Limnonectes nguyenorum McLeod, Kurlbaum & Hoang, 2015

Liu, Shuo, Mo, Mingzhong & Rao, Dingqi, 2022, First country record of the fanged frog Limnonectes nguyenorum McLeod, Kurlbaum & Hoang, 2015 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) in China, Herpetozoa 35, pp. 1-7 : 1

Limnonectes nguyenorum McLeod, Kurlbaum & Hoang, 2015

Figs 2 , 3

Specimens examined.

KIZ20193243-KIZ20193245, three adult males, and KIZ20193246-KIZ20193247, two adult females, all collected on 24 March 2019 from Daweishan Nature Reserve , Manhao Town , Gejiu City, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China (23°1'21"N, 103°23'52"E; at an elevation of 500 m) .

Morphological description.

Morphometric and meristic data are presented in Table 3 . Body size small (SVL 36.5-38.5 mm in males, 35.4-35.5 mm in females); head large (HL 42-44% SVL in males, 36-39% in females); head slightly wider than long in males (HL 92-94% HW), head length almost equal to width in females (HL 97-101% HW); canthus rostralis indistinct and rounded, lores flat; supratympanic fold distinct; tympanum not visible in males and indistinct in females; odontoid processes in males robust with rounded tips, angled posteriorly, odontoid processes present but very short in females.

Limbs robust, relatively short. Finger tips rounded, relative length of fingers usually III>IV>II>I, rarely III>IV>I>II; no webbing on fingers; nuptial pad on finger I present in males. Toe tips rounded, relative length of toes IV>III>V>II>I. Tibia short (TBL 43-48% SVL), slightly shorter than femur. Full webbing between toes, inner metatarsal tubercle oval, a skin ridge from inter metatarsal to tarsus present.

Skin on top of the head and venter smooth, skin on dorsum, flanks, and dorsal surface of forelimbs with sparse tubercles; precloacal area and dorsal surface of hindlimbs covered with heterogeneous dense tubercles.

Coloration.

Head yellow-brown with brownish black bar on posterior interorbital region, yellowish white bar extending from nares to insertion of arm, upper lip with distinct white spots and dark brown bars, dorsum and dorsal surfaces of limbs greyish yellow-brown, supratympanic fold brownish black, lateral sides greyish, ventral surface of throat and chest white with black marbling, ventral surface of limbs and abdomen white, dorsal surface of thighs and tibias with brownish black bars; iris reddish brown in upper half and greyish white in lower half.

Extended diagnosis.

Based on the newly collected specimens from China and the descriptions ( McLeod et al. 2015; Pham et al. 2016; Le and Do 2019; Nguyen et al. 2019; Pham et al. 2019) of L. nguyenorum from Vietnam, we extend the diagnosis of this species: (1) adult male SVL 36.5-47.3 mm, adult female SVL 35.4-47.1 mm; (2) males with nuptial pads on first finger or first and second fingers; (3) males with slightly enlarged heads (HL 37-46% of SVL in males; 36-43% in females); (4) head slightly longer than wide or slightly wider than long in males(HL 92-112% HW), head slightly longer than wide or length almost equal to width in females (HL 97-116% HW); (5) canthus rostralis indistinct and rounded, lores flat; (6) supratympanic fold distinct or indistinct; (7) tympanum indistinct (or not visible); (8) white or yellow bar extending from nares to insertion of arm, upper lip with distinct white spots and dark brown bars; (9) skin on top of head and venter smooth, skin on dorsum and flanks very feebly crenulate; (10) pericloacal area, and dorsal surfaces of shank and foot covered with heterogeneous tubercles; (11) toes fully webbed; (12) relative finger length when adpressed: III>IV>II>I or III>IV>I>II.

Ecological notes.

The specimens were found at night in the artificial drainage ditch along a road; there are primary forests on both sides of the road, and there was shallow water flowing in the ditch. No eggs or tadpoles were found.

Figures

Figure 2. Specimens of Limnonectes nguyenorum from Daweishan Natural Reserve, southern Yunnan, China, in preservative. A. Dorsal view; B. Ventral view.

Figure 3. Limnonectes nguyenorum from Daweishan Natural Reserve, southern Yunnan, China, in life. A. Dorsal view of the adult male (KIZ 20193245); B. Ventral view of the adult male (KIZ 20193245); C. Dorsal view of the adult female (KIZ 20193246); D. Ventral view of the adult female (KIZ 20193246).