A field survey on the genus Xenophrys (Amphibia, Megophryidae) confirms underestimated diversity in the Gaoligong Mountains, with the description of a new species

Abstract

The Gaoligong Mountains, located in the western part of China’s Yunnan Province adjoining northern Myanmar, harbor a striking diversity of species and endemism. Previous studies have shown that amphibian diversity in this region remains underestimated. A field survey carried out in 2023 oversaw a collection of eight Xenophrys specimens from the Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, China. Subsequent molecular analyses revealed two distinct and previously undescribed lineages. Based on morphological evidence, we formally describe one of the lineages as a new species and tentatively assign the other lineage to X. sp. due to the absence of adult specimens for examination. Our results bring the total number of Xenophrys species to 29 and the number of Xenophrys species known to occur in China to 11. Furthermore, our study reveals that five species and putative species of Xenophrys (X. dehongensis, X. glandulosa, X. periosa, X. yingjiangensis sp. nov., and X. sp.) exhibit sympatric distribution. These findings highlight the need for future research to investigate the mechanisms of sympatric coexistence in Xenophrys. In addition, our study confirms that the amphibian diversity of the Gaoligong Mountains is undoubtedly underestimated. As a result, continued exploration of amphibians in the future is necessary to obtain a clearer understanding of the overall biodiversity in this region.