We are now in the era of big data for biodiversity science.More and larger datasets on species geographic distributions,community composition,and functional traits are now becoming more increasingly than ever before.C...We are now in the era of big data for biodiversity science.More and larger datasets on species geographic distributions,community composition,and functional traits are now becoming more increasingly than ever before.Correctly applying taxon names is a prerequisite for robust biodiversity studies of all taxonomic groups.展开更多
The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana speci...The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana specimens were collected,which were once identified as R.chensinensis.However,these samples showed significant differences from R.chensinensis of the type locality(Shaanxi Province in the Qinling Mountains)in both morphology and genetics.In this paper,based on analyses of seventeen geographic populations from the Taihang and Qinling Mountains,we describe a new species(namely R.taihangensis sp.nov.)in the R.chensinensis species group.A phylogenetic analysis of the R.chensinensis species group based on mitochondrial genes—COI,16S rRNA and Cytb—revealed the monophyly of the cryptic species,which formed the sister taxon to R.kukunoris.Morphological comparisons indicated that the cryptic species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characteristics.Additionally,the distribution patterns of the Rana species in North China were clarified.The populations of the southwestern Taihang Mountains,Xiaoqinling Mountains,and Funiu Mountains in Henan Province remain R.chensinensis,whereas the populations recorded as R.chensinensis in Beijing City,Hebei Province,and the southeastern Taihang Mountains of Henan Province should be revised as R.taihangensis sp.nov.展开更多
DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in C...DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in China through describing one new species,adding one species to the fauna(R.shyamrupus)and supplementing data on one species(Rohanixalus hansenae;Supplementary Materials).展开更多
A recently proposed taxonomic classification of extant ungulates sparked a series of publications that criticize the Phylogenetic Species Concept （PSC） claiming it to be a particularly poor species concept.These opi...A recently proposed taxonomic classification of extant ungulates sparked a series of publications that criticize the Phylogenetic Species Concept （PSC） claiming it to be a particularly poor species concept.These opinions reiteratively stated that （1） the two fundamental elements of the ＂PSC＂,i.e.,monophyly and diagnosability,do not offer objective criteria as to where the line between species should be drawn;and （2） that extirpation of populations can lead to artificial diagnosability and spurious recognitions of species.This sudden eruption of criticism against the PSC is misleading.Problems attributed to the PSC are common to most approaches and concepts that modern systematists employ to establish species boundaries.The controversial taxonomic propositions that sparked criticism against the PSC are indeed highly problematic,not because of the species concept upon which they are based,but because no evidence （whatsoever） has become public to support a substantial portion of the proposed classification.We herein discuss these topics using examples from mammals.Numerous areas of biological research rest upon taxonomic accuracy （including conservation biology and biomedical research）;hence,it is necessary to clarify what are （and what are not）the real sources of taxonomic inaccuracy.展开更多
Beta diversity is the change in species composition among areas in a geographic region. The proportion of species shared between two areas often decreases when the distance separating them increases, leading to an inc...Beta diversity is the change in species composition among areas in a geographic region. The proportion of species shared between two areas often decreases when the distance separating them increases, leading to an increase in beta diversity. This study compares beta diversity among four classes of terrestrial vertebrates （mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians） at both regional （biogeographic realm） and global extents, using the same sets of faunal sample units for all four groups in each comparison. Beta diversity is lower for the two endothermic taxa （birds and mammals） than for the two ectothermic taxa （reptiles and amphibians） in all six biogeographic realms examined. When the four taxa in the six biogeographic realms are combined, beta diversity at the species rank is higher than that of the genus rank by a factor of 1.24, and is higher than that of the family rank by a factor of 1.85. The ratio of beta diversity at the genus rank to that at the family rank is 1.50. Beta diversity is slightly higher for ecoregions of 5000-99,999 km^2 than for ecoregions of 100,000-5,000,000 km^2.展开更多
