Tylototriton uyenoi, Nishikawa, Kanto, Khonsue, Wichase, Pomchote, Porrawee & Matsui, Masafumi, 2013

Nishikawa, Kanto, Khonsue, Wichase, Pomchote, Porrawee & Matsui, Masafumi, 2013, Two new species of Tylototriton from Thailand (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae), Zootaxa 3737 (3), pp. 261-279 : 272-275

Tylototriton uyenoi sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 B, 6A, B, G, and J)

Tylototriton verrucosus: Smith (1924) : 309; Taylor (1962): 279; Tylototriton verrucosus Type I: Pomchote et al. (2008): 39 (part).

Identity: This species corresponds to the Group 2 ( T. shanjing Lineage 4 in molecular analyses).

Holotype: KUHE 19147, an adult male from Phuping Rajanives Palace, Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand (18 r 48’16’’ N, 98 r 54’9’’ E, 1436 m asl), collected on 10 August 1994 by Masafumi Matsui and Jarujin Nabhitabhata.

Paratypes: A total of eight males: KUHE 19037 and 19038 from Royal Garden Siribhume, Doi Inthanon, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand (18 r 32’46’’ N, 98 r 31’14’’ E, 1313 m asl), collected on 1 August 1994 by Masafumi Matsui and Jarujin Nabhitabhata, KUHE 19146, and 19148–50 (data same as the holotype), and NSMT- H 1076 and 1077 from Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, collected on 8 September 1967 by Shun-ichi Uéno; two females: NSMT-H 1073 and 1075 (data same as NSMT-H 1076 and 1077); a larva: NSMT-H 1074 (data same as NSMT-H 1076 and 1077).

Etymology: The specific epithet is dedicated to Dr. Shun-ichi Uéno, who collected part of the paratypes of the new species.

Diagnosis: The new species is placed in the genus Tylototriton by having the combination of: dorsal warts present; dorsolateral bony ridges on head present; knob-like warts on dorsolateral body present; quadrate spine absent. A medium-sized newt of Tylototriton ; skin rough with fine granules; dorsolateral bony ridges on head prominent and narrow; vertebral ridge distinct and slightly segmented; rib nodules prominent; limbs long and thin; tips of forelimbs and hindlimbs greatly overlapping when adpressed along body; tail thin; dorsal head, upper and lower lips, vertebral ridge, rib nodules, limbs, vent region, and whole tail orange to reddish brown.

Description of holotype: Body moderately stout; skin rough; fine granules dense on dorsum, arranged in transverse striations on mid ventrum, and small and sparse on throat; head wider than long, hexagonal in shape, depressed and slightly oblique in profile; snout short, truncate, slightly beyond lower jaw; nostril close to snout tip; dorsolateral bony ridges on head prominent, narrow, sharply protruding, and slightly rough, from above eye to above anterior end of parotoid, posterior ends scrolled proximally; middorsal ridge on head short, weak; labial fold absent; skull wide and hexagonal, dorsolateral crests steep and narrow; middorsal crest prominent; maxillary connecting with quadrate, but slightly separated from pterygoid; front-squamosal arch robust and wide; vomerine tooth series in an inverted V-shape, converging anteriorly and reaching choana; tongue oval and attached to mouth floor but free laterally and posteriorly; parotoid distinct but small, and projecting posteriorly; gular fold present; costal folds absent; vertebral ridge prominent and slightly segmented, from neck to base of tail, separated from middorsal ridge on head with a small gap; rib nodules distinct but small, forming knob-like warts, 15 on right side and 14 on left side of body from axilla to base of tail; rib nodules slightly increasing in size from most anterior to fourth nodule, then decreasing posteriorly; tips of fore- and hindlimbs greatly overlapping when adpressed along body (longest toe reaching at elbow); number of trunk vertebrae (presacral vertebrae including atlas) 14; fingers and toes free of webbing; tail laterally compressed, dorsal fin more distinct posteriorly, ventral edge smooth, tip pointed; numbers of upper jaw teeth 107, lower jaw teeth 119, and vomerine teeth 102.

Measurements of holotype (in mm): SVL 68.6; HL 15.9; HW 16.5; MXHW 17.7; SL 6.4; LJL 14.0; ENL 3.9; IND 4.8; IOD 7.4; UEW 2.3; UEL 5.0; OL 3.3; AGD 34.8; TRL 52.7; TAL 87.6; VL 6.2; BTAW 5.5; MTAW 3.4; BTAH 8.5; MXTAH 9.0; MTAH 7.5; FLL 24.8; HLL 28.9; 2FL 4.6; 3FL 5.0; 3TL 6.8; 5TL 3.3; VTW 5.1; VTL 6.9.

