An integrative taxonomic analysis reveals a new species of loticHynobiussalamander from Japan

Abstract

We examine the phylogenetic structure and morphological differentiation within theHynobius kimurae–H. boulengerispecies complex—a widely-distributed group of stream-breeding hynobiid salamanders, inhabiting montane areas of western, central and eastern parts of Honshu Island, Japan. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed based on analyses of mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (nuDNA) gene fragments for a total of 51 samples representing 23 localities covering the entire range of the species complex. Morphological study included one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal components analysis (PCA) analyses of 26 morphometric and six meristic characters for 38 adult specimens ofH. kimuraeand three adult specimens ofH. boulengeri. MtDNA genealogy supported monophyly of theH. kimurae–H. boulengericomplex, which is sister to all otherHynobiusexceptH. retardatus. The complex is subdivided into three major clades, corresponding to the Eastern (Clade I) and Western (Clade II) populations ofH. kimuraesensu lato, and toH. boulengeri(Clade III). Monophyly ofH. kimuraesensu lato is only moderately supported by mtDNA, while nuDNA suggested that the Western form ofH. kimuraeis closer toH. boulengerithan to the eastern form. The time of the split of theH. kimurae–H. boulengericomplex is estimated as late Miocene and coincides with intensive crust movement in western Japan. Divergence between Clades I and II took place in early Pliocene and was likely influenced by the uplift of Central Japanese Highlands. All three clades were found to be different in a number of morphological characters, allowing us to describe the eastern form ofH. kimuraeas a new species,Hynobius fossigenussp. nov.