Twenty-three secondary forest communities with different structure were selected in Mao＇er Mountain National Park of Heilongjiang Province, China to study the relationship between diversity of forest plant species an...Twenty-three secondary forest communities with different structure were selected in Mao＇er Mountain National Park of Heilongjiang Province, China to study the relationship between diversity of forest plant species and environmental gradient. The forest plant species diversity was analyzed by the diversity index, and the environmental factors was quantified by the method of Whittaker＇s quantification of environmental gradient. Meanwhile, β-diversity indexes of communities were calculated with similar measurements. The results showed that the Shannon-wiener diversity index of forest plant species increased with the increase of the environmental gradient, and the β-diversity indexes of communities showed a liner increase along with the change of environmental gradient.展开更多
Taxonomic studies of the Odorrana versabilis group have been consistently disorganized,and they have often been incorrectly associated with an abandoned subgenus or genus Bamburana in existing literature.In this study...Taxonomic studies of the Odorrana versabilis group have been consistently disorganized,and they have often been incorrectly associated with an abandoned subgenus or genus Bamburana in existing literature.In this study,we conducted an integrative taxonomic analysis using molecular phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrial gene fragments(16S rRNA and CO1)and morphological examination of 41 specimens collected during herpetological surveys in southern China.Our results confirmed the monophyly of O.versabilis group which exhibited distinct morphological traits.We also identified a cryptic lineage sister with O.exiliversabilis.Additionally,our study revealed that O.trankieni was nested within O.nasuta.Consequently,we redefined the morphological characteristics of the O.versabilis group,described a new species in this group,O.confusa sp.nov.,and proposed that O.trankieni be considered a junior synonym of O.nasuta.One of the most significant findings of this study was the observation of distinct morphological changes in adult males across all species within the O.versabilis group between the non-breeding and breeding seasons.This study contributes to research on various aspects of Asian amphibian fauna,including taxonomy,ecology,evolution,and physiology.展开更多
The quality and coverage of the available taxonomical and geographical information and the recognition that diversity is multi-faceted are two main factors that hinder to understand the spatial and temporal variations...The quality and coverage of the available taxonomical and geographical information and the recognition that diversity is multi-faceted are two main factors that hinder to understand the spatial and temporal variations of biodiversity. In this study, we aim to quantify the global distribution of five diversity components used to assess freshwater fish diversity in river basins around the world. The multidimensional character of these diversity components was estimated and the so obtained diversity dimensions mapped. This was done taking into account those well-surveyed basins discriminated by considering collector’s curves, and additionally by controlling for the effect of survey effort on all considered diversity components. A total of 1,472,109 occurrence records were analysed, corresponding to 17,292 species of freshwater fishes. Five diversity components were considered: functional richness, species richness, taxonomic diversity, and two rarity measures. Well-surveyed river basins were discriminated using accumulation curves. The effects of survey biases and knowledge gaps were minimized by determining the relationship of each component with the completeness values calculated for each river basin. The geographical pattern derived from raw data is skewed by the unequal knowledge available, and all diversity components were positively correlated with completeness values. The first dimension described the association between species richness and functional diversity. The second dimension represented rarity and taxonomic diversity. The congruence between species richness and functional diversity suggests that ecosystem functions increase with the number of fish species present in river basins and that a decrease in species richness may involve a loss of functionality. The levels of rarity and taxonomic diversity of many species-poor basins found in arid and cold regions suggest that the distinctiveness of their freshwater fishes is primarily a consequence of how isolated these basins are.展开更多
