A new species of the genus Kurixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Sichuan Province, southwestern China

Combining morphological and molecular data, we describe a new amphibian species of the genus Kurixalus Ye, Fei, & Dubois, 1999 from the Qionglai Mountain within the western margin of the Sichuan Basin in China. Kurixalus qionglaiensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed based on a combination of the following morphological characters: medium-sized within genus (snout-vent length (SVL) in males 28.9−33.3 mm); tympanum distinct, subequal to half of eye diameter; snout pointed, prominence on tip; iris golden with brown spots; slight nuptial pad on first finger in males; background coloration of dorsal surface brown, lateral body and femoral yellow; white, dark brown edged triangular markings on cheek; chin shaded dark brown; pair of large symmetrical dark patches on chest; belly clouded brown and scattered black spots; toes moderately webbed, formula Ⅰ 2–2 Ⅱ 1.5–2.5 Ⅲ 1.5–2.5 Ⅳ 2.5–1.5 Ⅴ; tibia length slightly shorter than half of SVL, tibiotarsal articulation reaching posterior border of eye; single external vocal sac present. Based on the 16S rRNA gene, the genetic distance between the new species and its sister taxon K. idiootocus (Kuramoto & Wang, 1987) was 4%. At present, the new species is known only from a single location at an elevation of ~600 m in Pingle Town, Qionglai City, Sichuan, southwestern China. This location can represent a new northernmost geographical limit of the genus Kurixalus.