Here is the translation for Guangxi Warty Newt. (I will send you the word doc by email. Private Message me if anyone want the document.)
Guangxi Warty Newt – New Species
Huang Jang – Tang Gin Yeng
(Fu Dang University Biology)
Tang Gin Ming
(Shang Hai Xi Yun Collage Biology)
Guangxi Warty Newt New Species Trituroides guangxiensis sp. nov.
Main sample:
# 81501, Male Adult, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Yun Ming Sector, Ming Jiang Public Community Piang Yao Mountain, Sea level 478 meters; 1981 September 3rd, collected by Mong Ji Ching. (Specimen is preserved in Fu Dang University Biology Facility)
Matching sample:
# 8101, Female Adult, collected at the same time and location as the main sample. (Specimen is preserved in Shang Hai Xi Yun Collage Biology Facility)
Secondary sample:
8 Males, collected at the same time and location as the main sample.
Distinguish Features
The body Shape and warts are similar to the Chinese Warty Newt, Trituroides chinensis (Gray). However, the jaw width of the new species is obviously larger than the distance between the eyes. The jaw joint (corner) is located much further behind the eyes. The Body is flatter. The overall dorsal body and the two sides are entirely in dark brown colour. The forelimbs are short. When reaching forward along side the body, the tips of the digits can reach the rear half of the eyes. When the forelimbs and hind limbs reach toward each other against the body, the forelimb digits touch the hind limb digits. The back is noticeably bowed up with a high, thin and flat tail.
Main Sample Specimen Description
The overall length was 132.2 mm, head and body length was 72.1 mm. The head was flat and resembled a triangular shape. Head length was greater than head width. The jaw width was obviously larger than the distance between the eyes. The tip of the upper jaw was flat and longer than the tip of the lower jaw. The shape of the mouth had a sharp angle. The nostrils were located at the corners of the fore jaws. The jaw joint (corner) was much further behind the eyes. The fold of the lips under the eyes were very thick. Both upper and lower jaws had tiny teeth. The Maxillary teeth resembled the Reversed V-shape (^), the tip of the reversed V-shape met between the two internal nostrils. The tip of the tongue was a round shape. Other than the two sides of the tongue, the rest of the tongue was attached to the floor of the mouth. The lengths of the four limbs were approximately the same, with the hind limbs being a little stronger than the forelimbs. When the forelimbs reached forward along the side of the body, the tips of the digits could reach the rear half of the eyes. When reaching toward the hind limbs, the digits of the forelimbs and hind limbs came into contact. Four forelimb digits, five hind limb digits. The tips of the digits, both forelimbs and hind limbs, resembled a round shape with no web between the bases of the digits. The first forelimb digit and first hind limb digit are both comparatively shorter and smaller. The tail was shorter than the combined length of the head and body, and gradually thinner and flatter toward the tail end; it almost resembled a thin layer at the tail end. The height of the tail was 15.4 mm. The anal section swelled up with an anus opening. At the inner side of the anus opening, digit shaped bumps could be found.
See table 1 for the measurements of the new species.
With rough skin, the spine bowed up obviously on the central dorsal side. At the transversal cranial side near the dorsal neck, the spine formed a large split reaching toward the upper corners behind the eyes. At the transversal caudal side, it reached toward the tail. There were random parallel line patterns on most parts of the body and tail. Different sizes of warts were scattered on the dorsal side of the head, cheeks, dorsal side of the body toward the base of the tail and the dorsal side of the four limbs. The warts at the neck region behind the head and the main body were bigger and in greater number.
The head, dorsal side and the two sides of the body, and the dorsal side of the four limbs were all in dark brown colour. The tail was in brown. The floor of the neck and the ventral side of the body were black with random sized patterns of red, clay yellow and light yellow colours. Starting at the caudal of the anal section along the ventral fin was in red and the colour disappeared near the last third of the tail.
Secondary Characteristics (Sexual Dimorphism)
The male anal section is fat and swelled up. The inner sides of the anal opening have many digit shaped bumps. Female anal section is not fat and does not swell up. The inner sides of the anal opening also do not have any digit shaped bumps. The length of both male and female anal opening is equally long. The dorsal side of the male body is in dark black brown colour; female body colour is a much light colour.
Table 1 Guangxi Warty Newt Measurement Table (mm)
Main Sample81501 (M) Matching Sample8101 (F) Secondary Samples
8102 (M) 8103 (M) 8104 (M) 81502 (M) 81503 (M) 81504 (M) 81505 (M) 81506 (M) Average/ Percentage
Total length of head and body 72.1 71 75.5 67.8 70.1 72 72 73.2 73 71 71.8 / 100%
Head length 22.3 21.2 22.8 20 21.5 22.7 22 22 22.2 21.6 21.85/ 30.4%
Head width 17.8 16.1 17.2 15 17.7 18.3 16.5 17 17.1 17.9 17.09/ 23.8%
Jaw length 7.7 7.1 8.1 7 7.6 - 8 7.8 7.9 7.9 7.75/ 10.8%
Distance between nostrils 4.7 4.2 4.9 4.3 - 4.9 4.5 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.45/ 6.6%
Eye diameter 4.8 4.4 4.5 4.1 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.6 4.1 4.45/ 6.2%
Dist. btw the bases of the forelimbs and hind limbs 30 29.5 31.5 27.1 27.4 28.9 30.5 31 30 29 29.43/ 40.98%
Forelimb length 21.1 21 21.8 19.3 22.7 21.2 23.1 22.3 20 22 21.55/ 30%
Hind limb length 19.8 19.9 21.5 19.2 22.2 21.5 22.8 23 20.1 21.1 21.43/ 29.84%
Tail length 60.1 63.2 64 57 64.8 59 57 62 53 57 59.23/ 82.49%
Width of the tail base 8.8 9.1 8.5 7.5 8.9 8.7 7 8.2 9.1 9 8.36/ 11.65%
Tail height 15.4 12.5 15.8 11.4 15.1 13.2 12.5 15 15 13 13.88/ 19.32%
Total body length 132.2 134.2 139.5 124.8 134.9 131 129 135.2 126 128 131.05/ 182.5%
The percentages are the ratio of each measurement and the body length (tip of the mouth to the back of the anal opening).
Behaviour
Guangxi Warty Newts live in the calm water of mountain streams. They usually lay under river stones during the daytime with seldom any activity. They are rarely seen in places with strong current. When swimming, the four limbs are put against the body, slowly propel by the swinging motion of the tail. According to the collector: Guangxi Warty Newt occasionally making a “Wa, Wa” sound. The sound was neither loud nor clear. Moth like food remains had been discovered in the stomach. When during captivity, earthworms were fed; the newts hunted normally with healthy growth. When hunting, they hunted like gecko, head face toward the food, suddenly shot out and bite firm to the prey. Did not die after leaving the water and escaped from the captive tank for several days.
References
(Please refer back to the Chinese original)
* Red – indicated unsure translation. Mostly English pronunciations of Chinese names.
