Zhangixalus arboreus, which is endemic species in Japan, is widely distributed throughout the main island of Japan. This species was introduced to Izu-Oshima Island by human activity, where it multiplied and was subsequently classified as a domestic invasive species. This species is considered rare in Kanagawa Prefecture. Although few records of findings prior to the 1980s exist, reports of findings since the 1980s were initially sparse and limited to a few locations. In recent years, this species has been reported to occur successively from western to central Kanagawa Prefecture and in some eastern regions of the prefecture as well, which suggests the possibility of their spread via human activity. Phylogenetic data for this species throughout Japan were reported in 2019, but relatively little data came from Kanagawa Prefecture. In this study, we analyzed the haplotype distribution of this species at several sites in Kanagawa Prefecture to clarify their origins. While some native strains may spread in the northern and central locales, strains with completely different haplotypes were found at other sites, suggesting that most of this species in Kanagawa Prefecture have been introduced by humans. The concept of domestic invasive species is not yet widely understood. Many people believe that no problems are caused by the introduction of a species by humans into an area where it already exists. We hope that the results of this study will help prevent the spread of domestically introduced species in Japan.
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