Integrated evidence reveals a new subspecies of Amolops Cope, 1865 (Anura, Ranidae) from northeastern Yunnan, China

A new subspecies of Amolops dafangensis Li, Liu, Ke, Cheng, & Wang, 2024, designated as Amolops dafangensis wumengmontis ssp. nov., is described from Mt. Wumeng, Zhaotong City, northeastern Yunnan, China, based on phylogenetic analysis of the 16 S rRNA and CO 1 genes, as well as morphological examinations. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that specimens from the Wumeng Mountains clustered within Amolops dafangensis, forming two main clades within this species.

Amolops dafangensis wumengmontis ssp. nov. demonstrates a close phylogenetic relationship with A. d. dafangensis and is differentiated from the nominal subspecies by specific characteristics: 1) tympanum indistinct; 2) tibiotarsal articulation just reaching anterior corner of the eye; 3) flat and indistinct inner and outer metacarpal tubercles; and 4) webbing formula: I 1–1 II 1 – 1 ½ III 1 – 2 IV 2 – 1 V.