A new species of the genus Boulenophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from Nanshan National Park, Hunan Province, China

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Authors: Bei Xiao, La Zhu, LU WANG, Hui Li, Ayinuer Maimaiti, Shize Li, Guoai Zhang, Wuzhou Liu, Dongbo Fei, Changle Liao, Xiaoquan Tang, Shengchao Shi
+1 more Xiaoyang Mo
Cited by: 3
References: 65

Abstract

A new species of Asian horned toad, Boulenophrys youran sp. nov. , is described from Nanshan National Park in southwestern Hunan Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI genes place it within the Boulenophrys omeimontis species group as a distinct lineage. The new species can be diagnosed by the following combination of morphological characters: (1) Body size relatively large, SVL 45.3–51.1 mm in nine adult males, 55.6–58.2 mm in two adult females; (2) head wider than long, males HDL/HDW 0.69–0.83; (3) margin of tongue feebly notched posteriorly; (4) subarticular tubercles present on fingers I, relative finger lengths II < I < IV < III; (5) relative toe lengths: I < V < II < III < IV; (6) vomerine ridges present, vomerine teeth absent; (7) hindlimbs slender, heels overlapping when hindlimbs folded; (8) tibiotarsal articulation exceeding snout tip when leg stretched forward; (9) toes with weak webbing, formula: I1⅓ − 2II1⅓ − 2½III2 − 3½IV3½ − 2V, lateral fringes on toes wide; (10) dense moderate black conical nuptial spines on inner two fingers in breeding males.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Amphibian and Reptile Biology Animal Behavior and Reproduction Animal and Plant Science Education

Publication details

Journal / source
Zoosystematics and Evolution
Publisher
Pensoft Publishers
Volume
102
Issue
1
Pages
53–70
Publication date
5 January 2026
Language
EN