A New Species of Leptolalax （Anura： Megophryidae） from Southern China

A new species, Leptolalax laui sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected from Hong Kong and Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other known congeners by morphological and molecular data. The new species is characterized by the following characters： 1） small size （adult males SVL 24.8.1 mm-26.7 mm）; 2） near immaculate creamy white chest and belly; 3） broad lateral fringes on toes; 4） head longer or as long as wide; 5） distinct dark brown spots in flank; 6） moderate dermal fringes on fingers; 7） brown or reddish-brown dorsum with fine round scattered tubercles; 8） thin traverse brownish-grey bars on the dorsal surface of tibia and lower arms; 9） longitudinal ridges under toes not interrupted at the articulations.     

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Genus Paramesotriton （Caudata： Salamandridae） with the Description of a New Species from Qixiling Nature Reserve,Jiangxi, Southeastern China and a Key to the species

The matrilineal genealogy of the genus Paramesotriton is hypothesized based on DNA sequences from mitochondrial NADH subunit two （ND2） and its flanking tRNAs （tRN^Arp and a partial tRNA^Ala）. The genealogy identifies a highly divergent, unnamed lineage from Qixiling Nature Reserve, Jiangxi, China and places it as the sister taxon of P. chinensis. The newly discovered population differs from other congeners by several features of external morphology including having large clusters of dark brown conical warts on the dorsum of the head, lateral surface of the body and dorsolateral ridges. Its intermittent dorsal vertebral ridge is the same color as other parts of the dorsum and tail narrows gradually from the base to the tip. Further, the new population differs from all congeners by an uncorrected P-distance of more than 9.38% in ND2. Consequently, we describe the new species of Asian warty newt （Salamandridae） as Paramesotriton qixilingensis sp. nov.     

A New Species of the Ant Genus Aenictus Shuckard （Hymenoptera： Formicidae） from Henan, China

A new species of the ant genus Aenictus Shuckard, A. henanensis, sp. nov., was collected from Yichuan County, Henan Province. The new species is close to A. lifuiae Terayama, but in profile view dorsum of propodeum straight, dorsum of petiolar node roundly convex, dorsum of propodeum entirely microreticulate. This new species is also close to A. ceylonicus (Mayr), but mandible with a large apical tooth, a small preapical tooth and followed by 5 indistinct minute denticles, subpetiolar process low and rounded, anterior half of pronotum microreticulate.     

A New Species of the Genus Tylototriton （Urodela： Salamandridae） from Northeastern Hunan Province,China

We describe a new species from the family Salamandridae from northeastern Hunan Province of China based on morphological and molecular genetic evidences.The new species,Tylototriton liuyangensis,is a member of the T.asperrimus group,and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus.The dorsal surface of the new Tylototriton species is completely black,with nodule-like warts distributed evenly along the lateral margin of dorsal body,and there is no transverse striae between the warts.There are several diagnostic characters of the new species that differ from those of T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus as follows：（1）the interorbital space（IOS）is comparatively wide;（2）there is a bony ridge present on the dorsal head surface,running along the upper eyelids;（3）the space between axilla and groin（AGS）is comparatively large,with the mean male AGS approximately equal to 50%of the snout-vent length（SVL）and the mean female AGS being 53%of SVL;and（4）there is a small genital armature on the anterior angle of labial folds present inside the anal fissure of adult males during the breeding season.The result from the molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tylototriton（including the type specimen of the new species）based on the complete DNA sequence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene（1035 bp）indicated that the new species was similar to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,supporting that the Liuyang Population represented a distinct species.     

A New Species of the GenusThermophis （Serpentes：Colubridae） from Shangri-La,Northern Yunnan,China, with a Proposal for an Eclectic Rule for Species Delimitation

The hot-spring snakes,Thermophis, were previously known only from the Tibet Autonomous Region and Western Sichuan, China. During the past two years, three adult hot-spring snakes （2 females, 1 male） were sampled in Shangri-La, northern Yunnan, China, thus expanding their known distribution region towards the southeast. This site is the southeastern-most corner of the Tibetan Plateau and the southernmost tip of the Hengduan Mountains （Mts.）. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial （mt） and nuclear （n） DNA segments suggested that the three specimens belong to the genus ofThermophis. Morphologically, the new species is more similar toT. zhaoermii. However, it is distinguished fromT.zhaoermiiin the number of maxillary teeth （15）, distance between the two eyes/head width, rostral width/height, mental width/height, in one character limited to female： head width/length, and in four characters restricted to male： occurrence of the reduction from 10 to 8 （8 to 6, 6 to 4） scales in each dorsal row on the tail. There are differences in morphology, genetics （mtDNA, nDNA）, and geography between the putative new species andT.zhaoermii,the new species meets our proposed eclectic and feasible ＂four-differences＂ rule.     

