Sunday, November 15, 2015

[Herpetology • 2015] Leptolalax isos • A New Species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam and Cambodia


Leptolalax isos
Rowley, Stuart, Neang, Hoang, Dau, Nguyen & Emmett, 2015
FIGURE 7. (A) Female paratype AMS R 176479, (B) male paratype VNMN A.2015.6/AMS R 176492, (C) unvouchered individual and (D) male paratype AMS R 176475 of Leptolalax isos sp. nov. in situ.

Abstract
We describe a new, medium-sized Leptolalax species from the Kon Tum Plateau of Vietnam and adjacent Cambodia. Leptolalax isos sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of an absence of distinct dark brown/black dorsolateral markings; toes with rudimentary webbing, wide lateral dermal fringes in males and weak or absent lateral dermal fringes in females; most males with wide lateral dermal fringes on Finger II, a body size of 23.7–27.9 mm in 38 adult males and 28.6–31.5 mm in 9 adult females, near immaculate white chest and belly; absence of white speckling on the dorsum; and a call consisting of 2–3 notes with a dominant frequency of 5.9–6.2 kHz (at 22.4–22.8º C). Uncorrected sequence divergences between L. isos sp. nov. and all homologous 16S rRNA sequences available are >10%. At present, the new species is known from montane evergreen forest between ~650–1100 m elevation in northeastern Cambodia and central Vietnam. Habitat within the range of the new species is threatened by deforestation and upstream hydroelectric dams.

Keywords: Amphibia, Acoustics, Anura, Leptolalax isos sp. nov., Cambodia, Southeast Asia, Vietnam



Rowley, Jodi J. L., Bryan L. Stuart, Thy Neang, Duc H. Hoang, Vinh Q. Dau, Tao T. Nguyen and David A. Emmett. 2015. A New Species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam and Cambodia. Zootaxa. 4039(3): 401–417.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4039.3.1