Panophrys daoji Lyu, Zeng, Wang & Wang 2021, sp. nov.

Panophrys daoji Lyu, Zeng, Wang & Wang sp. nov.

Chresonymy. Megophrys sp20— Liu et al. 2018

Holotype. SYS a006209 (Fig. 4 A–D), adult male, collected by Jian Wang and Zhao-Chi Zeng on 31 July 2017 from Huading (29.2781°N, 121.0996°E; ca 680 m a.s.l.), Mt Tiantai, Tiantai County, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, PR China.

Paratypes. Three adult males (SYS a006210–6211, SYS a006212/ CIB 116076) and two adult females (SYS a006213–6214), collected at the same time from the same locality as the holotype.

Etymology. The specific epithet daoji is used as a noun in apposition, and refers to the Master Daoji (ḋằñ ®), also known as Ji Gong (ằẌ). He purportedly possessed supernatural powers which he used to help the poor and stand up to injustice, and became a famous legend in Chinese culture and a well-known deity in Chinese folk religion. Master Daoji was born in Yongning Village situated at the foot of Mt Tiantai where is the type locality of this new species with variable coloration.

Common names. Daoji’s Horned Toad (in English) / Dào Jì Jiăo Chán (ḋằfflḃ in Chinese)

Diagnosis. (1) body size moderate, with SVL 32.6–33.6 mm (n = 4) in adult males and 37.5–41.4 mm (n = 2) in adult females; (2) tympanum edge distinct and raised, upper margin in contact with supratympanic fold; (3) vomerine teeth absent; (4) margin of tongue not notched; (5) hindlimbs short, heels not meeting; (6) tibio-tarsal articulation reaching at center of tympanum; (7) TIB/SVL 0.39–0.42, FTL/SVL 0.57–0.64; (8) narrow lateral fringes on fingers present, one subarticular tubercle present at the base of each finger, relative finger lengths II <I <IV <III; (9) rudimentary web and narrow lateral fringes on toes present, one subarticular tubercle present at the base of each toe; (10) dorsal body’s skin texture rough, with densely-distributed granules and tubercles, discontinuous “X” or “)(”-shaped skin ridge on center of dorsum, short transverse skin ridges present on dorsal shank and thigh; (11) flank with densely-distributed tubercles; (12) a small horn-like tubercle present at edge of upper eyelid; (13) supratympanic fold distinct with raised conical tubercles; (14) coloration of dorsal surfaces variable, a dark brown triangular marking with light edge between eyes, a dark “X” or “)(”-shaped marking, with light edge, present on the center of dorsum; (15) single subgular vocal sac present in males; (16) black nuptial spines present on the finger I in breeding males.

Comparisons. Comparative data of Panophrys daoji sp. nov. with P. daiyunensis, and 47 recognized Panophrys congeners are given in Table 3.

Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. daiyunensis by the relatively larger body size, SVL 32.6–33.6 mm in males and 37.5–41.4 mm in females (vs SVL 27.6–28.7 mm in males and 33.7–35.6 mm in females), vomerine teeth absent (vs present), heels not meeting (vs overlapping or meeting), and nuptial spines present on the finger I in breeding males (vs absent).

Compared with the six Panophrys species previously recorded from eastern China, P. daoji sp. nov. differs from P. boettgeri by its smaller body size in adult males (vs SVL 34.5–37.8 mm), tongue not notched (vs notched), and round light patches on the shoulder absent (vs present). Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. huangshanensis by the smaller body size (vs SVL 36.0– 41.6 mm in males and 44.2 mm in female), tongue not notched (vs notched), narrow lateral fringes and rudimentary web on toes present (vs both absent), and round light patches on the shoulder absent (vs present). Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. kuatunensis by the larger body size in adult males (vs SVL 26.2–29.6 mm), tongue not notched (vs notched), and rudimentary web on toes present (vs absent). Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. lishuiensis by the narrow lateral fringes and rudimentary web on toes present (vs both absent). Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. ombrophila by its larger body size in adult females (vs SVL 32.8–35.0 mm), and narrow lateral fringes and rudimentary web on toes present (vs both absent). Panophrys daoji sp. nov. differs from P. xianjuensis by the heels not meeting (vs overlapping).

With a moderate body size, SVL 32.6–33.6 mm in males and 37.5–41.4 mm in females, Panophrys daoji sp. nov. can be distinguished from 20 congeners whose SVL <30 mm or> 35 mm in males or SVL <35 mm or> 45 mm in females, namely P. acuta, P. baolongensis, P. binlingensis, P. caudoprocta, P. cheni, P. hoanglienensis, P. insularis, P. jingdongensis, P. jinggangensis, P. liboensis, P. mirabilis, P. obesa, P. omeimontis, P. palpebralespinosa, P. sangzhiensis, P. shuichengensis, P. spinata, P. tuberogranulatus, P. xiangnanensis, and P. yangmingensis.

