Odorrana calciphila Song, Qi, Wang, Liu & Wang, 2025

Odorrana calciphila Song, Qi, Wang, Liu & Wang sp. nov.

Holotype.

SYS a 009287 , adult male, collected on 17 May 2024 by Han-Ming Song and Ying-Yong Wang from Loushuiping Village (WGS 84 data: 24.8052°N, 112.7615°E; 510 m a. s. l.), Chengjia Yao Ethnic Town, Yangshan County, Guangdong Province, China. GoogleMaps

Paratypes.

(n = 5, all adult females): SYS a 008923 , collected on 18 May 2022 by Shuo Qi and Yong-Heng Zhu from the same locality as the holotype GoogleMaps ; SYS a 009288 , SYS a 009289 , SYS a 009290 / CIB 119031 , the same collection information as the holotype GoogleMaps ; and SYS a 009295 , collected on 18 May 2024 by Han-Ming Song and Ying-Yong Wang from Datan River Nature Reserve (WGS 84 data: 24.5298°N, 113.0185°E; 290 m a. s. l.), Ruyuan County, Guangdong Province, China GoogleMaps .

Etymology.

The specific epithet, calciphila, is a feminine adjective in Latin, composed of “ calcis ” (the genitive singular of calx, meaning karstic) and “ - phila ” (a suffix, meaning beloved), referring to this species’ characteristic of inhabiting the karst landscapes.

Suggested common name.

“ 灰岩臭蛙 (huī yán chòu wā) ” in Chinese and “ Limestone Odorous Frog ” in English.

Diagnosis.

This species can be diagnosed from other species of Odorrana lipuensis group by the combination of following morphological characteristics: (1) body size small, SVL 37.9 mm in adult male (n = 1) and 39.9–45.7 mm in adult females (n = 5); (2) relative finger length I <II; (3) dorsolateral folds prominent and swollen in adult females and absent in adult male; (4) bands on the dorsal surface of hind-limb clear; and (5) nuptial pads present on fingers I, II and III, the nuptial pad on finger II connecting with the nuptial pad on finger I.

Comparisons.

Odorrana calciphila sp. nov. is phylogenetically closest to O. concelata , while the new species is still different from the latter by the nuptial pad on finger II connecting with the nuptial pad on finger I (vs. the nuptial pad on finger II from the subarticular tubercle to fingertip, not connecting with the nuptial pad on finger I in O. concelata ); relative finger length I <II (vs. relative finger length I ≥ II in O. concelata ); and dorsolateral fold prominent and swollen in adult females (vs. absent in O. concelata ) (Table 3 View Table 3 and Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 ).

Compared with the other two species within the Odorrana lipuensis group, namely O. liboensis and O. lipuensis , Odorrana calciphila sp. nov. is different from them by having a smaller size, SVL 37.9 mm in adult male and 39.9–45.7 mm in adult females (vs. 43.7–53.8 mm in adult males and 48.8–58.2 mm in adult females in O. liboensis and 40.7–49.8 mm in adult males and 49.9–60.1 mm in adult females in O. lipuensis ); nuptial pads present on fingers I, II and III (vs. nuptial pad present on finger I in O. liboensis and O. lipuensis ); dorsolateral fold prominent and swollen in adult females (vs. absent in O. lipuensis ); bands on the dorsal surface of hind-limb clear (vs. unclear in O. liboensis ); and relative finger length I <II (vs. I ≥ II in O. lipuensis ) (Table 3 View Table 3 ).

Description of the holotype.

Adult male, SVL 37.9 mm, other measurements are listed in Table 3 View Table 3 . Head length larger than head width; snout obtuse, projecting beyond lower jaw, snout length larger than eye diameter; canthus rostralis distinct, loreal region slightly concave; nostril rounded, located laterally, closer to tip of snout than to eye; eye large, pupil horizontally elliptic; top of head flat, pineal ocellus visible; interorbital distance slightly less than internasal distance; tympanum rounded and large, edge of tympanum slightly elevated. Vomerine ridge distinct, bearing vomerine teeth; choanae distinct; tongue notched distally; vocal sac absent.

Fore-limb slender; finger slender, relative finger length I <II <IV <III; tips of fingers II, III and IV expanded into discs with lateroventral grooves, discs of fingers III and IV prominently enlarged, transverse oval, the disc of finger IV the widest, tip of finger I without grooves; finger without webbing or lateral fringe; subarticular tubercle prominent, 1, 1, 2 and 2 on fingers I to IV, respectively; supernumerary tubercle below the base of finger indistinct; three metacarpal tubercles distinct, the inner one oblong and outer two rounded; the inner surface of finger I with significantly raised nuptial pad, from wrist extending to the fingertip, the inner surface of finger II with thin nuptial pad, connecting with the nuptial pad on finger I and extending to the fingertip and the inner surface of III with thin nuptial pads, from the second subarticular tubercle extending to the fingertip, all nuptial pads bearing granular nuptial spines.

