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Bufo menglianus (Yang, 2008)
Menglian stream toad (English), Menglianxi Toad (English), 孟连溪蟾 (Chinese) | family: Bufonidae genus: Bufo |
| Species Description: Yang D 2008 in Yang D Rao D (eds.) Amphibia and Reptilia of Yunnan: 58, under the original name of Torrentophryne mengliana. | |
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Description DESCRIPTION: Bufo menglianus is a large, rare toad first described by Yang Datong and Rao Dingqi in the Menglian County of Yunnan Province in China (Yang and Rao 2008). Females have a snout vent length between 80 and 98 centimeters, and males most likely have a snout vent length greater than 50 centimeters. It is unclear if any males have been found. This frog has a visible tympanum (Qi et al. 2023). Its head width is slightly greater than its head length. The snout is obvious, short, and blunt, extending slightly outward at its jaw edge. Bufo menglianus’s eyes are slightly longer than its snout length, and its eyelids have a ridge-like outer edge. The length of the hand is about a third of its body length, and it has paired subarticular tubercules on its fingers. Finger 3 is the largest phalange, followed by 4,1, and 2. Both its fingers and toes are webbed. Its hind limbs are short, with its foot being almost as long as its tibia. Its entire body is covered in sparse granules that become rounder on the back of its limbs (Wu 2024).DIAGNOSIS: This species can be differentiated from others based on its size. Adult B. menglianus females have a snout-vent length greater than 60 mm, like many other Bufo. Conversely, B. exiguus females have a snout-vent length less than 60 mm. Bufo menglianus also has a visible tympanum, while B. exiguus does not (Qi et al. 2023). COLORATION: In life, B. menglianus is a grey-brown color on its ventral surface. It is said to have patterning between its eyes and parotid glands shaped like the Chinese characters "又" and "八". There is a thin, dark brown band surrounding the parotid glands that extends to the sides of its body. It has clear horizontal stripes on the backs of its limbs. The belly is light brown with dark, irregular splotches throughout (Wu 2024). VARIATION: Distribution and Habitat Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: China
Trends and Threats Because B. menglianus is scarce and known only from its type locality, researchers propose that more specific care should be applied to its conservation efforts (Qi et al. 2023). Possible reasons for amphibian decline General habitat alteration and loss Comments References IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2020). Bufo menglianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T49328834A49328838. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T49328834A49328838.en. Accessed on 28 September 2024. Qi, S., Lyu, Z.-T., Song, H.-M., Wei, S.-C., Zhong, Q.-F., and Wang, Y.-Y. (2023). A new species of stream-living toad (Anura: Bufonidae: Bufo) from Guangdong, China. Vertebrate Zoology, 73, 677–689. [link] Thompson, C. (2008). Greater Mekong Close Encounters: New species discoveries 2008. World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/greater-mekong-close-encounters-new-species-discoveries-in-2008. Accessed on 28 September 2024. Originally submitted by: Sophie dela Cruz (2024-10-07) Description by: Sophie dela Cruz (updated 2024-10-07)
Distribution by: Sophie dela Cruz (updated 2024-10-07)
Trends and threats by: Sophie dela Cruz (updated 2024-10-07)
Comments by: Sophie dela Cruz (updated 2024-10-07)
Edited by: Ann T. Chang (2024-10-07) Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2024 Bufo menglianus: Menglian stream toad (English) <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/7298> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Nov 22, 2024.
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 22 Nov 2024. AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use. |
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