1997

Asiatic Herpetologu at ResearchVol.

7, pp.

103- 07
1The Variation in Karyotypes of Brachytarsophrys from China with a Discussionof the Classification of the Genus

Ding-Qi Rao and Da-Tong Yang
Kunming Institute of Zoology, Accidentia Sinica, Kunming 650223. China
Abstract. -Different karyotypic forms of Brachytarsophrys occur in populations from Jingdong and Dayao,

Yunnan. These forms, along with morphological evidence, suggest that Brachytarsophrys should be divided into

two different species. The Jingdong population is identified as B.feae (previously Megophrxs feae). The Dayao
population is a new species, resembling in morphology, B. carinensis which occurs in south Burma and Thailand.
The Dayao population is geographically far removed from B. carinensis. A valid sister species. B.feae, is foundbetween the distribution of the Dayao population and B. carinensis. The new species is found in a different
climatic zone and in different habitats than B. carinensis. B. intermedins in south Vietnam probably is not a validspecies because it is more similar to B. carinensis in morphology and shares the same climatic zone and habitats.

Key words: Brachytarsophrys. B. platyparietus sp. nov.. B.feae. karyotype, biogeography, classification

ii ii ii iiIIIIuu II II II 11

U H ii M

10/"%H~B.

ifmm mmiQjU

isFigure 1.

The karyotypes of Brachytarsophrys of China.

iin

A; Jingdong population; B-C:c.

Dayo population.

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 7. p. 104

Introduction
China were considered to bein

Brachytarsophrys

until Ye and Fei (1992)
only B. carinensis
described a second species, B.feae. Our studies ofcytology and morphology agree with Ye and Fei that

Brachytarsophrys in China belong to two different

The Jingdong population we studied
We do not agree with them withspecies.

belongs to B.feae.

respect to the Dayao population, which they identified as B. carinensis.

Materials and Methods
Specimens usedin cytologicalresearch were col-lected respectively from Jingdong. Yunnan in June,

1990 and May, 1991, and Dayao, Yunnan in May,1990.

All specimens were taken to the laboratory

before processing. Karyotypes were prepared using
the method of colchicine-hypotonic-air drying:werespecimens

injected

intraperitoneallywithcolchicine at a dosage of 20 ug/g body weight for

about 24-36 hours, then the femur and tibia were cut

two ends.
The marrow cells were
washed out with 1% tri-sodium citrate solution,
off at theirground, then placed

0.64% KC1 andinahypotonic solution ofsolution of metha-

fixed in 3:1

nohacetic acid for two periods of 20 minutes each.

10% Giemsa
PBS for about 15 minutes. Specimens from middle,
Slides were air-dried and stained withsouthern, southwestern, northwestern and northern

Yunnan were examined and some from Jingdong,Menglian, Tengchong, and Xishuanbanna were dissected.

Cytological Results

The karyotypic form of the specimens from Jingdong is 2n=26, 5 large and 8 small pairs, Nos. 1, 3.
4. 5. 7. 8, 11. are

13 areM (metacentric): Nos. 2. 6, 9. andSM (submetacentric): only No. 10 is T (telo-centric).

The NF (fundamental number) is 50. One

secondary constriction is found in the near base ofno satellite was found. The
the short arm of No.
1;

karyotypic form of the specimens from Dayao ismostly 2n=28, 5 large and 9 small pairs, Nos. 1, 3,4, 5, 6, 7,

11,and 12 are M; Nos. 2 and 8 are SM

13, and 14 are T chromosomes,
No satellite or secondary constrictions
were found. We also found a third karyotypic formand Nos.

9,10,

NF=48.

with 2n=30 in Dayao specimens, with 5 large and10 small pairs, Nos. 2, 7, and 8 are SM. Nos 9 and
13 are ST and Nos. 11. 12. 14. and 15 are T; the rest
areSM chromosomes, NF=48. No secondary con-strictions

and satellites were found.

A few speci-1997

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Asiatic Herpetological Research

Discussion of Karyotypes
Table

shows that the large chromosomes are similarIin the three populations examined, but the small chro-mosomes vary. The karyotype of the specimens fromVol. 7. p. 105

B. feae (M. feae) is characterized by eyelids withsmall tubercles, one much more elongate than the oth-no longitudinal glandular folds on dorsum, avocal sac. tibiotarsal articulation which reaches nearers,

Dayao is closer to that from Sichuan than that fromJingdong. The karyotype of the population from Jing-jaw-angle, bony deposits on head, length 106 mm.
head depressed, and toes free or with a mere rudimentdong has 2n=26, NF 50, an obvious secondary con-of web.

striction

inlp,

only

1

telocentric pair (No.

