Data from: Description and phylogenetic relationships of two new species of miniature Arthroleptis (Anura: Arthroleptidae) from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania

I describe two new species of squeaker frog (Arthroleptidae: Arthroleptis) from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. These new species are distinguished from other miniature Arthroleptis in the Eastern Arc Mountains by the combination of very small adult body size (< 15 mm snout–vent length), a pronounced dark inguinal spot, and color patterns unique to each species. The new species could be the smallest frog species known from East Africa and among the smallest species of Arthroleptis. An estimate of phylogeny on the basis of mitochondrial DNA sequences reveals that these morphologically cryptic species are sister taxa that compose a basal lineage within a clade of miniature Arthroleptis. Their description hints at a diverse cryptic amphibian fauna in the Eastern Arc Mountains that awaits additional discovery through molecular methods.

本研究记述了采自坦桑尼亚东部弧形山脉（Eastern Arc Mountains）的2个吱声蛙（squeaker frog）新种，隶属于节蛙科（Arthroleptidae）节蛙属（Arthroleptis）。该两个新种可通过以下组合特征与东部弧形山脉内的其他小型节蛙属物种相区分：成体体型极小，吻肛长（snout–vent length）不足15毫米，具有显著的深色腹股沟斑（inguinal spot），且各自拥有独有的体色模式。这两个新种或为东非目前已知体型最小的蛙类，同时也跻身节蛙属体型最小的物种之列。基于线粒体DNA（mitochondrial DNA）序列开展的系统发育推断显示，这两个形态隐存的新种为姊妹群（sister taxa），共同构成小型节蛙属演化支（clade）内的基部谱系。此次对该类群的记述暗示，东部弧形山脉内还存在多样性极为丰富的隐存两栖动物区系，有待通过分子生物学手段开展更多探索与发现。