A new species of the genus Kurixalus from Yunnan, China (Anura, Rhacophoridae)

Abstract

A new species of the genus Kurixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) is described from Yunnan, China based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species, Kurixalus lenquanensis sp. n., is distinguished from other congeneric species by a combination of (1) smaller body size (SVL in males ranges from 25.0 to 28.9 mm), (2) obtusely pointed snout with no prominence on tip, (3) rough and brown dorsum with darker mark, (4) absence of large dark spots on ventral surface, (5) brownish clouded chin, (6) granular throat, chest, and belly, (7) presence of vomerine teeth, (8) serrated dermal fringes along outer edge of limbs, (9) slight nuptial pad, (10) golden brown iris, and (11) single internal vocal sac. The new species is known only from montane scrub vegetation at the type locality (Lenquan Village, Mengzi City, Yunnan Province) and Yangjiatian Village, Gejiu City, Yunnan Province. Genetically, the new species is nested within a clade of Taiwanese Kurixalus and recovered as the sister taxon to Kurixalus idiootocus with strong support values, indicating that the ancestor of this new species might have come from Taiwan Island or the ancestor of this new species may have been widespread in southern China and the descendent species in between Taiwan and Yunnan has become extinct.