The Tettigoniidae commonly known as katydids or bush crickets(Ensifera:Orthoptera)is reviewed,with five genera and twelve species viz:Trigonocorypha unicolor Stal 1873,T.angustata Uvarov 1922,Phaneroptera spinosa Bei-...The Tettigoniidae commonly known as katydids or bush crickets(Ensifera:Orthoptera)is reviewed,with five genera and twelve species viz:Trigonocorypha unicolor Stal 1873,T.angustata Uvarov 1922,Phaneroptera spinosa Bei-Beienko 1965,P.roseata Walker 1869,P.bivittata Be-Bienko 1954,P.gracilis Burmeister 1838,Holochlora japonica Brunner von Wattenwyl 1878,H.venosa Stal 1873,H.nigrotympana Ingrisch 1990,Ducetia japonica Thunberg 1815,Letana bulbosa Ingrisch 1990 including one new species Holochlora?Sp.nov.The distribution records of species within various districts of Sindh Pakistan are augmented.Modified taxonomic keys to the various genera and species of Tettigoniidae occurring in Sindh Pakistan are provided.Intraspecific variation within nominal species is discussed.展开更多
Taxonomic bias is a well-known shortcoming of species occurrence databases.Understanding the causes of taxonomic bias facilitates future biological surveys and addresses current knowledge gaps.Here,we investigate the ...Taxonomic bias is a well-known shortcoming of species occurrence databases.Understanding the causes of taxonomic bias facilitates future biological surveys and addresses current knowledge gaps.Here,we investigate the main drivers of taxonomic bias in occurrence data of angiosperm species in China.We used a database including 5,936,768 records for 28,968 angiosperm species derived from herbarium specimens and literature sources.Generalized additive models(GAMs)were applied to investigate explanatory powers of 17 variables on the variation in record numbers of species.Five explanatory variables were selected for a multi-predictor GAM that explained 69%of the variation in record numbers:plant height,range size,elevational range,numbers of scientific publications and web pages.Range size was the most important predictor in the model and positively correlated with number of records.Morphological and phenological traits and social-economic factors including economic values and conservation status had weak explanatory powers on record numbers of plant species,which differs from the findings in animals,suggesting that causes of taxonomic bias in occurrence databases may vary between taxonomic groups.Our results suggest that future floristic surveys in China should more focus on range-restricted and socially or scientifically less"interesting"species.展开更多
Prosopocoilus gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and its seven allied species from China are revised. Lectotype, paralectotypes of P. gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and P. denticulatus （Boileau, 1901） are designated. The doub...Prosopocoilus gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and its seven allied species from China are revised. Lectotype, paralectotypes of P. gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and P. denticulatus （Boileau, 1901） are designated. The doubtful species, P. piceipennis （Westwood, 1855） is evidently confirmed as a valid species with verification of its type depository. Two highly similar species, P. crenulidens （Fairmaire, 1895） and P. denticulatus （Boileau, 1901） are compared in detail for correcting longstanding wrong diagnoses of them. P. similis Schenk, 2009 is illustrated with male genitalia firstly. Two recently-published species, P. andreasi Schenk, 2009 and P. katsurai Fujita, 2010 are treated as new junior synonyms. All the five valid species in this paper are redescribed, with illustrations of adult （including type） habitus, male and female genitalia if they are available. A key to large males is provided for identifying them briefly.展开更多
The holotype of Rana chensinensis, as initially documented by David in 1875, is sourced from the Laoyu River in Yinjiapo, Hu County,Shaanxi Province, on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains. Long a contentious...The holotype of Rana chensinensis, as initially documented by David in 1875, is sourced from the Laoyu River in Yinjiapo, Hu County,Shaanxi Province, on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains. Long a contentious issue, the taxonomic composition and distribution ranges of the R. chensinensis species group have undergone revisions throughout the years. In this study, based on phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrial genes and morphological comparisons, we identified and described one new species within this group,designated as R. qui Chen, sp. nov. This new species exhibits pronounced genetic divergence, distinct morphological characteristics, and non-overlapping distribution ranges with its closely related species,including R. chensinensis, R. kukunoris, R. taihangensis and R. huanrensis. The R. qui Chen, sp. nov. resides in low mountainous terrain between 111 and 611 m in elevation. It is found on the eastern fringes of the Funiu Mountains, specifically along the northern slopes of the Tongbai-Dabie Mountain range where the headwaters of the Huaihe River's mainstream and its tributaries originate. This study enriches the taxonomic diversity of the Rana species and elucidates their biogeographic distributions in Henan Province. Moreover, our findings indicate that geographical barriers, such as mountains and water bodies, may play a key role in driving the differentiation and speciation of Rana species.展开更多
基金supported by the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(No.2023ZKZD36).
