中文摘要：

近年来，由于分子生物学的迅猛发展，物种内隐藏的生物多样性越来越多地被发现，由此引发的隐种问题也备受关注。隐种的存在对现有的生物多样性评估提出了挑战。在实践上，隐种的界定对于自然资源的保护和管理具有重要意义。两栖动物由于迁移能力较弱，通常具有较强的遗传分化，因而可能包含较丰富的隐种多样性。简述了隐种的概念和形成机制，归纳了国内外两栖类动物中隐种的研究进展，并着重介绍了界定两栖动物隐种的研究方法，最后，对今后两栖动物隐种的研究作了简要展望。我国两栖动物资源丰富，并具有独特的地形和气候特点，对这些物种遗传多样性和系统地理学的研究亟待开展。

英文摘要：

With the rapid development of molecular biology in recent years, more and more hidden biodiversity within the species was discovered, and many people begin to pay attention to the cryptic species problem. There are many challenges on biodiversity estimation because of the prevalence of cryptic species. In practice, the identification and description of cryptic species complexes have important implications for conservation and natural resource protection and management. Due to the weak of migration and strong philopatric, amphibians usually have a strong genetic differentiation and might be storehouses of tremendous cryptic diversity. The paper has briefly described the concept and formative mechanism of cryptic species, summarized the research status and introduced the methods of definition of cryptic species importantly in amphibians at home and abroad. In addition, we also discussed the prospects of researches on cryptic species in amphibians. There are rich amphibian resources, unique topography and climate character in China, so that it is urgent to research on both genetic diversity and phylogeography of these amphibian species.