Hind-limb long, tibiotarsal articulation exceeding nostril when hind-limb stretched along the side of body, heels overlapping when hind-limbs flexed at right angles to the axis of body; toe slender, relative toe length I <II <III <V <IV; tip of each toe expanded into oval disc, with lateroventral groove; toe ⅓ webbed, webbing formula I 0 - ½ II 0 - 1 III ½ - 1 + IV 1 ½ - ½ V, with lateral fringe; subarticular tubercle prominent, 1, 1, 2, 3 and 2 on toes I to V, respectively; inner metatarsal tubercle prominent, oval and elongated, outer metatarsal tubercle and tarsal fold absent.

Dorsal skin relatively smooth, with tiny flat granules forming homogeneous worm-like texture; supratympanic fold short, distinct; dorsolateral fold absent; small conical spines distinct, scattering on the skin of upper eyelid and from the rictal region along the dorsolateral region until the crotch. Ventral skin smooth; flattened tubercle densely scattering on the rear of thigh and surrounding cloacae.

In life (Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ), dorsal surface of head and body with a scattering of irregular moss-like green speckles and brown mottles; pineal ocellus yellow-green; iris black, with golden speckles; tympanum dark brown; flank green to light yellow, with brown mottles; small conical spines translucently white; dorsal surface of fore-limb yellow, with irregular brown stripes; dorsal surface of hind-limb green, with distinct brown bands; nuptial pad light yellow. Ventral surface of head, body and fore-limb greyish-white to light pink, with a few brown speckles; ventral surface of thigh pinkish-purple, immaculate.

In preservative (Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ), dorsal surface becoming dark blue to greyish-brown, speckles, mottles, stripes and bands darkened; pineal ocellus greyish-white; small conical spines white, more distinct; nuptial pad greyish-yellow. Ventral surface greyish to light yellow, scattering numerous dark brown tiny spots.

Variation.

Measurements of the type series are summarised in Table 2 View Table 2 . All paratypes (Figs 4 View Figure 4 , 7 View Figure 7 ) are similar to the holotype in morphology, except the following: (1) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the region between eye and nostril in SYS a 008923 , SYS a 009288 , SYS a 009289 and SYS a 009290 and reaching the anterior corner of eye in SYS a 009295 when hind-limb stretched along the side of body; (2) dorsolateral fold prominent and swollen, with granular tubercles, from supratympanic fold to sacral region in all paratypes; (3) small conical spines overall absent in SYS a 008923 , SYS a 009288 and SYS a 009289 and only absent from the skin of upper eyelid in SYS a 009290 and SYS a 009295 ; (4) having overall bright yellow mature oocytes in SYS a 008923 , SYS a 009290 and SYS a 009295 and immature oocytes in SYS a 009288 and SYS a 009289 .

Secondary sexual character.

Adult females are larger than the adult male, SSDi = 0.86 and have prominent and swollen dorsolateral fold, with granular tubercles, from supratympanic fold to sacral region; adult male has nuptial pads and nuptial spines on fingers I, II and III.

Distribution.

This species is endemic to China and known to occur in two localities in northern Guangdong: Chengjia Yao Ethnic Town, Yangshan County and Datan River Nature Reserve, Ruyuan County (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).

Natural history.

All individuals of this species were observed in the context of damp limestone formations or litters within the subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest at elevations of 290–510 m (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ). Despite being observed in the open air, the individuals only appeared on the completely dark and heavily rainy nights and rapidly jumped away as soon as they were exposed to flashlights. This behaviour may imply that this species is accustomed to the moist and low-light environment, which is consistent with the condition in the underground karst caves. The sympatric herpetofauna observed includes Odorrana wuchuanensis , O. huanggangensis , Xenophrys mangshanensis (Fei & Ye, 1990) , Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) , Quasipaa boulengeri (Günther, 1889) , Fejervarya multistriata (Hallowell, 1860) , Goniurosaurus varius Qi, Grismer, Lyu, Zhang, Li & Wang, 2020 , Protobothrops cornutus (Smith, 1930) , Elaphe taeniura (Cope, 1861) and Ahaetulla prasina (Boie, 1827) etc. The specimens collected in mid-May exhibit the prominent breeding morph, such as the mature oocytes in females, indicating that the breeding season spans this period. However, no amplexus behaviour, eggs or tadpoles were found in fieldwork.