First Record of the Genus Oreolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam with Description of a New Species
The genus Oreolalax is reported from Vietnam for the first time and a new species is described based on morphological differences, molecular divergence, and phylogenetic placement. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following diagnostic characters: size small; tympanum hidden; toes with webbing at base; dorsum with distinct, round, spiny warts; flanks with white, spiny spots; belly and lower surface of limbs smooth, with dark marbling; interorbital region without dark triangular pattern; upper surface of thigh with dark bars; male with black spines present on margin of lower lip, spinal patches on chest small with fine spines, nuptial spines on fingers small, and without vocal sacs. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species is unambiguously nested within the genus Oreolalax.
The maximum parsimony tree based on partial 12S and 16S genes. This is one of nine most parsimonious trees (TL = 609, CI = 0.69, RI = 0.63). The dataset includes 867 aligned characters of which 156 are potentially parsimony informative. Numbers above and below branches are bootstrap (>50%) values and Bayesian posterior probabilities (>95%), respectively.
Holotype (A: IEBR A.2012.1, male) and paratype (B: ZFMK 92830, female) of Oreolalax sterlingae, new species, in life.
Ventral side (A) and chest region (B) of the holotype (IEBR A.2012.1) of Oreolalax sterlingae, new species.
Ventral side of hand (A) and foot (B) of the holotype (IEBR A.2012.1) of Oreolalax sterlingae, new species.
Habitat of Oreolalax sterlingae, new species, on Hoang Lien Mountain Range, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam.
Map showing the type locality (circle) of Oreolalax sterlingae, new species, from Hoang Lien Mountain Range, Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam.
Contributor Notes
Associate Editor: B. Stuart.