Species delimitation of crab-eating frogs (Fejervarya cancrivora complex) clarifies taxonomy and geographic distributions in mainland Southeast Asia

Abstract

The taxonomy and geographic distributions of species of crab-eating frogs (Fejervarya cancrivoracomplex) in mainland Southeast Asia have been highly uncertain. Three taxonomic names are used in recent literature (F. cancrivora,F. raja, andF. moodiei) but the applications of these names to localities has been inconsistent, especially owing to the lack of available molecular data forF. raja. Morphometric and mitochondrial DNA variation was examined in these frogs, including name-bearing types and topotypes of all three species. Findings corroborate evidence for the existence of two species in coastal mainland Southeast Asia, withF. moodieihaving a wide geographic distribution andF. cancrivorasensu stricto occurring only in extreme southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia.Fejervarya rajais shown to be only a large-bodied population ofF. cancrivorasensu stricto and is synonymized with that species. Revised descriptions ofF. moodieiandF. cancrivorasensu stricto are provided.