A new fanged frog in the Limnonectes kuhlii complex (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from northeastern Cambodia

• Published in: Zootaxa Vol. 4894; no. 3; p. zootaxa.4894.3.11
• Main Authors: Stuart, Bryan L, Schoen, Sara N, Nelson, Emma E M, Maher, Heather, Neang, Thy, Rowley, Jodi J L, McLeod, David S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand 10-12-2020
• Subjects: Animals; Anura - genetics; Cambodia; DNA, Mitochondrial; Female; Male; Phylogeny; Cambodia; Amphibia, Limnonectes fragilis, Limnonectes kiziriani, phylogeny, taxonomy, Virachey National Park
• ISSN: 1175-5334
• DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4894.3.11

The Limnonectes kuhlii complex is a group of morphologically similar species of fanged frogs distributed across much of mainland and insular Southeast Asia. Many new species in this complex have been described in recent years, primarily on the basis of mitochondrial DNA divergence corroborated by differences in linear measurements and qualitative characters. Males in this species complex develop enlarged heads at sexual maturity, but the degree of head enlargement varies among mature males, even within the same population. We evaluated the utility of body length (snout-vent length minus head length) in descriptive statistics and in size-adjusting measurements for traditional morphometric analysis, as well as a landmark-based geometric morphometric analysis of male head shape, in Indochinese species of the L. kuhlii complex. The analyses supported quantitative and qualitative morphological distinction of a divergent mitochondrial lineage of the L. kuhlii complex in northeastern Cambodia, and the lineage is described as a new species. Limnonectes fastigatus sp. nov. differs from its closest relatives and from geographically proximate members of the complex by having the combination of elongated, slender odontoids; nuptial pads on the first finger; immaculate belly; significantly different body length-adjusted measurements in both sexes; and a significantly different male head shape. The new species is the only member of the L. kuhlii complex known from Cambodia.