Rana wuyiensis, Wu & Shi & Zhang & Chen & Cai & Hoang & Wu & Wang, 2021

Wu, Yanqing, Shi, Shengchao, Zhang, Huiguang, Chen, Weicai, Cai, Bin, Hoang, Van Chung, Wu, Jun & Wang, Bin, 2021, A new species of the genus Rana sensu lato Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae) from Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China, ZooKeys 1065, pp. 101-124 : 101

Rana wuyiensis sp. nov.

Figs 3 , 4 , 5 , 6

Material examined.

Holotype (Figs 4 , 5 ). CIB WY20200913003, adult male, collected by Yanqing Wu on 13 September 2020 from Wuyishan National Park (27.760°N, 117.743°E, ca. 1341 m a.s.l.), Wuyishan City, Fujiang Province, China . Paratypes. Five adult specimens from the same place as holotype collected by Yanqing Wu. One female CIB WYS20200829001 and two males CIB WYS20200829002 and CIB WY20200829003 were collected on 29 August 2020. One female CIB WY20200913002 and one male CIB WY20200913001 were collected on 13 September 2020.

Other material examined.

Six tadpoles collected from the same place as holotype (Table 1 ) by Yanqing Wu on 01 November 2020.

Diagnosis.

Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. is distinguished by a combination of the following morphological characters: body size medium, SVL 41.4-45.6 mm (42.9 ± 1.9 mm, n = 4) in adult males, and 47.6-50.3 mm (n = 2) in adult females; lateroventral grooves present on tip of toes; transverse skin ridges distinctly present on the dorsal surface of thighs and tibias, the number large (mean 26.5 ± 2.7, range 22-29, n = 6); adult male with a pair of internal subgular vocal sacs; webbing on fourth toes reaching the tip of toe; breeding males possess creamy white nuptial pad with tiny hoar velvety spines on the dorsal surface of the first finger, divided into three parts.

Etymology.

The specific name Rana wuyiensis is in reference to the type locality, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China.

Suggested common name.

Wuyi Brown Frog (in English), Wuyi Lin Wa (in Chinese; 武夷林蛙).

Description of holotype

(Figs 4 , 5 ). Adult male; SVL 41.4 mm. Head significantly longer than wide (HDW/HDL ratio = 0.85); snout pointed and projecting over lower lip; nostril closer to tip of snout than eye; canthus rostralis distinct; internasal distance distinctly wider than interorbital distance (IOD/IND ratio = 0.81); loreal region slightly oblique and concave; upper eyelids narrower than interorbital distance; tympanum rounded, diameter three quarters of eye (TD/ED ratio = 0.75), and separated from eye by a short distance about one quarter of tympanum diameter; tympanic rim feebly elevated; pupil oval and horizontal, notched at middle lower margin; a skin fold present posterior to tympanum, disconnected with dorsolateral fold, swollen near shoulder; vomerine teeth in two short row, four or five for each, oblique and separated by a distance about one row of teeth; tongue deeply notched posteriorly, depth about one sixth of entire tongue length; a pair of internal subgular vocal sacs present, openings slit like, small, length as wide as finger tips, positioned at on inner mandible near the corners of mouth.

Forearms moderate, width 0.09 ratio of SVL; hand 0.27 ratio of SVL; fingers elongated, with narrow lateral fringes, rudimentary webbed, webbing formula I 3⅔ - 2⅔ II 2½ - 3½ III 3½ - 3 IV; tips of fingers rounded, not swollen, without lateroventral groove; finger II distinctly shorter than I, relative finger lengths II <I <IV <III; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded; supernumerary tubercles indistinct, oval, present on bases of all fingers; inner metacarpal tubercle distinct, near oval, positioned near inner surface of base of finger I, inner side partially covered with nuptial pad; two outer metacarpal tubercles partially separated near the joint of metacarpals of fingers III and IV, the inner oval and larger, the outer elongated and smaller; nuptial pad present on inner and dorsal surface of finger I, covered with velvety spines, partially divided into three parts, the basal part on inner side of inner metacarpal tubercle, the middle part largest, on third phalanx, the distal part smallest, on first and second phalanxes.