Panophrys daoji sp. nov. can be distinguished from the remaining 21 congeners by the following characteristics: vomerine teeth absent (vs present in P. daweimontis, P. dongguanensis, P. fansipanensis, P. jiulianensis, P. nankunensis, P. nanlingensis, P. rubrimera, and P. shimentaina); tongue not notched (vs notched in P. fansipanensis, P. jiulianensis, P. minor, P. nanlingensis, and P. rubrimera); heels not meeting (vs overlapping or meeting in P. angka, P. binchuanensis, P. jiangi, P. jiulianensis, P. leishanensis, P. lini, P. minor, P. mufumontana, P. nanlingensis, P. shimentaina, P. shunhuangensis, P. wuliangshanensis, and P. wushanensis); narrow lateral fringes present on toes (vs absent in P. angka, P. brachykolos, P. caobangensis, P. daweimontis, P. dongguanensis, P. fansipanensis, P. jiangi, P. jiulianensis, P. leishanensis, P. minor, P. nankunensis, P. shunhuangensis, P. wugongensis, and P. wuliangshanensis; vs wide in P. binchuanensis and P. lini; vs absent in females while wide in males in P. wushanensis); rudimentary web present between toes (vs lacking webs in P. daweimontis, P. fansipanensis, P. rubrimera, and P. wuliangshanensis).

Description of holotype. SYS a006209, adult male. Habitus moderate, SVL 33.4 mm; head width shorter than head length, HDW/HDL 0.99; snout rounded in dorsal view, projecting, sloping posteriorly to mouth in profile, protruding well beyond margin of lower jaw; dorsal surface of head flat; eye small, ED/HDL 0.39; nostril obliquely ovoid; pupil vertical; canthus rostralis well developed, curved above nostril; loreal region sloping; internasal distance larger than interorbital distance; tympanum edge distinct and raised, upper margin in contact with supratympanic fold; choanae large ovoid, situated at base of maxilla; vomerine teeth absent; margin of tongue not notched.

Lower arm length 0.20 of SVL and hand length 0.23 of SVL; relative finger lengths II <I <IV <III; tip of finger rounded, slightly dilated; one subarticular tubercle present at base of each finger; fingers without webs, narrow lateral fringes present on fingers; outer and inner metacarpal tubercles distinct, inner metacarpal tubercle observably enlarged.

Shank length 0.42 of SVL and foot 0.64 of SVL; tibio-tarsal articulation reaches at center of tympanum when hindlimb stretched alongside body; heels not meeting when hindlimbs held at right angles to body; relative toe lengths I <II <V <III <IV; tips of toes rounded, slightly dilated; one subarticular tubercle present at base of each toe; rudimentary web and lateral fringes present between toes; tarsal folds absent; inner metatarsal tubercle rounded, and outer metatarsal tubercle absent.

Dorsal body’s skin texture rough with densely-distributed granules and tubercles; discontinuous “X” shaped skin ridge on center of dorsum; short transverse skin ridges present on dorsal shank and thigh; a small horn-like tubercle present at edge of upper eyelid; supratympanic fold distinct, with distinct raised tubercles, curving from posterior corner of eye, posteroventrally to above insertion of arm; flank with densely-distributed tubercles. Ventral surface smooth; densely-distributed tubercles on thigh; pectoral gland relatively small, closer to axilla; single femoral gland on posterior surface of thigh.

Coloration of holotype. Dorsal surface dark brown; scarlet granules on the dorsal head, supratympanic fold, dorsum, and flanks; a dark brown triangular marking with light edge between eyes; a dark brown “X” shaped marking with light edge on center of dorsum; dark stripes below eyes; iris red. Ventral surface grayish brown, with a large white patch and tiny scarlet spots on the belly; three dark longitudinal stripes on the throat; palms pale, soles grayish brown, tips of digits greyish white, metacarpal and metatarsal tubercles pale; pectoral glands and femoral glands white.

Variation. Measurements of type series are given in Table 5. All specimens were similar in morphology but their colorations were variable. Females are larger than males. SYS a006210 is dark gray on dorsum with “)(”- shaped skin ridge and “)(”-shaped marking on center of dorsum. SYS a006211 (Fig. 4E) is pale brown dorsally with underdeveloped “)(”-shaped skin ridge on center of dorsum. SYS a006212 is yellowish brown on dorsum. SYS a006214 (Fig. 4F) is reddish brown on dorsum with light patches on the shoulder.

Distribution and ecology. Currently, Panophrys daoji sp. nov. is known from the Mt Tiantai (600–700 m a.s.l.) of Tiantai County and neighboring Xikou Town (500–600 m a.s.l.) of Fenghua City, both situated in the Tiantai Mountains in eastern Zhejiang. Males call from banks of streams in July, but tadpoles have not been found and additional ecological information remains unknown.