Systematic revision of Microhyla (Microhylidae) frogs of South Asia: a molecular, morphological, and acoustic assessment

Vertebrate Zoology

article

Sonali Garg¹  Robin Suyesh¹  Abhijit Das³  Jianping Jiang⁴  Nayana Wijayathilaka⁵  A. A. Thasun Amarasinghe⁷  Farits Alhadi¹  Kumar K. Vineeth⁸  N. A. Aravind⁹  Gayani Senevirathne^1,10  Madhava Meegaskumbura^1,11  Sathyabhama Das Biju^1,12 

[1] Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi;Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi;Wildlife Institute of India;Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura;Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya;Research Centre for Climate Change, University of Indonesia;Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University;Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment;Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago;Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University;University of Delhi

关键词: Amphibians;    bioacoustics;    cryptic species;    diagnostic characters;    integrative taxonomy;    Microhylidae;    molecular phylogeny;    morphology;    species groups;    new species.;   

DOI  :  10.26049/VZ69-1-2019-01

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Pensoft

【 摘 要 】

This study presents a systematic revision of South Asian members of the taxonomically challenging genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838. Species relationships and diagnostic characters are determined by integrating molecular, morphological, and acoustic approaches, through which we also recognize six groups of closely related species. In addition, a new species from the southern Western Ghats of India is formally described as Microhyla darreli sp. nov. Species accounts of all the 16 recognized members from South Asia include current taxonomic status, metric and meristic characters, divergence in mitochondrial DNA, phylogenetic relationships, acoustic characters, revised geographical distributions, and natural history notes. Molecular and morphological relationships of three poorly known members — M. chakrapanii, M. karunaratnei, and M. zeylanica — are clarified for the first time since their original descriptions. The presence of M. berdmorei and another potential new species close to M. heymonsi in India is genetically confirmed, and several misidentifications are corrected. For comparative purposes, molecular, morphological, and acoustic relationships are also discussed for eight closely related East and Southeast Asian species. Consequently, insights from this study will facilitate a much-needed comprehensive revision of the Pan-Asian frog genus Microhyla.

【 授权许可】

CC BY