A new Leptobrachella species (Anura, Megophryidae) from South China, with comments on the taxonomic status of L. chishuiensis and L. purpurus

Abstract

A new species of Leaf Litter Toad, Leptobrachella shimentainasp. nov., is described from the Shimentai and Luokeng nature reserves of northern Guangdong Province, southern China. The new taxon can be distinguished from all recognized congeners by a combination of discrete morphological character state differences relating to its small body size (SVL 26.4–28.9 mm in six adult males, 30.1 and 30.7 mm in two adult females); a number of apparently fixed color pattern character differences (including eye coloration and color pattern features from dorsal, ventral, and dorsolateral surfaces of its head, body, limbs, and ventrum); the morphological and discrete characteristics of the external phenotype (the skin texture of dorsum and ventrum, the presence of supra-axillary and ventrolateral glands, the wide dermal fringes and rudimentary webbing on toes, and the uninterrupted longitudinal ridges under toes). Two samples of this new species previously were proposed as representing a new, unnamed species. We now substantiate this claim by providing diagnostic comparisons of discrete character differences. In addition, we also discuss taxonomic uncertainty surrounding the identity of two congeners, L. chishuiensis and L. purpurus, which we interpret as indicative of taxonomic inflation in the species-rich subfamily Megophryidae.

A new species of the genus Leptobrachella (Anura, Megophryidae) from northwestern Guangdong Province, China

“…However, the morphological conservativeness of this group makes it hard to study their taxonomy, hindering our understanding of the true diversity of this group (Wang et al 2019). Combining detailed morphological examination and molecular phylogeny, Wang et al (2022) clarified the taxonomic status of the Leptobrachella populations in Guangdong Province, China, and confirmed the occurrence of L. laui (Sung, Yang & Wang, 2014), L. liui (Fei & Ye, 1990), L. mangshanensis (Hou, Zhang, Hu, Li, Shi, Chen, Mo & Wang, 2018), L. shimentaina L. yunkaiensis Wang, Li, Lyu &Wang, 2018 (Fig.…”

“…Later, Li et al (2011) recognized Leptobrachella populations from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province (Xinyi City, Fengkai County, Shenzhen City) as L. pelodytoides (Boulenger, 1893). However, all these proposals, excluding the record from Fengkai County, have since been revised: (1) the Leptobrachella population from Hong Kong and adjacent Shenzhen City of Guangdong Province should actually be L. laui (Sung et al 2014), neither L. pelodytoides nor L. liui; (2) the population recorded as L. liui from Hunan Province was revised as L. mangshanensis (Hou et al 2018), which was confirmed to occur in northern Guangdong Province by Wang et al (2022); (3) the population recorded as L. pelodytoides from Xinyi City was revised as L. yunkaiensis by Wang et al (2018); (4) Wang et al (2022) further described a new species from northern Guangdong Province, L. shimentaina, which was indicated by Chen et al (2018) as a putatively undescribed species "Leptobrachella sp. 6" (refer to Suppl.…”