Skip to main content

Li chun horned toad (Boulenophrys lichun) makes mating calls in spring from rock crevices in Ningde City

Li chun horned toad (Boulenophrys lichun) makes mating calls in spring from rock crevices in Ningde City

NEWS - Researchers report Li chun horned toad (Boulenophrys lichun sp. nov.) from the coastal hills of eastern Fujian Province, China, that differs from all known relatives by a combination of morphological character differences and genetic divergence in the mitochondrial 16S + CO1 gene pool.

During a field survey in eastern Fujian, researchers collected a series of Boulenophrys specimens Fei, Ye & Jiang, 2016. Initial morphological examination indicated that the specimens differed from their known relatives by a series of distinct characters.

Subsequent molecular analysis further revealed that these specimens represent a separate evolutionary lineage, showing significant differences from their known relatives. Therefore, the researchers describe it as a new species.

B. lichun is small in size (SVL 33.5–37.0 mm in 5 adult males, SVL 47.1 mm in 1 adult female); rostra canthus well developed, tongue not notched posteriorly; tympanum distinct; vomerine ridge and vomerine teeth present.

Dorsal skin rough and very granular, discontinuous X-shaped ridges in the middle of the back, discontinuous dorsolateral ridges present, rare large tubercles on the sides of the body, dorsal legs with discontinuous transverse ridges and tubercles, ventral skin with prominent solid tubercles.

Outer margin of upper eyelid with prominent small horn-like tubercles, supratympanic folds distinct and narrow, curved posteroventrally above the arms; two metacarpal tubercles distinct, inner tubercles appear enlarged; relative toe length I < II < IV < III; subarticular tubercles distinct at the base of each toe; heels do not meet when hind legs are folded.

Tibio-tarsal articulation reaches from shoulder to posterior corner of eye; (9) toes without webbing and lateral tufts, inner metatarsal tubercles long ovoid, outer tubercles absent, relative toe length I < II < V < III < IV.

Dorsal surface yellowish brown with irregular dark brown spots, and dark brown triangular marking between eyes, dorsal legs and toes light brown with dark brown transverse bands; dense nuptial spines at dorsal base of first and second toes in breeding adults, subgular vocal sac present in males.

B. lichun may have heels that do not meet when hind legs are flexed and perpendicular to the body axis (vs. overlapping heels in most Boulenophrys species; heels just meeting in B. binchuanensis, B. elongata, B. lishuiensis, B. minor, B. xiangnanensis, B. xuefengmontis; heels just meeting or slightly overlapping in B. angka, B. daiyunensis, B. baolongensis, B. wushanensis, B. yunkaiensis).

B. lichun has a distally notched tongue (vs. distally notched tongue in B. brachykolos, B. insularis, B. pepe). B. lichun has vomerine teeth (vs. absent vomerine teeth in B. acuta, B. boettgeri, B. caobangensis, B. daoji, B. hungtai, B. hengshanensis, B. kuatunensis, B. ombrophila, B. obesa, B. shuichengensis, B. wugongensis).

B. lichun has lateral tufts on webbed toes (vs. rudimentary webbed toes in B. dongguanensis, B. fengshunensis, B. nankunensis, B. puningensis; narrow lateral tufts in B. rubrimera).

The new species is known only from the coastal hills of Ningde City, eastern Fujian, China. They inhabit flowing mountain seeps, forest floors and leaf litter. The habitat is surrounded by secondary forest mixed with bamboo groves at elevations of 150-510 m. Males call in February-May in rock crevices.

The specific name is derived from the Chinese Pinyin Lì Chūn, 立春 in Chinese, meaning early spring, the first of the 24 solar terms (24节气) in China. The name refers to the new species' mating season which begins around this time. The song of the new species heralds the arrival of spring in a given year.

Original research

Lin S-S, Chen H-H, Li Y-H, Peng Z-N, Zeng Z-C, Wang J (2024). A new Boulenophrys species (Anura, Megophryidae) from the coastal hills of eastern Fujian Province, China. ZooKeys 1216: 1-15, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1216.130017

Dlium theDlium
Labels:

Popular Posts

Sea almond (Terminalia catappa)

Ketapang or tropical almond or beach almond or talisay tree or umbrella tree or sea almond ( Terminalia catappa ) is a species of plant in the Combretaceae, a shady tree, fast growing, forming a multilevel canopy, often used as a shade tree in gardens and on roadsides. T. catappa grows large, up to 40 meters in height and up to 1.5 meters in trunk, shady canopy with branches that grow flat and terraced, young trees often look like pagodas while old and large trees often have aerial roots up to 3 meters. The leaves are scattered, mostly at the end of the twig, rounded egg upside down, 8-38 cm long, 5-19 cm wide, the tip is wide, the base is narrow, the upper surface is smooth, green but turns red if to fall out and short stalks. The flowers are small, collected near the tips of the twigs, 8-25 cm long and green-yellow in color. The flowers are not crowned, the petals have five taju, are plate or bell shaped, 4-8 mm long and are white or cream in color. Stamens in two circles and arra...
Read more

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)

Teki or purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) is a species of plant in the Cyperaceae, an erect annual growing to a height of up to 140 cm, the leaves sprout in rows of three from the base to a length of 5-20 cm, ribbon-shaped, pointed tip and green in color. The inflorescence has a stalk with a triangular cross section and is green. The inflorescence has three to eight unequal spikes. The flower is bisexual, has 3 stamina and the pistil has three stigmas. The fruit is achene and triangular. Teki prefers dry places, but will tolerate moist soil and often grows in wastelands and in crop fields. Tubers are an important source of nutrition for migratory cranes. Source of carbohydrates in the tropics in times of famine. The initial stage forms a white fleshy rhizome, 25 mm long and in chains. Some of the rhizomes grow upright above the ground, then form a tuber-like structure from which new shoots and roots grow, new roots and new rhizomes grow. Other rhizomes grow horizontally or down...
Read more

Twoleaf nightshade (Solanum diphyllum)

Twoleaf nightshade ( Solanum diphyllum ) is a species of plants in Solanaceae, upright shrubs grow in shade, 1-2 m tall, rounded stems, dense, green-purple brown, short hairy, stopping cells, cornered young twigs and widely cultivated as plants decorate with bright yellow ripe fruit. S. diphyllum has leaves that are alternating, solitary or paired in twigs with generative organs. Some are stemmed for 1-1.5 cm. The leaves are oval to oblique round eggs, dynamic base, flat or wavy edges, tapered or rounded edges, 1-14.5 cm long, 0.5-4 cm wide and have short hair. Flowers facing leaves 5-25 mm long. Has a 2 mm handle, brownish purple, straight and unbranched. Hook 5-10 mm, greenish to brown and curved. The petals have five ears, resembling kupula, pale green, 1-5 mm long and short haired. Flowers have five crowns, coincide, star-shaped, yellowish white, 2-5 mm long. Has five stamens, free and facing the crown. Short and yellowish green pistil. The stigma is yellow, attached to the...
Read more