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Current Herpetology
Abstract
Abstract:
A new species of salamander, Hynobius mikawaensis, is described from the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. It is a lentic breeder of the so-called H. lichenatus species group, and is phylogenetically closest to H. nigrescens and H. takedai. Morphologically, it differs greatly from H. nigrescens, but is very similar to H. takedai, from which it could be differentiated by some morphological traits such as shorter forelimbs and hindlimbs, but longer axilla-groin length, all relative to snout-vent length. The new species from the southern Pacific side of central Japan is completely separated geographically from H. nigrescens and H. takedai, both from the northern, Japan Sea side, by the intervening high mountains. This north/south disjunctive distributional pattern is highly unique among Japanese fauna. The range of the species is so small that immediate measure of conservation is necessary.
We are grateful to K. Ogata, the late M. Otake, K. Sakakibara, S. Tanabe, and M. Yamagami for valuable information and assistance in field surveys, and to K. Eto, N. Yoshikawa, and G. Aoki for DNA analyses. We would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers for help in improving the earlier version of manuscript. This study was partly supported by grants by the Monbukagakusho through the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS: 11640697, 20510215, 23510294) to MM, and by the funding from the City History Compiling of Toyota city to TS.
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