An allozyme electrophoresis study on eleven species of megophryinae in China

Allozymes of eleven species of Megophryinae in China were exmined electrophoretically to investigate genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships. Fourteen enzymes, presumptively coded by 24 lovi were detected to be variable.Gene frequencies of each population at each locus were presented. The commonly used measure of genetic diversity, the average heterozygosity (H) were calculated based on gene frequencies. The results indicated that Megophryinae had a high level of genetic diversity in amphibians, an average H of 0.18, ranging from 0.058 to 0.28. Nei's (1978)genetic distances (Nei's D) were calculated for all possible population pairs. A dedrogram of 13 populations represnenting 11 species, 3 genera of Megophryinae were derived and presented by using UPGMA, based on Nei's D. The assignment of O phryophryne as a distinct genus were supported by an average Nei's D of 1.4067 which separated O. microstoma from all other populations. Subdivision of Brachytarsophrys from Megophrys was not supported by this study. Within Megophrys, three groups were recognized: 1. m. lateralis, M. giganticus and M. longipes; 2. M palpebralespineosa, M. boettgeri and M. parva; 3. M. minor and M. kuatunensis. Three populations of M. omeimontis were closely related and share a clade independent form all other Megophrys, and B feae as well