The phylogenetic relationships of a new Stream Toad of the genus Ansonia Stoliczka, 1870 (Anura: Bufonidae) from a montane region in Peninsular Malaysia

Davis HR 1 , Grismer LL 2 , Klabacka RL 3 , Muin MA 4 , Quah ES 5 , Anuar S 6 Show all authors , Wood PL 7 , Sites JW 8

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Biology La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California, 92515 USA.; Email: hayden.davis.hd@gmail.com
  • 2 Department of Biology La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California, 92515 USA.; Email: lgrismer@lasierra.edu
  • 3 Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 150 East Bulldog Boulevard, Provo, Utah 84602 USA.; Email: perryleewoodjr@gmail.com
  • 4 School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.; Email: mamuin@gmail.com
  • 5 School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.; Email: evanquah@yahoo.com
  • 6 School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Center for Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Email: shahrulanuar@gmail.com
  • 7 Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 150 East Bulldog Boulevard, Provo, Utah 84602 USA.; Email: klabacka.randy@gmail.com
  • 8 Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 150 East Bulldog Boulevard, Provo, Utah 84602 USA.; Email: unknown
Zootaxa, 2016 Apr 12;4103(2):137-53.
PMID: 27394624 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4103.2.4

Abstract

Twelve species of Ansonia occur on the Thai-Malay peninsula, of which, five from Peninsular Malaysia, form a monophyletic group. One of these, A. jeetsukumarani, is endemic to the Titiwangsa Mountain Range, in which, we discovered a new population of Ansonia that is not A. jeetsukumarani or even its closest relative. Based on morphology, color pattern, and molecular phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial genes 12s and 16s rRNA, we have determined that this new species, A. smeagol sp. nov., forms the sister lineage to an upland, monophyletic group composed of A. jeetsukumarani, A. lumut, A. malayana, and A. penangensis. We have noted similar biogeographic patterns in other taxa from the Titiwangsa Mountain Range in a number of upland lineages in Peninsular Malaysia. We hypothesize that the phylogeographic structure of these upland populations is a result of stochastic processes stemming from interaction of climate-driven forest dynamics and life histories.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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