pp.76–79

Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 11

2008

A Brief Report on the Life History of Batrachuperus taibaiensis
at Ping He Liang of Tsinling Mts.
PIPENG LI*, YUYAN LU AND ANG LI
Liaoning Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolution, Shenyang
Normal University, Shenyang 110034, P. R. China.
*Corresponding author E-mail: lipipeng@yahoo.com
Abstract.- Batrachuperus taibaiensis is a high-mountain, stream salamander endemic to China, and compared to congeners, is more northeastern in distribution and found at lower elevations. The distribution, life history and measurements of the larva and adult of this species were recorded from 2005 to 2006 at Ping He Liang of Tsinling Mts. Thelife history of the genus is discussed in the context of refining species definitions for those Batrachuperus found in
the Tsinling Mts. Past surveys carried out in Tsinling Mts found several different Batrachuperus species and there isa need to clarify which species really exist. The distribution of Batrachuperus taibaiensis is discussed in the paper.
Keywords.- Life history, stream salamander, Batrachuperus taibaiensis.

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Much of the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Chinese
Amphibia remain unresolved, as is much of the knowledge on their basic natural history, generally because
observations on natural history are not considered to be
worthy of publication and the gathering observations isoften time intensive (Greene, 1993). Nevertheless, theseobservations may contribute to phylogenetically informative characters (de Queiroz and Wimberger, 1993) anddata critical for developing conservation and management strategies (Mendelson et al., 1999).
The high-mountain stream salamanders, genus
Batrachuperus Boulenger, 1878, contains seven species
that occur in Western China and adjacent Myanmar(Frost, 2007). The natural history of the species in thisgenus remains largely unknown or unpublished because
individuals generally hide under stones in small mountain streams at high altitude, although reports on thecommon species B. pinchonii (David) have been madeby Liu (1945).
Recently, one new species (Batrachuperustaibaiensis) was found in the upper Heihe River in theTsinling Mts. of Shaanxi Province, China. Compared tocongeners, this salamander is more northeastern distribution and found at lower elevations (Song et al., 2001).
During collecting trips (1987–2005) along the rivers andstreams of Ping He Liang, the senior author collected
several B. taibaiensis and collected data on their naturalhistory. The following is a brief excerpt from the resultsof a series of herpetological surveys made from 2005 to2006.

Amphibian surveys were made on the south side of theTsinling Mts. (33° 36′ N, 108° 28′ E, 1800–2000 m)
between Huo Di Tang and Xun Yang Ba of Ningshan
County, Shaanxi province, China, from April 2005 toJune 2006. Ping He Liang reaches an altitude of 2160 mat the National Way. Batrachuperus taibaiensis was also
surveyed at its type locality on the north side of theTsinling Mts in April 2005.
Adult specimens were stored in 10% formalin.
Larvae and egg cases were observed live in the lab.

© 2008 by Asiatic Herpetological Research

Results
Identification.- Batrachuperus taibaiensis (Fig. 1) canbe separated from congeners by its relatively large bodysize and lack of horny covers on the palms and tarsa.
Distribution.- The distribution of Batrachuperus
taibaiensis is concentrated in the upper part of two rivers
and their associated streams on the northern and southern sides of Ping He Liang (Fig. 1). The pH of the water
was somewhat acidic (pH = 5.5–6.0). Specimens were
found under rocks in river headwaters and streams in thestudy area 2–3 km from the top of Ping He Liang (above1800 m).
In the streams and rivers where Batrachuperus
taibaiensis was found, adults of a number of otheramphibians occurred: Ranodon tsinpaensis Liu and Hu,
Bufo gargarizans Cantor, Rana chensinensis David, Paa
quadrana (Liu, Hu and Yang), Bufo andrewsi Schmidt.
Tadpoles of Bufo andrewsi and S. ningshanensis Fang

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Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 1177

Figure 1. (A) Habitat of Batrachuperus taibaiensis. (B) Adult and larvae of B. taibaiensis from Ping He Liang. (C) and(D) are egg cases of B. taibaiensis.

were also observed, the latter of which has its type locality in the same region. Hyla tsinlingensis Liu and Hu,
another endemic Chinese amphibian, was found in nearby ponds. Bufo gargarizans Cantor, Bufo andrewsi
Schmidt, H. tsinlingensis Liu and Hu, Rana chensinensis David P. quadrana (Liu, Hu and Yang) andBatrachuperus pinchonii were more widespread atlower elevations near the study area.
The study area encompassed approximately 15 km2of Subalpine conifer habitat covered with well-developed vegetation. The canopy often arched over therivers and streams.

