Bioacoustics of Amolops wenshanensis

Distribution and ecology. Currently, A. wenshanensis sp. nov. is known only from the holotype and paratype localities, which are separated by approximately 300 km straight-line distance, in Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, China ( Fig. 1 ). The species was collected at night (20:15–22:00 h) on the bank or on low vegetation (grasses or branches 0.5–1 m above the ground) along small streams ( Fig. 7 ). The stream at the holotype locality was in forest, 1-2 m wide, and had slow current. Males were observed calling from small branches ( 0.5–1 m above the ground) along the stream. The call (not recorded) generally resembled a bird song (e.g. Tarsiger indicus ) with multiple, long, high frequency notes. Other frog species observed along the stream at the holotype locality included Xenophrys major , Ophryophryne microstoma , Leptolalax sp., Limnonectes bannaensis , Odorrana graminea , and Sylvirana sp. Paratype KIZ 0 21425 had an aberrantly-colored patch of skin on its dorsum and inguinal region, possibly caused by infection from a fungus or other microorganism ( Fig. 8 ). Comparisons. Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. differs from all other species of Amolops , except those in the A. monticola group, by having the combination of dorsolateral folds, smooth skin, and side of head dark with a lightcolored upper lip stripe extending to the shoulder. Morphological characters for the A. monticola group are summarized in Table 4 . Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. differs from all other species in the A. monticola group by having an immaculate venter (spots on throat and/or belly in these species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. akhaorum , A. archotaphus , A. bellulus , A. compotrix , A. cucae , A. daorum , A. iriodes , and A. vitreus by having an uncorrected p -distance> 6.7% in sequences of the ND2 gene and portions of flanking tRNA gene ( Table 3 ; molecular data remain unavailable for A. aniqiaoensis , A. mengyangensis , A. monticola , A. gerbillus , and A. nyingchiensis ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. akhaorum , A. archotaphus , A. bellulus , A. chunganensis , A. cucae , A. compotrix , A. daorum , A. gerbillus , A. iriodes , A. mengyangensis , A. monticola , A. nyingchiensis , and A. vitreus by lacking distinct transverse bands on the dorsal surfaces of limbs (present in these species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. aniqiaoensis , A. archotaphus , A. bellulus , A. chakrataensis , A. chunganensis , A. gerbillus , A. iriodes , and A. nyingchiensis by having green dorsal coloration in life (olive green in A. aniqiaoensis , A. archotaphus , and A. bellulus ; grayish-brown in A. chakrataensis ; dark gray in A. gerbillus ; reddish-brown in A. chunganensis ; iridescent green in A. iriodes ; light brown or yellowish brown in A. nyingchiensis ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. akhaorum , A. archotaphus , A. bellulus , A. chunganensis , A. cucae , A. compotrix , A. daorum , A. gerbillus , A. iriodes , A. mengyangensis , A. monticola , A. nyingchiensis and A. vitreus by lacking dorsal spots (present in these species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. daorum and A. iriodes by lacking a glandular gold-white flank spot (present in both species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. akhaorum , A. archotaphus , A. bellulus , A. chakrataensis , A. cucae , A. compotrix , A. daorum , A. mengyangensis , A. monticola , and A. nyingchiensis by lacking a pineal body (present in these species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. archotaphus , A. cucae , A. compotrix , and A. vitreus by lacking an outer metatarsal tubercle (present in both species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. aniqiaoensis , A. bellulus , A. chakrataensis , and A. nyingchiensis by having smaller body size (SVL 35.7–39.9 mm in males, 43.7–45.6 mm in females of A. wenshanensis sp. nov. ; SVL 52.0 mm in the single known male of A. aniqiaoensis ; SVL 46.0–50.0 mm in males, SVL 64.0 mm in the single known female of A. bellulus ; SVL 55.0 mm in the single known female of A. chakrataensis ; and SVL 52.3–58.3 mm in males, 57.6–70.7 mm in females of A. nyingchiensis ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. akhaorum and A. iriodes by having males with nuptial pads (absent in both species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. daorum and A. iriodes by having two oblique vomerine teeth (vomerine teeth absent in A. daorum , vomerine teeth crescent-shaped in A. iriodes ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. vitreus by having non-translucent skin on the venter (present in A. vitreus ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. bellulus and A. nyingchiensis by having males with gular sacs (absent in both species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. chakrataensis and A. monticola by lacking a supratympanic fold (present in A. chakrataenis and A. monticola ). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. further differs from A. aniqiaoensis and A. gerbillus by having a distinct tympanum (indistinct in both species). Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov. is most similar in morphology, and most closely related in mitochondrial DNA ( Fig. 2 ), to A. compotrix and A. cucae from Vietnam and Laos . However, as above, A. wenshanensis sp. nov. is readily distinguished from these two species by lacking distinct transverse bands on dorsal surfaces of limbs, an outer metatarsal tubercle, pineal body, spots on dorsum, and spots on throat and belly (all present in A. compotrix and A. cucae ). literature. Species SVL (mm) Dorsal color in life Dorsal spots Vocal sac in males Nuptial pad in males Tympanum Ventral spotting Pineal body Circummarginal groove on tip of Finger I A. wenshanensis sp.nov. 35.7–39.9 (males), 43.7–45.6 (females) green absent present present distinct absent present present A. aniqiaoensis 52.0 (males) olive green absent present present indistinct present on throat ? present A. akhaorum 34.9–37.2 (males), 58.8–62.5 (females) green present present absent distinct present present present A. archotaphus 38.2–42.1(males), 58.8–62.5 (females) olive green present present present present present present absent A. bellulus 46.0–50.0 (males), 64.0 (female) olive green present absent present distinct present on throat ? absent A. chunganensis 34.0–39.0 (males), 44.0–54.0 (females) reddish brown present present present present present on venter ? present A. chakrataensis 55.0 (female) slaty brown absent ? ? present present present ? A. compotrix 31.4–42.6 (males), 55.6–56.9 (females) blue-green to yellowish green absent present present present present on throat present present A. cucae 40.7–44.6 (males), 65.8–68.0 (females) light green present present present present present absent present A. daorum 32.0–38.1 (males), 53.3–57.6 (females) green present present present present present present present A. mengyangensis 39.0–40.0 (males), 60.0 (males) olive green present present present present present on throat ? ? A. monticola 41.0 (male) green present present present present present on venter ? present A. iriodes 38.8–39.4 (males), 61.9 (female) iridescent green present present absent present present on venter present ? A. vitreus 37.5–43.6 (males) green present present present present present absent present A. gerbillus 33 (sex unknown) dark gray present ? ? indistinct present on venter ? ? A. nyingchiensis 52.3–58.3 (males), 57.6–70.7 (females) light brown or yellowish brown present but few absent present distinct present on venter ? present ……continued on the next page