A new species of the genus Tylototriton was described from Ngoc Linh Mountain, Kon Tum Province, the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Molecular analyses based on mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene indicated that the new species is closely related to Tylototriton panhai, a species from Thailand. The new species differs from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) size medium (SVL 66.5–65.7 mm, TL 50.3–51mm in males, and SVL 72.5–75.6 mm, TL 59.6–60.1 mm in the females); (2) head longer than wide; (3) parotoids enlarged, projecting backwards; (4) the tail length shorter than the snout-vent length; (5) glandular vertebral ridge large, high, segmented tuberculate; (6) rib nodules large, forming knob-like warts, distinctly isolated from each other; (7) gular fold present; (8) tips of forelimb and hindlimb overlapping when adpressed a long body; (9) tips of fingers reaching between eye and nostril when foreleg laid forward; (10) dorsal surface and lateral sides of the head, lower lips, rib nodules, vertebral ridge, the peripheral area of the cloaca and the ventral edge of the tail orange. |