Panophrys tongboensis Wang & Lyu, 2021

Lyu, Zhi-Tong, Zeng, Zhao-Chi, Wang, Jian, Liu, Zu-Yao, Huang, Ya-Qiong, Li, Wen-Zhou & Wang, Ying-Yong, 2021, Four new species of Panophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from eastern China, with discussion on the recognition of Panophrys as a distinct genus, Zootaxa 4927 (1), pp. 9-40 : 31-34

Panophrys tongboensis Wang & Lyu sp. nov.

Chresonymy. Megophrys sp21— Liu et al. 2018

Holotype. SYS a003228 ( Fig. 6 A–E), adult male, collected by Run-Lin Li on 18 August 2014 from Pingxi (28.1154°N, 118.2372°E; ca 1100 m a.s.l.), Mt Tongbo , Guangfeng District, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, PR China.

Paratypes. Three adult males (SYS a003225–3227), collected at the same time from the same locality as the holotype ; one adult male (SYS a001911/ CIB 116078 ), collected by Run-Lin Li on 5 August 2012 from the same locality as the holotype .

Etymology. The specific epithet tongboensis refers to its type locality, Mt Tongbo.

Common names. Mt Tongbo Horned Toad (in English) / Tóng Bó Shān Jiǎo Chán (ffiůƜfflḃin Chinese)

Diagnosis. (1) body size small, with SVL 26.5–31.5 mm (n = 5) in adult males; (2) tympanum visible, the anterior edge indistinct; (3) vomerine teeth present; (4) margin of tongue notched; (5) heels overlapping; (6) tibiotarsal articulation reaching at center of eye; (7) TIB/SVL 0.46–0.49, FTL/SVL 0.59–0.68; (8) narrow lateral fringes on fingers present, one subarticular tubercle present at the base of each finger, relative finger lengths II <I <IV <III; (9) web and lateral fringes on toes absent, one subarticular tubercle present at the base of each toe; (10) dorsal body’s skin texture relatively smooth with tiny granules, “X” or “)(”-shaped skin ridge on center of dorsum; (11) flank with tubercles, some of which forming short longitudinal skin ridge; (12) supratympanic fold distinct; (13) dorsal surfaces beige or olive-beige, a brown “V” shaped or triangular marking with light edge between eyes, a brown “X” or “)(”-shaped marking, with light edge, present on center of dorsum; (14) single subgular vocal sac present in males.

Comparisons. Comparative data of Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. with P. daiyunensis , P. daoji , P. sanmingensis , and 47 recognized Panophrys congeners are given in Table 3 .

Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. daiyunensis by its tongue notched (vs not notched), and lateral fringes and web on toes absent (vs both present). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. daoji by the smaller body size, SVL 26.5–31.5 mm in males (vs SVL 32.6–33.6 mm), vomerine teeth present (vs absent), tongue notched (vs not notched), heels overlapping (vs not meeting), and lateral fringes and web on toes absent (vs both present). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. sanmingensis by its vomerine teeth present (vs absent), and lateral fringes and web on toes absent (vs both present).

Compared with the six Panophrys species previously recorded from eastern China, P. tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. boettgeri by its smaller body size (vs SVL 34.5–37.8 mm in males), vomerine teeth present (vs absent), heels overlapping (vs just meeting), lateral fringes and web on toes absent (vs both present), and round light patches on the shoulder absent (vs present). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. huangshanensis by the smaller body size (vs SVL 36.0– 41.6 mm in males), vomerine teeth present (vs absent), heels overlapping (vs just meeting or not meeting), and round light patches on the shoulder absent (vs present). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. kuatunensis by vomerine teeth present (vs absent), heels overlapping (vs not meeting), and lateral fringes on toes absent (vs present). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. lishuiensis by its smaller body size (vs SVL 30.7–34.7 mm in males), vomerine teeth present (vs absent), and tongue notched (vs not notched). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. ombrophila by its vomerine teeth present (vs absent), tongue notched (vs not notched), and heels overlapping (vs not meeting). Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. differs from P. xianjuensis by its vomerine teeth present (vs absent), tongue notched (vs not notched), and lateral fringes and web on toes absent (vs both present).

With a small body size, SVL 26.5–31.5 mm in males, Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. is different from 21 congeners whose SVL> 34 mm in males, namely P. baolongensis , P. binlingensis , P. caobangensis , P. caudoprocta , P. daweimontis , P. hoanglienensis , P. insularis , P. jiangi , P. jingdongensis , P. jinggangensis , P. liboensis , P. lini , P. minor , P. mirabilis , P. obesa , P. omeimontis , P. palpebralespinosa , P. sangzhiensis , P. shuichengensis , P. spinata , and P. xiangnanensis .

Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from the remaining 20 congeners by the following characteristics: SVL 26.5–31.5 mm in males (vs SVL 32.0–36.0 mm in P. binchuanensis ; vs SVL 33.2–37.1 mm in P. yangmingensis ; vs SVL 33.2–39.0 mm in P. tuberogranulatus ; vs SVL 33.7–39.3 mm in P. brachykolos ); horn-like tubercle at upper eyelid small (vs large in P. acuta ); vomerine teeth present (vs absent in P. acuta , P. angka , P. binchuanensis , P. brachykolos , P. cheni , P. leishanensis , P. mufumontana , P. shunhuangensis , P. tuberogranulatus , P. wugongensis , P. wuliangshanensis , P. wushanensis , and P. yangmingensis ); tongue notched (vs not notched in P. acuta , P. angka , P. brachykolos , P. dongguanensis , P. leishanensis , P. mufumontana , P. nankunensis , P. shimentaina , P. shunhuangensis , P. tuberogranulatus , P. wugongensis , P. wushanensis , and P. yangmingensis ); heels overlapping (vs not meeting in P. acuta , P. brachykolos , P. dongguanensis , P. nankunensis , and P. wugongensis ); lateral fringes on toes absent (vs present in P. acuta , P. binchuanensis , P. cheni , P. mufumontana , P. nanlingensis , P. rubrimera , P. shimentaina , and P. yangmingensis ; vs absent in females while wide in males in P. wushanensis ); web between toes absent (vs present in P. acuta , P. angka , P. binchuanensis , P. brachykolos , P. cheni , P. dongguanensis , P. jiulianensis , P. leishanensis , P. mufumontana , P. nankunensis , P. nanlingensis , P. shimentaina , P. shunhuangensis , P. tuberogranulatus , P. wugongensis , P. wushanensis , and P. yangmingensis ); one subarticular tubercle present at the base of each finger (vs absent in P. fansipanensis ).

Description of holotype. SYS a003228, adult male. Habitus small, SVL 28.5 mm; head width shorter than head length, HDW/HDL 0.91; snout rounded in dorsal view, projecting, sloping posteriorly to mouth in profile, protruding well beyond margin of lower jaw; dorsal surface of head flat; eye large, ED/HDL 0.39; nostril obliquely ovoid; pupil vertical; canthus rostralis well developed, curved above nostril; loreal region sloping; internasal distance larger than interorbital distance; tympanum visible but the anterior edge indistinct; choanae large ovoid, situated at base of maxilla; vomerine teeth present; margin of tongue notched.

Lower arm length 0.24 of SVL and hand length 0.24 of SVL; relative finger lengths II <I <IV <III; tip of finger rounded, slightly dilated; one subarticular tubercle present at base of each finger; fingers without webs, narrow lateral fringes present on fingers; outer and inner metacarpal tubercles distinct, inner metacarpal tubercle observably enlarged.

Shank length 0.46 of SVL and foot 0.61 of SVL; tibio-tarsal articulation reaches at center of eye when hindlimb stretched alongside body; heels overlapping when hindlimbs held at right angles to body; relative toe lengths I <II <V <III <IV; tips of toes rounded, slightly dilated; one subarticular tubercle present at base of each toe; web and lateral fringes on toes absent; tarsal folds absent; inner metatarsal tubercle long, ovoid, and outer metatarsal tubercle absent.

Dorsal body’s skin texture relatively smooth with tiny granules; “)(”-shaped skin ridge on center of dorsum; a small horn-like tubercle present at edge of upper eyelid; supratympanic fold distinct, curving from posterior corner of eye, posteroventrally to above insertion of arm; flank with raised tubercles. Ventral surface smooth, with scattered tubercles on thigh; pectoral gland large, closer to axilla; single large femoral gland on posterior surface of thigh.

Coloration of holotype. Dorsal surface beige; a brown “V” shaped marking with light edge between eyes; a brown “)(”-shaped marking with light edge on center of dorsum; dark crossbars on dorsal upper arms and hindlimbs; dark stripes below eyes and at lateral tip of snout; iris reddish brown. Ventral surface dark brown with densely-distributed white spots; a dark longitudinal stripe on the throat; a pair of longitudinal black stripes with white edge on the lateroventral belly; palms and soles reddish brown, tips of digits light red, metacarpal and metatarsal tubercles orange red; pectoral glands and femoral glands white.

Variation. Measurements of type series are given in Table 7 . All specimens were similar in morphology. SYS a003227 has an incomplete triangular marking between eyes. SYS a001911 ( Fig. 6F ) has a triangular marking between eyes and short longitudinal skin ridges on the flanks.

Distribution and ecology. Currently, Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. is only known from the type locality, Mt Tongbo (1100–1115 m a.s.l.) in northeastern Jiangxi. This toad appears to be rare with all individuals being found in the same stream, and is under the competition with the sympatric congener P. boettgeri which is more abundant. Males call on deadwood above streams in August, however, the male individuals found in August were not bearing nuptial pads or spines. Females and tadpoles have not been found and additional ecological information remains unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 6. (A)–(E) dorsolateral view, ventral view, right hand, and right foot of adult male holotype SYS a003228 of Panophrys tongboensis sp. nov. in life. (F) dorsolateral view of adult male paratype SYS a001911.