10) ofchromosomes, 3 pairs of SM chromosomes (Nos. 6, 9,
Small chromosomes are more numerous in this13).
population than in the other two populations. The
karyotype of the Dayao population is 2n=28, NF=48,
no secondary constriction was found, only SM chro1locality

It isisdistributed in north Burma and the typeKakhien Hills, Burma which is near Long-chuan and Tengchong, Yunnan, China.

The population of southwestern Yunnan

is

here

assigned to B.feae and is not B. carinensis. The populations of northeastern Yunnan and Sichuan are similar to B. carinensis, but lack paired glandular folds.

mosome (No. 8), and 4 small T chromosomes (No. 9.
10. 13. 14). This is more than the Jingdong. Sichuan
population karyotypes which were mainly 2n=26.
NF=44, 1 secondary constriction in each of two Tchromosomes (No. 9, 11), no SM chromosomes, andT chromosomes (No. 9. 11. 12. 13) (Tan. et al..

41987).

Because of these differences in karyotype, theDiscussion
The populations from north and middle Yunnan,
including the Dayao population, are similar to B. carinensis in possessing eyelids and toe-webs, but they
obviously lack paired elongate granular folds on theback that are present in B. carinensis (Bourret, 1942;

populations of Jingdong and Dayao should be recognized as two different species.

Taylor,Morphological ResultsThe specimens from northeastern Yunnan

B. carinensis occurs in tropical habitats whereas pop(Lijiang,Yangbi, Bianchuan, Dayao, Yuxi, Kunming. Shuangbai, Shiping and Xinping), from Sichuan (Miyi,Huili),and from Guizhou (Leishan. Anlong) (Wu etsame as those from
Guangxi (Longsheng, Jinxui). from Hunan (Yizhang),and from Jiangxi (Jingganshan). The toes are obviously webbed and the web may reach or exceed 1/3 ofthe toes. The tops of the skulls in specimens from1986)al..

areprobably

themiddle and northern Yunnan are very flat. Specimensfrom southwestern Yunnan (Jingdong. Meghan.

Xishuanbanna, Tengchong, Yongde and Longchuan,near the type locality of Megophrys feae) are nearly
free of webbing or with aThemere rudiment of a web.

tops of their skulls are obviously depressed.

Also these Yunnan populations are
geographically widely separated from B. carinensis
and are found in different habitats and climate zones.
ulations of northeastern

Bourret (1942) and Taylor (1962) described B.
carinensis (previously Megophrys carinensis) as follows:

eyelid with two to four pointed tubercles nearedge, vomerine teeth normally present, heel reaches toYunnan occur in temperatezones, and are separated from B. carinensis by a valid
sister species. B.feae.

Physiological characteristics limit amphibian abilDistributions should be continuous
ity to disperse.

and presently discontinuous distributions should bevestiges of a once continuous range. The distributionof a species should be continuous, and evenwhen

populations are separated by a valid sister species ordifferent climatic zones, such populations should bewidely separated. We think that the population ofnortheastern Yunnan, Sichuan and nearby localities
should be a new species and not recognized as B. carinensis.

These differences suggest that these forms be recognized as two different species.

1962).

B. intermedins in south Vietnam (Lang Bian) has

paired elongate folds; it is similar to B. carinensis.
and inhabits the same climatic zone (tropical). It is

probably a population of B. carinensis.

Karyotypic and morphological evidence and geographical distribution (Liu and Hu. 1961; Yang et al.,shoulder or jaw-angle, skin with bony deposits above

1991; Wu et al.. 1986; Tian and Jiang. 1986). suggest

head and anterior part of body, a vocal sac, paired
andelongate glandular folds of back, male 23that the population from Jingdong (including those ofmm

is dis-southwestern Yunnan) is B. feae. The populations
from Dayao (including northeastern Yunnan. Sichuan.

tributed in Thailand (Chang Mai, Lampang provinces

Guizhou. Guangxi. Hunan and Jiangxi) is a new spe-and Mergui) and south Burma (type locality is Karencies and not a population of B. carinensis. B. carinen-Hills in southwestern Burma).

sis1

female 150 mm, and toes about 1/3 webbed.

Itisdistributedinsouthwestern

Burma(typelocality) and north Thailand. Megophrys intermedins

1997

Asiatic Herpetological ResearchVol. 7, p. 106

W^

Figure 2.

intermediusfeae•=. platyparietus

The distribution of the genus Brachytarsophrys.

Taxonomic AccountBrachytarsophrys platyparietus sp. nov. (Fig. 3)
Holotype.