Hindlimbs long, tibia 0.64 ratio of SVL and length of foot and tarsus 0.84 ratio of SVL; thigh shorter than tibia, heels overlap when hindlimbs flexed at right angles to axis of body; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching far beyond snout when hindlimb stretched forward along body; toes entirely webbed, inner edge of toe I and outer edge of toe V with narrow lateral fringe, relative toe lengths I <II <III <V <IV, toes webbing formula: 1⅓ - 2 II 1⅓ - 2⅓ III 1½ - 2⅔ IV 3 - 1⅓ V; tip of toes somewhat flat, lateroventral grooves present on all tip of toes and disconnected at middle of front edge; subarticular tubercles prominent and oval; supernumerary tubercles absent; inner metatarsal tubercle oval and prominent, outer metatarsal tubercle rounded, indistinct.

Dorsal skin smooth, supratympanic fold absent; dorsolateral folds distinct, narrow, extending from edge of upper eyelid to hip, not curve above tympanum. Ventral skin smooth, skins around cloaca with numerous flat tubercles. Skin on hindlimbs with transvers paralleled ridges, eight on both thighs, six and seven on left and right tibias, four and two on left and right tarsal. Tarsal fold present.

Coloration in life

(Fig. 4 ). Dorsal surface basically medium brown, scattered with dense dark brown pigments all over; dorsolateral skin folds and skin ridges on dorsal limbs yellow brown with deep drown fringes; five ambiguous deep brown cross bands present on dorsal forelimbs; irregular black patches present on inner surface of forearm near wrist, anterior knee and lateral tibia; lower edge of canthus rostralis dark brown; skins on tympanum and anterior to the fold behind tympanum deep brown; ventral skin basically cream white on body and arm; lips light brown with cream white patches; throat, chest, and upper abdomen with irregular light orangish short bars; ventral hindlimbs mostly flesh colored, with a small region near base of tinged yellowish white; ventral hand flesh-colored with brown pigments; ventral feet covered with dense brown pigments. Nuptial pad hoar. Iris mostly copper with dark cracks, regions anterior and posterior to pupil deeper.

Coloration in preserve

(Fig. 5 ). Body coloration lighter than in life, dark brown pigments more prominent. Skins between upper eyelids with an ambiguous brown pattern. Ventral body mostly white, with brown pattern; ventral limbs yellowish. Ventral hand and feet greyish. Skins on temporal region with prominent dark patches. Lateral head before eyes blackish. Iris dark with metal luster.

Secondary sexual characters.

Breeding males with nuptial pad on dorsal surface of finger I, covered with velvety spines, divided into three parts. Male with a pair of internal subgular vocal sacs.

Variations.

For measurements of type series specimens see Tables 4 , Suppl. material 1. Coloration of the two females lighter (Fig. 6A ), basically yellowish brown. Black edges of dorsolateral fold absent on CIB WY20200913002 (Fig. 6C ) and indistinct on CIB WYS20200829001. The number of skin ridges on dorsal thigh range from five to eight. The skin ridges on tibia range from four to eight.

Distribution and ecology.

Currently, Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. is known from Wuyishan National Park, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, China. In our surveys from 2017 to 2021, the species was found only at one site. All individuals of the new species used in this work were collected from a stream and nearby grassland under the evergreen broad-leaf forest (Fig. 7 ). Six adult individuals and some very small tadpoles at early stages of development were found in the late August and early September. Only relative larger and middle-staged tadpoles were collected in the early November. This suggests that the breeding season of this species may begin in July or early August.

Figures

Figure 3. Box-plot showing the difference on the number of transverse skin ridges on the dorsal surface of thighs and tibias between different species. Specimens of different species: the holotype CIB WY 20200913003 of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov., the topotype specimen CIB SZ 2012061203 of R. sangzhiensis, the topotype specimen CIB 950300 of R. zhengi, the specimen NNU 1910009 of R. johnsi from Shiwandashan, Guangxi Province, China, and the specimen IEBR. A 4848 of R. johnsi from Vietnam. Abbreviation: TSR, transverse skin ridges.

Figure 4. Photos of the holotype CIB WY 20200913003 of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. in life A dorsal view. B ventral view C lateral view D ventral view of hand E dorsal view of hand F ventral view of foot.

Figure 5. Photos of the holotype specimen CIB WY 20200913003 of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. A dorsal view B ventral view C ventral view of hand D ventral view of foot E ventral view of the toe highlighting the lateroventral grooves (arrows).

Figure 6. Color variation in Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. A dorsal view of the adult male specimen CIB WY 20200913001 B ventral view of CIB WY 20200913001 C dorsal view of the adult female CIB WY 20200913002 D ventral view of CIB WY 20200913002.

Figure 7. Habitats of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. in the type locality, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China A landscape of montane forests in the type locality B a mountain stream in the type locality.