Phylogenetic Relationships of Chinese Brown Frogs (Rana) Based on Sequence of Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene

Fragments of about 360 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from 7 species of Rana and 2 species of Pelophylax were amplified and sequenced.Phylogenetic analyses reveal that:1)The DNA sequence variations between Gansu population and Northeastern population of Rana chensinensis are notable,but the data are insufficient to judge whether the two populations are two different subspecies or species.2)Rana chensinensis is most closely related to Rana amurensis,and is most alienated from R.huanrenensis among the 7 species of Rana studied.3)The molecular evidences support to place R.zhenhaiensis,R.omeimo ntis,R.chaochiaoensis and R.longicrus into Rana japonica species group.