Yuan Zhi-Yong, Jiang Ke, Lü Shun-Qing, Yang Jun-Xiao, Nguyen Quang Truong, Nguyen Thien Tao, Jin Jie-Qiong, Che Jing
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Yunnan 650223, China.
Dongwuxue Yanjiu. 2011 Dec;32(6):577-84. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1141.2011.06577.
A phylogenetic hypothesis for the Asian newts of the Tylototriton asperrimus group was generated using data from two mitochondrial fragments including COI and the ND1-ND2 regions. Four distinct clades (A, B, C, D) were resolved with high nodal support within this monophyletic group. Clade A included T. asperrimus, T. hainanensis, T. notialis, "T. vietnamensis", and two unnamed salamander populations from Vietnam. Clade A, constituted the sister group of clades B + C. Newly identified clade C likely represents a new cryptic species. Clade C was the sister group of T. wenxianensis. The true T. vietnamensis exclusively constituted clade D. Our results bring into question some previous taxonomic decisions, and a revision is required. This study illustrates the necessity to include samples from type localities in taxonomic studies, and highlights the importance of fine-grained geographical sampling.
