Discovery of a wild, genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities

Effective  conservation  of  threatened  biota  relies  on accurate assessments and scientific guidance.  As an unfortunate  example,  Chinese  giant  salamanders (Andrias,  CGS)  remain  critically  endangered  in nature.   Misguided  conservation  efforts,  e.g., commercial propagation and releasing of millions of likely  non-indigenous  or  interspecific  hybrids,  have further compromised conservation initiatives.  Limited information  on  wild  populations  of  CGS  poses  a significant  conservation  challenge.   Following  18- month  long  field  monitoring,  we  now  report  the discovery  of  a  wild  population  of  CGS  in  a  closed nature reserve in Jiangxi Province, China.  Genomic assessments  reveal  its  genetic  distinctiveness  and do  not  detect  genetic  admixture  with  other  species. Based  on  morphological  and  molecular  evidences, we  describe  this  CGS  as  a  new  species Andrias jiangxiensis sp. nov. This is the only known species of CGS today with a genetically pure, reproducing, in situ population.   This  discovery  emphasizes  the important  role  that  closed  nature  reserves  play  in protecting  species,  and  the  necessity  of  integrating long-term field monitoring and genetic assessments.It sets a new pathway for discovering and conserving endangered species, especially for those biotas that are  similarly  being  extirpated  by  anthropogenic translocations and overexploitation.