Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bufonidae are a large family of toads with a subcosmopolitan distribution. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed a radiation of toads (Adenominae) with distinct adult and larval ecomorphs on the Southern parts of the I...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2009-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Research Notes |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/2/241 |
| _version_ | 1811285270011576320 |
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| author | Loader Simon P Giri Varad B Van Bocxlaer Ines Biju SD Bossuyt Franky |
| author_facet | Loader Simon P Giri Varad B Van Bocxlaer Ines Biju SD Bossuyt Franky |
| author_sort | Loader Simon P |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bufonidae are a large family of toads with a subcosmopolitan distribution. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed a radiation of toads (Adenominae) with distinct adult and larval ecomorphs on the Southern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The Indian torrential species "Ansonia" ornata has a basal position in this clade and does not group with South-East Asian Ansonia. Additionally, the nested position of "<it>Bufo</it>" <it>koynayensis </it>and an undescribed sister species, and their distinct ecologies including a non-typical egg-laying strategy within bufonids, support the recognition of a second distinct genus. In this paper we describe two new genera and one new species from the Adenominae clade.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 "1875" is transferred to Ghatophryne gen. nov., a genus of torrentially adapted toads that are endemic to the Western Ghats of India. On the basis of close morphological resemblance and distribution, Ansonia rubigina Pillai and Pattabiraman, 1981 is provisionally transferred to this new genus. The Western Ghats endemic toad Bufo koynayensis Soman, 1963 is transferred to a new genus Xanthophryne gen. nov. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we additionally describe a new species, Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov., from Amboli in the Western Ghats.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The descriptions and subsequent taxonomic changes we propose result in three genera of bufonids recognised as being endemic to the Western Ghats (Ghatophryne gen. nov., Xanthophryne gen. nov. and Pedostibes), and one to Sri Lanka (Adenomus). The spatial distribution, and arrangement of these lineages at the base of Adenominae diversification, reflects their Early Neogene isolation in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot.</p> |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd0d29c766cd4d1db23e218dc2ad2f37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-0500 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:41:41Z |
| publishDate | 2009-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Research Notes |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd0d29c766cd4d1db23e218dc2ad2f372022-12-22T03:06:11ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002009-12-012124110.1186/1756-0500-2-241Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of IndiaLoader Simon PGiri Varad BVan Bocxlaer InesBiju SDBossuyt Franky<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bufonidae are a large family of toads with a subcosmopolitan distribution. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed a radiation of toads (Adenominae) with distinct adult and larval ecomorphs on the Southern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The Indian torrential species "Ansonia" ornata has a basal position in this clade and does not group with South-East Asian Ansonia. Additionally, the nested position of "<it>Bufo</it>" <it>koynayensis </it>and an undescribed sister species, and their distinct ecologies including a non-typical egg-laying strategy within bufonids, support the recognition of a second distinct genus. In this paper we describe two new genera and one new species from the Adenominae clade.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 "1875" is transferred to Ghatophryne gen. nov., a genus of torrentially adapted toads that are endemic to the Western Ghats of India. On the basis of close morphological resemblance and distribution, Ansonia rubigina Pillai and Pattabiraman, 1981 is provisionally transferred to this new genus. The Western Ghats endemic toad Bufo koynayensis Soman, 1963 is transferred to a new genus Xanthophryne gen. nov. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we additionally describe a new species, Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov., from Amboli in the Western Ghats.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The descriptions and subsequent taxonomic changes we propose result in three genera of bufonids recognised as being endemic to the Western Ghats (Ghatophryne gen. nov., Xanthophryne gen. nov. and Pedostibes), and one to Sri Lanka (Adenomus). The spatial distribution, and arrangement of these lineages at the base of Adenominae diversification, reflects their Early Neogene isolation in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/2/241 |
| spellingShingle | Loader Simon P Giri Varad B Van Bocxlaer Ines Biju SD Bossuyt Franky Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India BMC Research Notes |
| title | Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India |
| title_full | Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India |
| title_fullStr | Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India |
| title_short | Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India |
| title_sort | two new endemic genera and a new species of toad anura bufonidae from the western ghats of india |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/2/241 |
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