Abstract:
The subfamily Megophryinae, as a representative batrachian group of the Oriental Realm and one of the most diverse groups of amphibians, has attracted considerable attention due to continued conjecture regarding its generic classification and failure to reach a satisfactory consensus. China boasts the richest diversity of Asian horned toads, containing some two thirds of the total species cataloged. However, most species have a complicated taxonomic history, resulting in multiple misidentifications. As such, an overall clarification of historical records and regional checklists is required. In the current investigation, we established the phylogeny of the Asian horned toads and performed detailed examinations with redefinitions of several important morphological traits. Based on the phylogenetic relationships and morphological differences, we propose a new ten-genus classification for the Asian horned toad subfamily Megophryinae: i.e.,
Brachytarsophrys,
Atympanophrys,
Grillitschia,
Sarawakiphrys gen. nov. ,
Jingophrys gen. nov. ,
Xenophrys,
Megophrys,
Pelobatrachus,
Ophryophryne, and
Boulenophrys. Revisions on the diagnosability, distribution, and content of each genus are provided. Furthermore, we present a careful review of the taxonomic history of Asian horned toad species from China and provide a monograph of congeners, including six species of
Brachytarsophrys, four species of
Atympanophrys, five species of
Jingophrys gen. nov. , 10 species of
Xenophrys, two species of
Ophryophryne, and 60 species of
Boulenophrys. Finally, we discuss the importance of traditional morphological traits based on multiple populations in taxonomic work as well as taxonomic inflation caused by the genetic species delimitation.