文摘We are now in the era of big data for biodiversity science.More and larger datasets on species geographic distributions,community composition,and functional traits are now becoming more increasingly than ever before.Correctly applying taxon names is a prerequisite for robust biodiversity studies of all taxonomic groups.
基金supported by the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment,China(2019HJ2096001006)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31872220,U21A20192 and 31572245)the Natural Science Founda tion of Henan Province(202300410222)the Second National Survey of Terrestrial Wildlife Resources Project of the National Forestry and Grassland Bureau of China.
文摘The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana specimens were collected,which were once identified as R.chensinensis.However,these samples showed significant differences from R.chensinensis of the type locality(Shaanxi Province in the Qinling Mountains)in both morphology and genetics.In this paper,based on analyses of seventeen geographic populations from the Taihang and Qinling Mountains,we describe a new species(namely R.taihangensis sp.nov.)in the R.chensinensis species group.A phylogenetic analysis of the R.chensinensis species group based on mitochondrial genes—COI,16S rRNA and Cytb—revealed the monophyly of the cryptic species,which formed the sister taxon to R.kukunoris.Morphological comparisons indicated that the cryptic species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characteristics.Additionally,the distribution patterns of the Rana species in North China were clarified.The populations of the southwestern Taihang Mountains,Xiaoqinling Mountains,and Funiu Mountains in Henan Province remain R.chensinensis,whereas the populations recorded as R.chensinensis in Beijing City,Hebei Province,and the southeastern Taihang Mountains of Henan Province should be revised as R.taihangensis sp.nov.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Fund for Central Universities (SWU-KR22014)National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC32170478,32370478)+8 种基金Yunnan Fundamental Research Project (202001AW070016,202005AC160046)“Special Fund for Youth Team of Southwest University” (SWU-XJPY202302)to Y.Z.Y.National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFC2602500)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP) (2019QZKK0501)Survey of Wildlife Resources in Key Areas of Xizang (ZL202203601)China’s Biodiversity Observation Network (Sino-BON)Animal Branch of Germplasm Bank of Wild Species,Chinese Academy of Sciences (Large Research Infrastructure Fund)to J.C.Unit of Excellence 2024 on Integrative diversity assessment of aquatic animals from Thailand (Fundamental FundFF67)to C.S。
文摘DEAR EDITOR,Based upon morphological and molecular evidence,the authors revised the genus Rohanixalus Biju,Garg,Gokulakrishnan,Chandrakasan,Thammachoti,Ren,Gopika,Bisht,Hamidy and Shouche,2020(Anura:Rhacophoridae)in China through describing one new species,adding one species to the fauna(R.shyamrupus)and supplementing data on one species(Rohanixalus hansenae;Supplementary Materials).
文摘A recently proposed taxonomic classification of extant ungulates sparked a series of publications that criticize the Phylogenetic Species Concept （PSC） claiming it to be a particularly poor species concept.These opinions reiteratively stated that （1） the two fundamental elements of the ＂PSC＂,i.e.,monophyly and diagnosability,do not offer objective criteria as to where the line between species should be drawn;and （2） that extirpation of populations can lead to artificial diagnosability and spurious recognitions of species.This sudden eruption of criticism against the PSC is misleading.Problems attributed to the PSC are common to most approaches and concepts that modern systematists employ to establish species boundaries.The controversial taxonomic propositions that sparked criticism against the PSC are indeed highly problematic,not because of the species concept upon which they are based,but because no evidence （whatsoever） has become public to support a substantial portion of the proposed classification.We herein discuss these topics using examples from mammals.Numerous areas of biological research rest upon taxonomic accuracy （including conservation biology and biomedical research）;hence,it is necessary to clarify what are （and what are not）the real sources of taxonomic inaccuracy.
文摘Beta diversity is the change in species composition among areas in a geographic region. The proportion of species shared between two areas often decreases when the distance separating them increases, leading to an increase in beta diversity. This study compares beta diversity among four classes of terrestrial vertebrates （mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians） at both regional （biogeographic realm） and global extents, using the same sets of faunal sample units for all four groups in each comparison. Beta diversity is lower for the two endothermic taxa （birds and mammals） than for the two ectothermic taxa （reptiles and amphibians） in all six biogeographic realms examined. When the four taxa in the six biogeographic realms are combined, beta diversity at the species rank is higher than that of the genus rank by a factor of 1.24, and is higher than that of the family rank by a factor of 1.85. The ratio of beta diversity at the genus rank to that at the family rank is 1.50. Beta diversity is slightly higher for ecoregions of 5000-99,999 km^2 than for ecoregions of 100,000-5,000,000 km^2.