A New Species of the Genus Xenophrys(Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Libo County,Guizhou, China

A new species of the genus Xenophrys is described from a karst cave environment of Libo County, Guizhou Province, Southern China. The new species, Xenophrys liboensis sp. nov., is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: 1) tympanum distinct; 2) vomerine teeth present; 3) the length of lower arm and hand larger than the half of snout-vent; 4) heels overlapped slightly when the flexed legs are held at right angles to the body axis; 5) toe tips with rudimentary webs and without grooves; 6) dermal fringes moderate; 7) tubercles on the dorsum forming an X-shaped weak ridge; 8) horn-like tubercle at the edge of the upper eyelid distinct; 9) color of the iris in life is brown. In Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of 22 species of Xenophrys, all the individuals of X. liboensis sp. nov. clustered into a monophyletic clade with high posterior probabilities. In addition, the ranges of genetic divergences of X. liboensis sp. nov. with other species were interspecific rather than intraspecific. Based on the above evidences, we consider that X. liboensis sp. nov. is a valid species in Xenophrys.     

A New Species of the Asian Toad Genus Megophrys sensu lato(Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Guizhou Province,China

We describe a new species of the genus Megophrys sensu lato from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences all strongly supported the new species as an independent lineage in Megophrys(Panophrys) clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics:(1) small body size with SVL 38.8 mm in male and SVL 42.3 mm in female;(2) vomerine teeth absent;(3) tongue not notched behind;(4) a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid;(5) tympanum distinctly visible, rounded;(6) two metacarpal tubercles in hand;(7) relative finger lengths: II I V III;(8) toes with rudimentary webbing at bases;(9) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body;(10) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between tympanum to eye when leg stretched forward;(11) an internal single subgular vocal sac in male;(12) in breeding male, the nuptial pads with black nuptial spines on the dorsal bases of the first and second fingers.     

A New Species of the Genus Leptolalax(Anura: Megophryidae) from Northern Thailand

A new species of the genus Leptolalax is described from Doi Saket, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: 1) adult size large(male SVL 45.8-52.5 mm); 2) tympanum distinct; 3) skin of dorsal surface mostly smooth, with distinct tubercles on dorsal and lateral parts of the body; 4) ventrolateral glandular ridge distinct and complete; 5) lateral body and groin covered with dark brown or black spots; 6) throat, chest, and belly nearly immaculate white; and 7) bi-colored iris, upper onethird golden, and lower two-thirds gray. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial 16S rRNA further distinguishes it from its congeners for which sequences are available.     

一株产色素真菌的形态及分子鉴定

从云南高原地区的竹叶病理组织上分离到1株可产生红棕色素的丝状真菌ZL07-8。通过对分生孢子梗、分生孢子、喙等的形态学研究及对ITS和5.8S rRNA序列的分子系统学分析,发现此菌为链格孢属小孢子种群成员。然而该菌具有区别于已知种的特征,如分生孢子梗常单生,少数成簇,无分枝;分生孢子大多单生,较少链生,孢身较大;寄主为华西箭竹,故立为竹链格孢新种。干制培养物ZL07-8D保藏于山东理工大学生命科学学院实验室。     

A New Species of Genus Microhyla(Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from Zhejiang Province,China

We described a new species, Microhyla beilunensis sp. nov., from Zhejiang Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial 12 S, 16 S and CO1 gene sequences suggested that the new taxon was distinctly separated from its congeners and closed to M. mixtura and M. okinavensis. Morphologically, the new species could be identified from its congeners except M. mixtura by several characters:(1) rudimentary webs on toe base;(2) absence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on finger tips;(3) presence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on toe tips. As well, the new species could be identified from topotype M. mixtura by the combination of characters:(1) apart from the stripes, bar-shaped and oval-shaped patterns, the rounded spots present on the dorsum of body and legs;(2) the outer metacarpal tubercles prominently larger than the inner one;(3) of males, the ratios of HW, IND, UEW and LAW to SVL of the new species were significantly larger than those of M. mixtura(P 0.01), and the ratios of SL, IOD, LAHL, HLL, TL, TFL and FL to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of M. mixtura(P 0.05).     

A New Newt of the Genus Cynops(Caudata: Salamandridae) from Guangdong,China

We describe a new species of the genus Cynops from northeastern Guangdong, China. This new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of morphological and molecular characters. In morphology, it is chracterized by distinctive irregular bluish grey spots on the dorsum from head to tail; irregular, bright orange blotches on venter, chin, underside of axillae, limbs, cloaca; one bright orange stripe in the middle of venter; and ventral tail orange red. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA data indicate that this new species forms one highly diverged lineage within the Chinese group of Cynops.