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A new species of Leaf Litter Toad,Leptobrachella shimentainasp. nov., is described from the Shimentai and Luokeng nature reserves of northern Guangdong Province, southern China. The new taxon can be distinguished from all recognized congeners by a combination of discrete morphological character state differences relating to its small body size (SVL 26.4–28.9 mm in six adult males, 30.1 and 30.7 mm in two adult females); a number of apparently fixed color pattern character differences (including eye coloration and color pattern features from dorsal, ventral, and dorsolateral surfaces of its head, body, limbs, and ventrum); the morphological and discrete characteristics of the external phenotype (the skin texture of dorsum and ventrum, the presence of supra-axillary and ventrolateral glands, the wide dermal fringes and rudimentary webbing on toes, and the uninterrupted longitudinal ridges under toes). Two samples of this new species previously were proposed as representing a new, unnamed species. We now substantiate this claim by providing diagnostic comparisons of discrete character differences. In addition, we also discuss taxonomic uncertainty surrounding the identity of two congeners,L. chishuiensisandL. purpurus, which we interpret as indicative of taxonomic inflation in the species-rich subfamily Megophryidae.

Nidirana guangxiensissp. nov., a new music frog species, is proposed, based on a series of specimens collected from Mt Daming, Guangxi, southern China. The new species is close to N. yeae, N. daunchina, N. yaoica, and N. chapaensis from southwestern and south-central China and northern Indochina, while the relationships among these species remain unresolved. Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by the genetic divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and COI genes, the behavior of nest construction, the advertisement call containing 6–11 rapidly repeated regular notes, and a combination of morphological characteristics. Furthermore, the Nidirana populations recorded in Guangxi are clarified in this work, providing valuable new information on the knowledge of the genus Nidirana.

Recent phylogenetic analysis encompassing multilocus nuclear-gene and matrilineal mtDNA genealogy has revealed a series of cryptic species of the subgenus Panophrys within genus Megophrys from southern and eastern China. This study demonstrates that the Panophrys specimens from the hilly areas among Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan can be morphologically distinguished from all recognized congeners, thereby providing additional supports for the recognitions of four new species of Panophrys, namely Megophrys (Panophrys) mirabilis Lyu, Wang & Zhao, sp. nov. from northeastern Guangxi, Megophrys (Panophrys) shimentaina Lyu, Liu & Wang, sp. nov. from northern Guangdong, and Megophrys (Panophrys) xiangnanensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang, sp. nov. and Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang, sp. nov. from southern Hunan. The descriptions of these species take the number of Megophrys species to 101, 46 of which belong to the subgenus Panophrys.

A new species of Music frogs, Nidiranayaoicasp. nov. is described based on a series of adult male specimens collected from Mt Dayao, Guangxi, southern China, providing valuable new information on the phylogeny, bioacoustics, and biogeography of related species within the genus Nidirana. The new species forms the sister taxon to N.daunchina from western China and together the sister taxon to N.chapaensis from northern Vietnam. Nidiranayaoicasp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by a significant genetic divergence in the mitochondrial 16S and CO1 genes, the advertisement call containing 1–3 rapidly repeated regular notes, and the combination of morphological characteristics including a medium-sized body with SVL 40.4–45.9 mm in adult males; lateroventral grooves on every digit, not meeting at the tip of disk; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching the nostril; the presence of a pair of subgular vocal sacs in males; and one single developed nuptial pad on dorsal surface of first finger in males.

Two new toad species of the genus Leptobrachella are described from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of China, based on the combination of molecular and morphological data. The description of Leptobrachella aspera Wang, Lyu, Qi & Wang, sp. nov. from Huanglianshan Nature Reserve represents the thirteenth Leptobrachella species known from Yunnan Province, and the description of Leptobrachella dorsospina Wang, Lyu, Qi & Wang, sp. nov. from Yushe Forest Park represents the sixth Leptobrachella species known from Guizhou Province. These new discoveries further emphasize the extremely high diversity of the Leptobrachella toads in these regions.

Rana jiulingensissp. nov., a new species from Hunan and Jiangxi, southeastern China, is described. The new species is assigned to the R. japonica group. The clade comprising R. jiulingensissp. nov. and R. dabieshanensis from Anhui is the sister taxon of R. omeimontis from Sichuan. Rana jiulingensissp. nov. can be distinguished by the significant divergences in the 16S and COI genes, and the combination of following morphological characters: body size medium, SVL 48.3–57.8 mm in adult males and 48.2–57.5 mm in adult females; dorsolateral fold straight; digits without circummarginal grooves; dorsal skin smooth; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward beyond the tip of snout; heels overlapping; webbing formula of toes: I 1⅓ – 2 II 1⅓ – 2⅓ III 1½ – 2⅔ IV 3 – 1⅓ V; absence of vocal sacs in males; and presence of creamy white nuptial pad with tiny hoar spines on the finger I and reddish tubercles on loreal and temporal regions in breeding males. Furthermore, based on our results and the previous literature, R. zhengi is synonymized with R. sangzhiensis, and a new species group, the Rana johnsi group, is proposed for the R. johnsi and R. sangzhiensis. Currently, the Rana contains 41 recognized species, and the phylogenetic placements of several species remain unresolved.

