Taxonomic revision of the Quasipaa verrucospinosa complex (Amphibia, Dicroglossidae) in Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species

This study provides a taxonomic revision of the Quasipaa verrucospinosa complex in Vietnam. Based on integrative taxonomic analyses, Quasipaa verrucospinosa sensu stricto is distributed in Lao Cai, Vinh Phuc, Ha Giang, and Tuyen Quang provinces. Other records of Quasipaa verrucospinosa in northern and central Vietnam revealed to be representatives of two new species: Quasipaa ohlerae sp. nov. from Son La, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An provinces and Quasipaa binhi sp. nov. from Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue provinces.

The two new species morphologically differ from each other and from other known species in the genus Quasipaa in size, skin texture, color pattern, and nuptial spines. The molecular analysis based on 16 S rRNA and Cytb gene fragments showed that the genetic divergence between Quasipaa ohlerae sp. nov. and other congeners ranges from 2.96 % (compared with Q. delacouri and Quasipaa binhi sp. nov.) to 7.89 % (compared with Q. exilispinosa) in the 16 S gene and from 13.81 % (compared with Q. delacouri) to 22.91 % (compared with Quasipaa sp.) in the Cytb gene, while the p-distances between Quasipaa binhi sp. nov. and its congeners ranges from 2.34 % (compared with Q. delacouri) to 6.12 % (compared with Quasipaa sp.) in the 16 S gene and from 10.15 % (compared with Q. delacouri) to 21.88 % (compared with Q. boulengeri) in the Cytb gene.

These new findings bring the total number of known species in the genus Quasipaa to 15 and the recorded species from Vietnam to eight.