Molecular and morphological evidence for Rana kunyuensis as a junior synonym of Rana coreana (Anura: Ranidae)

Yu ZHOU, Bao Tian YANG, Pi Peng LI, Mi Sook MIN, Jonathan J. FONG, Bing Jun DONG, Zheng Yan ZHOU, Yu Yan LU

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We investigate the relationship between Rana coreana and Rana kunyuensis using morphological and molecular data. Morphological comparisons showed these two species to be identical in terms of body measurements and qualitative characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses found that R. kunyuensis and R. coreana are nested within a single clade and exhibited low divergence across several mitochondrial and nuclear genes. All evidence indicates that R. kunyuensis and R. coreana are the same species, making R. kunyuensis a junior synonym of R. coreana . This study stresses the importance of comprehensive taxon sampling, especially in neighboring countries.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)302-307
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Herpetology
Volume49
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2015
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Molecular and morphological evidence for Rana kunyuensis as a junior synonym of Rana coreana (Anura: Ranidae)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this