Color: In life, dorsal ground color dark brown to black; venter slightly lighter than dorsum; anterior half of head, parotoids, vertebral ridge, rib nodules, limbs, vent region, and whole tail orange to reddish brown. In preservative, dorsal coloration tending to fade, becoming light brown and orange to brown markings fading to cream.

Variation: Males have more robust limbs than females. Males have a relatively longer tail (RTAL: 101.4– 127.7, median=115.0 %SVL in males vs. 88.0 and 97.0%SVL in females) and vent slit (RVL: 6.0–9.0, median=7.4 %SVL in males vs. 1.7 and 1.9%SVL in females) than females. Male specimens of the type series are basically similar in morphology, but some specimens have more distinctly segmented vertebral ridges, larger rib nodules, and rougher dorsolateral bony ridges on head than the holotype. Length of vomerine tooth rows is variable among specimens, but reaching/exceeding posterior end of choana in all specimens except for one (KUHE 19148). Number of trunk vertebrae is always 14. Specimens are generally uniform in color pattern, but markings slightly vary in color from orange to reddish brown. One specimen (KUHE 19148) lacked distal half of right forelimb.

Egg: The mean diameter of ripe ova in ovaries of the paratype (NSMT-H 1075) ranged from 1.9 to 2.8 mm (n=6, mean= 2.4 mm). The clutch size is unknown. The animal pole is dark brown and the remaining area is dark cream in color.

Larva: A paratype larva (NSMT-H 1074) was collected in Doi Suthep in early September. It is fully-grown and has a total length of 66.1 mm. The gills started to shrink. The following description of larva is based on this preserved individual.

Head rounded triangle; depressed and sloping in profile; snout short and rounded; labial fold distinct at posterior half of upper jaw; caudal and dorsal fins nearly absorbed; tail tip rounded. Dorsum yellowish brown; venter paler; anterior head, parotoids, vertebral ridge, rib nodules, limbs, and tail yellow.

Smith (1924) reported that the larvae at early developmental stages possessed a pair of balancers.

Comparisons: Tylototriton uyenoi (the Group 2 [ T. shanjing Lineage 4]) is a member of the subgenus Tylototriton based on the molecular phylogeny. This species differs from members of the subgenus Yaotriton except for T. panhai (the Group 3 [ T. shanjing Lineage 6]), another new species described below, and T. daweishanensis , T. taliangensis , and T. v. verrucosus [data of T. daweishanensis are taken from Zhao et al. 2012 and those of T. v. verrucosus are taken from Anderson (1871)] of the subgenus Tylototriton , by having distinct orange to reddish brown markings on head, trunk, limbs, and tail (vs. black body except for ventral edge of tail in the remaining species of the subgenus Yaotriton except for T. panhai , T. daweishanensis , and T. v. verrucosus , and black body except for posterior parotoids in T. taliangensis ). The new species differs from T. kweichowensis and T. pseudoverrucosus by having isolated orange to reddish brown markings on rib nodules (vs. connected markings forming dorsolateral lines in T. kweichowensis and T. pseudoverrucosus [data of T. pseudoverrucosus are taken from Hou et al. 2012]), from T. shanjing by having darker markings, relatively wider head, longer and higher tail, and wider and longer vomerine teeth series (vs. bright markings, narrower head, shorter and lower tail, and narrower and shorter vomerine teeth series in T. shanjing ), from T. panhai by having orange to reddish brown limbs and tail, and narrow dorsolateral ridges on head (vs. black limbs and tail except for edges, and wide dorsolateral ridges on head in T. panhai ), from T. v. pulcherrima by having black ground color of the body (vs. light brown ground color in T. v. pulcherrima ), from T. yangi by having orange anterior half of head (vs. black in T. yangi ).

Range: Doi Ang Khang, Doi Chang Kien, Doi Inthanon, Doi Pui, and Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.

Natural history: The holotype and the paratypes deposited in KUHE were collected in artificial pools. The species is also found in natural or artificial ponds, ditches along farms, and in slow streams, with an average depth of 38.2 cm (range 9–120 cm). Breeding occurs from May to July. Larvae are found in the water bodies from August to December. The adults are probably semiaquatic, which are found in water even out of breeding season.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photos of the three groups of Tylototriton shanjing from Thailand. A: a subadult of unknown sex of Group 1 (T. shanjing Lineage 5 in molecular phylogeny: see Fig. 3) from Doi Lahnga, Chiang Rai Province; B: an adult male of Group 2 (T. shanjing Lineage 4) from Doi Inthanon, Chinag Mai Province; C: an adult female of Group 3 (T. shanjing Lineage 6) from Phu Luang, Loei Province. Tips of tails of these individuals except for the one from Doi Inthanon were used in the molecular analysis. All of these individuals were released without being deposited as voucher specimens.