Three cryptic species, which were previously reported as Nidirana adenopleura, are revealed on the basis of comprehensive approaches. Nidirana guangdongensis Lyu, Wan, and YY Wang, sp. nov. is distributed in Nanling Mountains and southern Luoxiao Mountains, Nidirana mangveni Lyu, Qi, and YY Wang, sp. nov. is known from northern Zhejiang, and Nidirana xiangica Lyu and YY Wang, sp. nov. occurs in Xiangjiang River Basin, while the true Nidirana adenopleura is designated from Taiwan Island, northern Fujian, southern Zhejiang, and central Jiangxi. These three new species can be distinguished from all congeners by significant divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and CO1 genes, differences in advertisement calls, and the combination of multiple characteristics. This work indicates that the current records of Nidirana adenopleura should be of a species complex composed of multiple species and have clarified the true identity of N. adenopleura.

Two new toad species of the genusLeptobrachellaare described from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of China, based on the combination of molecular and morphological data. The description ofLeptobrachella asperaWang, Lyu, Qi & Wang,sp. nov.from Huanglianshan Nature Reserve represents the thirteenthLeptobrachellaspecies known from Yunnan Province, and the description ofLeptobrachella dorsospinaWang, Lyu, Qi & Wang,sp. nov.from Yushe Forest Park represents the sixthLeptobrachellaspecies known from Guizhou Province. These new discoveries further emphasize the extremely high diversity of theLeptobrachellatoads in these regions.

Recent phylogenetic analysis encompassing multilocus nuclear-gene and matrilineal mtDNA genealogy has revealed a series of cryptic species of the subgenus Panophrys within genus Megophrys from southern and eastern China. This study demonstrates that the Panophrys specimens from the hilly areas among Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan can be morphologically distinguished from all recognized congeners, thereby providing additional supports for the recognitions of four new species of Panophrys, namely Megophrys (Panophrys) mirabilis Lyu, Wang & Zhao, sp. nov. from northeastern Guangxi, Megophrys (Panophrys) shimentaina Lyu, Liu & Wang, sp. nov. from northern Guangdong, and Megophrys (Panophrys) xiangnanensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang, sp. nov. and Megophrys (Panophrys) yangmingensis Lyu, Zeng & Wang, sp. nov. from southern Hunan. The descriptions of these species take the number of Megophrys species to 101, 46 of which belong to the subgenus Panophrys.

Two cryptic species, which were previously reported as Amolopsricketti, are revealed on the basis of significant morphological and genetic divergences. Amolopssinensissp. n. from central Guangdong, northeastern Guangxi and southwestern Hunan can be distinguished by the longitudinal glandular folds on the skin of the shoulders and other character combinations. Amolopsyatsenisp. n. from the coastal hills of west Guangdong can be distinguished by the dense tiny round translucent, or white, spines on the dorsal skin of the body, dorsal and dorsolateral skin of the limbs, and other character combinations. The phylogenetic interrelationships of the A.ricketti group have been inferred as (A.wuyiensis + A.ricketti) + (A.yunkaiensis + (A.albispinus + (A.sinensissp. n. + A.yatsenisp. n.))). This work indicates that the current records of A.ricketti might be a species complex composed of multiple species, and further work is needed to figure out this puzzle.

Two new species of the genusLeptobrachellaSmith, 1925,L.bijieJ. Wang, Y.L. Li, Y. Li, H.H. Chen & Y.Y. Wang,sp. nov.andL.purpuraventraJ. Wang, Y.L. Li, Y. Li, H.H. Chen & Y.Y. Wang,sp. nov., were described from northwestern Guizhou Province, China based on a combination of acoustic, molecular, and morphological data. The new discoveries bring the total number of this genus to 73, with 16 congeners recorded in China, and represent the second and third species of the genus reported from Guizhou Province.

Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses (16S rRNA mtDNA), two new species of the genusLeptobrachellaare described from southern China, namelyL.yunkaiensisWang, Li, Lyu & Wang,sp. n.from Dawuling Forest Station of Guangdong Province andL.wuhuangmontisWang, Yang & Wang,sp. n.from Mt. Wuhuang of Guangxi Province. To date, the genusLeptobrachellacontains 68 species, among which 13 species are known from China. The descriptions of the two new species further emphasize that the species diversity of the genusLeptobrachellafrom China is still highly underestimated and requires further investigations.