Reproduction and growth.- The breeding season most
likely occurs from April to July, as the youngest larvae
with external gills and the most number of young salamanders in different stages of development were collected on August 3rd, 2005; young salamanders were not collected after April 16th, 2005.
Egg-cases, previously unknown for this species,
were found adhered to the under-side of rocks in theriver in April 16th, 2005. The body of the egg-case was acurled columnar tube with tapered ends; the case wassmooth and almost entirely transparent with thin longitudinal striations; fresh cases were the color of milk; for-78

Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 11

Table 1. Measurements of Batrachuperus taibaiensis(n=3)
larvaeABadultsC♂

♀

Body-Length (mm) 19.47

30.27

40.94

93.77

96.08Head-Length (%)

26.3

32.58

34.96

23.91

24.69

Head-Width (%)

21.73

24.29

24.54

20.56

19.85

Length-Eye (%)

6.27

6.26

6.03

5.18

4.73

Trunk-Length (%)

44.94

43.99

41.28

54.85

53.44

For-Leg (%)

15

20.45

26.21

27.17

23.09

Hind-Leg (%)

11.61

20.34

31.45

29.43

31.51

Tail Length (%)

58.04

69.82

78.47

99.62

93.17

Tail Width (%)

9.14

12.59

12.41

12.16

11.82

Tail Height (%)

20.54

22.52

18.38

13.85

12.92

A: larva just after hatching; B: developed larva; C: larva with fill shrivelingmalin-fixed cases became brittle. The cup-like cap at thefree end of the case was more soft and delicate than theremainder of the case (Fig. 1). Cases were 15.0–17.0
mm in length with a diameter of 18.0-20.0 mm. There
were 27–29 eggs or embryos in each egg case. Egg
diameter was 5.0–5.5 mm.
Free larvae appeared at stream edges under smallstones at the beginning of August. The early larvae,
compared to developed larvae, juveniles and adults, inthat the color was lighter gray with the dorsum yellowish-green and the venter yellowish; the dorsal pigment
faded after fixation. The forelimb of the early larva was
fully developed with four formed fingers; the fourth toe
bud appeared after formation of the first three toes. The
fore limbs developed earlier than the hind limbs. The
labial folds were well-developed and the pores of the lateral line organ were visible on the head. Eyes weresmall, black and covered with a transparent membrane;
eyelids were absent. Balancers were absent from the sideof head. There were four pairs of external gills (decreasing in size posteriorly); the filaments of the last gill werevery short, white and hidden beneath the third gill; thefirst to third gills resemble those of Batrachuperus pinchonii (Liu, 1945). The vertebral groove was distinct
along the length of the trunk. The tail was much higher
and shorter than that of the adult.
The developed larva was blacker than the younger
larva, and larvae with gill regeneration were nearly
black. Pores of the lateral line organs were more conspicuous in the head and shoulder regions. Eyelids werewell developed (as in Batrachuperus pinchonii [Liu,1945]). Gill filaments were blacker and longer thanthose seen in earlier larva, but shorter than larva with gillregeneration. Fingers and toes were well-developed.
Fifteen specimens from various developmental

2008stages were measured (Table 1). Larval head length was26.3%, 32.58% and 34.96% of total body length, while
adults head length was 23.91% in the male and 24.69%
in the female. Larval eye length was slightly larger thanthat of adults.

