Morphology and molecular genetics reveal two new Leptobrachella species in southern China (Anura, Megophryidae)

Abstract

Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses (16S rRNA mtDNA), two new species of the genus Leptobrachella are described from southern China, namely L. yunkaiensis Wang, Li, Lyu & Wang, sp. n. from Dawuling Forest Station of Guangdong Province and L. wuhuangmontis Wang, Yang & Wang, sp. n. from Mt. Wuhuang of Guangxi Province. To date, the genus Leptobrachella contains 68 species, among which 13 species are known from China. The descriptions of the two new species further emphasize that the species diversity of the genus Leptobrachella from China is still highly underestimated and requires further investigations.