KIZ 90275. adult male, collected from

Duo-Di-He, San-Tai, Da-Yao. Yunnan, China, altitude2100 meters.
adult male (KIZ 90274) and adultParatypes:female (KIZ 90276), from the same locality as the1holotype.

Diagnosis:

Body very large, male may reach

116mm

from snout to vent, female 131 mm; eyelids with threecircular tubercles in a line, the middle longest, and notvery sharp;
Figure 3. Brachytarsophrys platyparietus sp. nov.

Holotype (KIZ 90275). adult male X 1.

tympanum hidden; arched diagonal foldfrom eyelid to above arm insertion: toes widely
fringed and obviously webbed (at least extending to 1/3 toes); the top of skull obviously very flat; no longitudinal granular folds on the body side; no subarticui-Smith (1921) in south Vietnam (Annam) is a population of B. carinensis.

We recognize three species inthe genus Brachytarsophrys:

B. carinensis in south-

western Burma. Thailand and south Vietnam; B. feae
in north

Burma and southwestern Yunnan; and a newspecies

innortheastern Yunnan, southern Sichuan.

Guizhou. Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi (Fig. 2).

lar tubercles.

The karyotype with 2n=28. few are 26

or 30; 5 pairs of large chromosomes, always with 4pairs of small telocentric chromosomes, no secondary
constriction in the No.

1chromosome.

Description of Holotype: Head large, flat and wide,length nine-tenths of width; snout obtuse, very short.

1997

its

Asiatic Herpetological Researchlength in front of the level of eyes 12 mm; distance

betweennostrils

mm; canthus rostralis not very

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1Vol. 7, p. 107

somes, and a secondary constriction in the short armof the No.

chromosome.

1B. carinensis has webbed

sharp; loreal region only slightly diagonal; eyelid ele-toes, obvious granular folds on the back and above thevated, projecting, bearing three elongate and circulargroin.

tubercles in a line,

among which the middle one is

The eyelids have three sharp pointed flattened
B. intermedins from south Vietnam is very

tubercles.

much smaller

similar to B. carinensis.

It(3-4) behind them; tongue broad, nearlyround, mostly free behind, free on sides, one notch inular folds on the back.

We suggest that

longer than the other two. and withtubercles

chaoanae

front;

partlyconcealed

shelves; vomerine teeth present;

proportion to leg;firstbyfinger shorter than second;legs relatively short, tibiotarsal articulation reaching
toback ofskull;

toes

about one-third(ormore)webbed and widely fringed; a large flat inner metatarsal tubercle, aslong as first toe;no tarsal fold; digits

without widened tips; heels separated by about 20mm

Bourret, R.

back without pair of curving ridges frombatids,

M„ X. M. Zeng. G. F. Wu. and E. M. Zhao.
Cytotaxonomical studies on Chinese peloA preliminary study on the karyotype ofI.

Brachytarsophrys carinensis and the variation in theirchromosome number]. Acta Herpetologica Sinica
6(2): 1-4.

(In Chinese).

and without any dorso-lateralridges on dorsal side and above groin; no paired coni-Taylor E. H.

symmetrical tubercles in front of shoulders; nosharp ridges and tubercles on sides; tibia without any599.

shoulders,

calridges.

Body length 113 mm, head length 47 mm,

width of head 57 mm.

One female (KIZ 90276)

Variation:
length 131

1962. The Amphibia fauna of Thailand.
The University of Kansas Science Bulletin 63(8): 1-Tian, W. S. and Y. M. Jiang (editors), assisted by G. F.

Wu, Q. X. Hu, E. M. Zhao and Q. Y Huang.
withbodymm, head length 52.5 mm, head width 61mm.
Distribution:

1961.0 [Tailless amphibians
364 pp. (In Chi-Science Press. Beijing.

nese).

1987.

toLes Batrachiens de l'lndochine.

Liu, C. C. and S. Q. Hu.

of China].

Tan. A.

eyelid to above arm insertion on each side, the folds

1942.

Memoires de l'lnstitut Oceanographie de l'lndochine.
Hanoi 6:1-517.

Skin above generally smooth, but laterally withnumerous flat tubercles; a strong fold from edge ofhead

should be

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when legs are folded; no subarticular tubercles.

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maxillaryarm rather long in

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manual1986.

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1991.

(Jingganshan).

[The Amphibia-fauna of Yunnan],Comparisons: B.feae is only very narrowly fringed
and not webbed in the toes. The top of the skull is

Publishing House, Beijing. 259 pp. (In Chinese).

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long and sharp. The karyotype is 2n=26 with fivelarge pairs, only one pair of small telocentric chromo-China Forestry

Ye. C. Y. and L. Fei. 1992. [Taxonomic study of pelobatid toads, genus Brachytarsophrys of China.] Acta

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