Jinyun palm-tipped toad! A new amphibian species discovered in Chongqing

Tadpoles are larger than adults, and frogs croak like insects... Recently, the Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing Natural History Museum, Guizhou University and other institutions jointly published a paper in the academic journal "Asian Amphibian and Reptile Research" stating that a new amphibian species, Jinyun palm-tipped toad, was discovered in Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing. Since then, there is a new member in the list of Chinese biological species.

Adult Jinyun palm-tipped toad (Photo courtesy of Chongqing Natural History Museum)

The Jinyun palm-protruding toad belongs to the family Ceratopus, the genus Palm-protruding toad. On November 28, Wang Xin, one of the authors of the research paper on the new species of the Jinyun palm-protruding toad and a curator of the Chongqing Natural History Museum, accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from Chongqing Daily, revealing the story behind the discovery of this new species.

It was discovered that the tadpoles on Jinyun Mountain were unusual in size.

Wang Xin is still impressed when recalling the discovery process of the Jinyun palm-tufted toad.

"When I first saw the Jinyun palm-tipped toad in 2022, it was still a 'baby', a unique tadpole."

What makes it different?

Wang Xin said that this kind of tadpole is different from the common tadpoles. It is not black, but large in size and brown in color. It has a well-developed tail and seems to have good swimming ability. It lives in mountain streams.

Jinyun palm toad tadpole baby

What species does this tadpole belong to? With this question in mind, one day in mid-March this year, Wang Xin rushed to the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, carrying the live tadpole specimens she had collected to seek the answer.

After identification by Associate Researcher Wang Bin, an amphibian researcher at the institute, this is the tadpole of a palm-nosed frog.

Wang Bin has been paying attention to the taxonomy of the palm-nosed toad for many years and has accumulated many specimens of the genus Palm-nosed toad. After careful identification, he believes that this tadpole is very likely to be a new species, but to be specific, it is necessary to collect its adult (i.e., adult individual).

So the research team took the tadpole babies back to Jinyun Mountain and waited for night to fall.

At 11 o'clock in the evening, the nocturnal palm-spurred toad began to move out. As the chirping sounds came closer, the researchers soon found the adult tadpoles - the palm-spurred toad - on the mountain.

Study: Morphological, acoustic and genetic evidence suggests this is a new species

Both adults and juveniles have been found, so what genus and species is this palm-lobed toad?

After analyzing the call recordings, the research team found that the main call type of this palm-spike toad is clearer than that of other palm-spike toads.

In addition to the call, the team also discovered more distinguishing features between it and other species of palm-lobed frogs: the male head and body length is 29.1-34.1 mm, and the female head and body length is 34.1-34.9 mm; the skin on the back is rough, with warts the size of shoulder glands, and no conical spines; the membranes on the lateral margins of the toes are narrow; the ventral surface is basically mottled white, with dark gray dots all over; the back of the body is dark gray-brown with smoky black patterns; the upper part of the iris is golden, gradually turning silver downwards; the hind limbs extend forward close to the body, and the tibiotarsal joints can reach the eyes.

"However, these evidences are still not enough to announce it as a new species." Wang Xin said that in addition to the comparison of morphological characteristics and sound differences, molecular genetic research evidence is also needed to prove the validity of the palm-nosed toad living in Jinyun Mountain as a new species.

Hard work pays off. After several months of laboratory research and data analysis, sufficient evidence was presented to the research team, showing that the Jinyun palm-protruding toad belongs to the Ceratopus family, Palm-protruding toad genus, and the corresponding research paper was published shortly afterwards.

With the publication of the paper in "Asian Herpetological Research", the only SCI English academic journal of amphibians and herpetology in Asia, the new species of Jinyun palm-nosed toad has been recognized by the academic community.

Current situation: Small habitat, only found in Jinyun Mountain and Huaying Mountain

Are there many Jinyun palm-tipped toads that are about 3 cm long? Are they found in other parts of China?

Wang Xin said that it is currently known that the Jinyun palm-tipped toad has a small distribution area and has only been found in Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing and Huaying Mountain in Sichuan.

At the same time, the Jinyun palm-tipped toad, which lives in streams and ditches, is rarely seen because it is active at night.

When people take a walk in Jinyun Mountain in spring and summer, they can often hear the chirping of summer insects. This chirping is very rhythmic and is often mistaken for the sound of insects. Little do people know that this may be the sound made by Jinyun palm toads. Especially during their mating season, the "insect chirping" sounds come and go.

"It is very rare to discover a new species in the heart of the city." Wang Xin said that Jinyun Mountain is known as the "Little Emei Mountain" and is a national nature reserve. There are many seasonal streams in the mountain and the subtropical broad-leaved forest is beautiful, which is the living environment of Jinyun palm-burrowed toad. The discovery of Jinyun palm-burrowed toad not only enriches the biodiversity gene pool, but also reflects the ecological protection results of the nature reserve over the years.

So how do we protect this new species?

Wang Xin said that the protection of Jinyun palm-tipped toads should pay attention to: preventing construction projects from destroying their habitats; paying attention to the spraying of pesticides and the discharge of domestic garbage that cause stream pollution in residential areas; strengthening public science education and preventing illegal capture, so that it can stay with the people of the mountain city for a long time. (Chongqing Daily reporter Li Sheng)