基金Foundation project： The paper was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China （39899370）.
文摘Twenty-three secondary forest communities with different structure were selected in Mao＇er Mountain National Park of Heilongjiang Province, China to study the relationship between diversity of forest plant species and environmental gradient. The forest plant species diversity was analyzed by the diversity index, and the environmental factors was quantified by the method of Whittaker＇s quantification of environmental gradient. Meanwhile, β-diversity indexes of communities were calculated with similar measurements. The results showed that the Shannon-wiener diversity index of forest plant species increased with the increase of the environmental gradient, and the β-diversity indexes of communities showed a liner increase along with the change of environmental gradient.
基金This work was supported by DFGP Project of Fauna of Guangdong-202115Nanling National Park Construction Project(No.ZD22-ZC016AG)2022 Wildlife Monitoring Projects of the Guangdong Forestry Bureau,and the National Animal Collection Resource Center,China.
文摘Taxonomic studies of the Odorrana versabilis group have been consistently disorganized,and they have often been incorrectly associated with an abandoned subgenus or genus Bamburana in existing literature.In this study,we conducted an integrative taxonomic analysis using molecular phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrial gene fragments(16S rRNA and CO1)and morphological examination of 41 specimens collected during herpetological surveys in southern China.Our results confirmed the monophyly of O.versabilis group which exhibited distinct morphological traits.We also identified a cryptic lineage sister with O.exiliversabilis.Additionally,our study revealed that O.trankieni was nested within O.nasuta.Consequently,we redefined the morphological characteristics of the O.versabilis group,described a new species in this group,O.confusa sp.nov.,and proposed that O.trankieni be considered a junior synonym of O.nasuta.One of the most significant findings of this study was the observation of distinct morphological changes in adult males across all species within the O.versabilis group between the non-breeding and breeding seasons.This study contributes to research on various aspects of Asian amphibian fauna,including taxonomy,ecology,evolution,and physiology.
文摘The quality and coverage of the available taxonomical and geographical information and the recognition that diversity is multi-faceted are two main factors that hinder to understand the spatial and temporal variations of biodiversity. In this study, we aim to quantify the global distribution of five diversity components used to assess freshwater fish diversity in river basins around the world. The multidimensional character of these diversity components was estimated and the so obtained diversity dimensions mapped. This was done taking into account those well-surveyed basins discriminated by considering collector’s curves, and additionally by controlling for the effect of survey effort on all considered diversity components. A total of 1,472,109 occurrence records were analysed, corresponding to 17,292 species of freshwater fishes. Five diversity components were considered: functional richness, species richness, taxonomic diversity, and two rarity measures. Well-surveyed river basins were discriminated using accumulation curves. The effects of survey biases and knowledge gaps were minimized by determining the relationship of each component with the completeness values calculated for each river basin. The geographical pattern derived from raw data is skewed by the unequal knowledge available, and all diversity components were positively correlated with completeness values. The first dimension described the association between species richness and functional diversity. The second dimension represented rarity and taxonomic diversity. The congruence between species richness and functional diversity suggests that ecosystem functions increase with the number of fish species present in river basins and that a decrease in species richness may involve a loss of functionality. The levels of rarity and taxonomic diversity of many species-poor basins found in arid and cold regions suggest that the distinctiveness of their freshwater fishes is primarily a consequence of how isolated these basins are.
基金Higher Education Commission(HEC)under NRPU Research Project Grant No.6737 SINDH/NRPU/R and D/HEC.