Discussion
Need for clarification of Batrachuperus species inTsinling Mts.- Song (1983) and Yuan (1984) reported
Batrachuperus pinchonii from the Tsinling Mts. in Mao
Tai Zi, Liuba County, and Huo Di Tang Forest, Ningshan
County. Later, from 1985 to 1989, the senior author anda colleague from Shaanxi Normal University collected
two species of Batrachuperus from Huo Di Tang andXun Yang Ba Forests, Ningshan County, which are on
the northern and southern slopes of the same Mountain:
B. pinchonii was collected at lower elevations while B.
tibetanus was collected at higher elevations (Li andFang, 1993 and unpublished data). At the same time,Song collected a new species of Batrachuperus fromZhouzi County - B. taibaiensis – which was supported
by sequence data from cytochrome b (Song et al., 2001).
Unfortunately, these species were either excluded (Fei etal., 2005) or treated under incorrect names (Han and Lu,2003; Zhang and Jia, 2002) in subsequent publications.
Batrachuperus occurs throughout the Tsinling Mts.,
extending to Foping, Zhouzi, Zashui and NingshanCounties. Batrachuperus taibaiensis has also beenfound in Kangxian, Wenxian and Fenxian in Gansu
Province, as well as Liuba and Nanjiang in northern
Sichuan Province (Zeng, 2004); these identifications
were made using molecular techniques because it isoften difficult to identify species of Batrachuperus using
traditional methods (Zeng, 2004).
Based on what is now known about the biology,
morphology and distribution of Batrachuperus taibaiensis, we consider that all specimens of B. tibetanus collected from the Tsinling Mts south to Shaanxi,
Southeastern Gansu and the North Sichuan Provinces(such as Micanshan and Dabashan) are actually representatives of B. taibaiensis. Considering this, the fullrange of B. taibaiensis may actually extend as far as
southeastern Shaanxi Province and the Shenlongjia Mts
in northwestern Hubei Province. To corroborate theseassumptions, it will be necessary to re-examine previously collected specimens from these localities to verify
their identity. Further fieldwork and molecular analyses
will likely be necessary.
The need to focus on Batrachuperus life history.- The
high-mountain stream salamander Batrachuperus currently was considered to contain seven species that
occur in Western China and adjacent Myanmar (Frost,2008

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Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 112007). Most of these species are restricted to China, andB. tibetanus and B. pinchonii are significant in their use
as experimental animals in embryological, morphological and ecological investigations (Li and Fang, 1993;Xu, 1992, 1993; Zhang and Jia, 2002; Han and Lu,2003; Fei et al., 2005).
Excluding one report by Liu (1945) on
Batrachuperus pinchonii, little data on life history has
previously been available for species in this genus.
Limited notes on B. longdongensis Liu and Tian, 1978,B. cochranae Liu, 1950 and B. yenyuanensis Liu, 1950
have also been published for populations in White-dragon-pool at Chin-ting (Jinding) of Mt. Omei, Pao-hsinghsien (Baoxing County), Yen-yuan-hsien (YanyuanCounty) and Tien-shui (Tianshui) and Sia-ho (Xiahe)
Counties of Gansu Province. Data from Fei et al. (2005)
are also useful for understanding the biology of thesenative animals.
Here we have reported additional life history data
for a new species in the genus, Batrachuperus taibaiensis, one of the largest stream salamanders in China. The
tube-like egg case is longer and thicker than those inother species, it is strongly coiled and contains more(27–29) eggs. In comparison, the egg case of B. pinchonii is cylindrical and cayenne-shaped with 7–12 eggs
(Liu, 1945); the case of B. yenyuanensis is linear and has
6–13 eggs (Zhao and Yang, 1997). The larvae of thisspecies are also unique.

Acknowledgments
This research was supported by National Nature Science
Foundation of China (No:30470206) and Special Invited
Professor Grand of Shenyang Normal University to
Pipeng Li. We are grateful to Dr. Zeng Xiaomao sending
her unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, Prof. Wu G. F. andZhao H. for field help, and three anonymous reviewers
for their reviews and corrections of the manuscript.

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Submitted: 19 September 2006
Accepted: 25 November 2007