure 6 . The advertisement call is made up by 31.6 ± 9.0 (22-46, N = 5) continuous click notes. Each call lasts 7.38 ± 2.08 s (4.61-10.58 s, N = 5) and each note lasts 75 ± 5 ms (64-94 ms, N = 160) with an interval of 160 ± 31 ms (120-366 ms, N = 155) between every two notes. The peak frequency measures at 3424 ± 82 Hz (3375-3563 Hz, N = 160).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Amphibia

Order

Anura

Family

Megophryidae

Genus

Megophrys