文摘The Tettigoniidae commonly known as katydids or bush crickets(Ensifera:Orthoptera)is reviewed,with five genera and twelve species viz:Trigonocorypha unicolor Stal 1873,T.angustata Uvarov 1922,Phaneroptera spinosa Bei-Beienko 1965,P.roseata Walker 1869,P.bivittata Be-Bienko 1954,P.gracilis Burmeister 1838,Holochlora japonica Brunner von Wattenwyl 1878,H.venosa Stal 1873,H.nigrotympana Ingrisch 1990,Ducetia japonica Thunberg 1815,Letana bulbosa Ingrisch 1990 including one new species Holochlora?Sp.nov.The distribution records of species within various districts of Sindh Pakistan are augmented.Modified taxonomic keys to the various genera and species of Tettigoniidae occurring in Sindh Pakistan are provided.Intraspecific variation within nominal species is discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41967055,41561097)。
文摘Taxonomic bias is a well-known shortcoming of species occurrence databases.Understanding the causes of taxonomic bias facilitates future biological surveys and addresses current knowledge gaps.Here,we investigate the main drivers of taxonomic bias in occurrence data of angiosperm species in China.We used a database including 5,936,768 records for 28,968 angiosperm species derived from herbarium specimens and literature sources.Generalized additive models(GAMs)were applied to investigate explanatory powers of 17 variables on the variation in record numbers of species.Five explanatory variables were selected for a multi-predictor GAM that explained 69%of the variation in record numbers:plant height,range size,elevational range,numbers of scientific publications and web pages.Range size was the most important predictor in the model and positively correlated with number of records.Morphological and phenological traits and social-economic factors including economic values and conservation status had weak explanatory powers on record numbers of plant species,which differs from the findings in animals,suggesting that causes of taxonomic bias in occurrence databases may vary between taxonomic groups.Our results suggest that future floristic surveys in China should more focus on range-restricted and socially or scientifically less"interesting"species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31071954,31201745)the Research Fund for Young Scholars,Ministry of Education of China(20103401120006)
文摘Prosopocoilus gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and its seven allied species from China are revised. Lectotype, paralectotypes of P. gracilis （Saunders, 1854） and P. denticulatus （Boileau, 1901） are designated. The doubtful species, P. piceipennis （Westwood, 1855） is evidently confirmed as a valid species with verification of its type depository. Two highly similar species, P. crenulidens （Fairmaire, 1895） and P. denticulatus （Boileau, 1901） are compared in detail for correcting longstanding wrong diagnoses of them. P. similis Schenk, 2009 is illustrated with male genitalia firstly. Two recently-published species, P. andreasi Schenk, 2009 and P. katsurai Fujita, 2010 are treated as new junior synonyms. All the five valid species in this paper are redescribed, with illustrations of adult （including type） habitus, male and female genitalia if they are available. A key to large males is provided for identifying them briefly.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. U21A20192 and 31872220)the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China (Grant No. 2019HJ2096001006)+1 种基金China Biodiversity Observation Networks (Sino BON—Amphibian and Reptile)the National Key Protection Wildlife Projects Foundation of China。
文摘The holotype of Rana chensinensis, as initially documented by David in 1875, is sourced from the Laoyu River in Yinjiapo, Hu County,Shaanxi Province, on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains. Long a contentious issue, the taxonomic composition and distribution ranges of the R. chensinensis species group have undergone revisions throughout the years. In this study, based on phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrial genes and morphological comparisons, we identified and described one new species within this group,designated as R. qui Chen, sp. nov. This new species exhibits pronounced genetic divergence, distinct morphological characteristics, and non-overlapping distribution ranges with its closely related species,including R. chensinensis, R. kukunoris, R. taihangensis and R. huanrensis. The R. qui Chen, sp. nov. resides in low mountainous terrain between 111 and 611 m in elevation. It is found on the eastern fringes of the Funiu Mountains, specifically along the northern slopes of the Tongbai-Dabie Mountain range where the headwaters of the Huaihe River's mainstream and its tributaries originate. This study enriches the taxonomic diversity of the Rana species and elucidates their biogeographic distributions in Henan Province. Moreover, our findings indicate that geographical barriers, such as mountains and water bodies, may play a key role in driving the differentiation and speciation of Rana species.
