Published October 24, 2025 | Version v1
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Integrated evidence reveals a new subspecies of Amolops Cope, 1865 (Anura, Ranidae) from northeastern Yunnan, China

  • 1. Management and Conservation Bureau of Yunnan Wumeng Mountain National Nature Reserve, Zhaotong, China
  • 2. Southwest University, Chongqing, China
  • 3. Fuzhou Shuiyuzan Agriculture and Forestry Technology Company, Fuzhou, China

Description

A new subspecies of Amolops dafangensis Li, Liu, Ke, Cheng, & Wang, 2024, designated as Amolops dafangensis wumengmontis ssp. nov., is described from Mt. Wumeng, Zhaotong City, northeastern Yunnan, China, based on phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA and CO1 genes, as well as morphological examinations. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that specimens from the Wumeng Mountains clustered within Amolops dafangensis, forming two main clades within this species. Amolops dafangensis wumengmontis ssp. nov. demonstrates a close phylogenetic relationship with A. d. dafangensis and is differentiated from the nominal subspecies by specific characteristics: 1) tympanum indistinct; 2) tibiotarsal articulation just reaching anterior corner of the eye; 3) flat and indistinct inner and outer metacarpal tubercles; and 4) webbing formula: I1–1II1–1½III1–2IV2–1V.

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