Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2019-08-23
Page range: 509–525
Abstract views: 105
PDF downloaded: 4

A new species of terrestrial-breeding frog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura: Terrarana: Craugastoridae) from the eastern Andean slopes of the southern Ecuador

Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Av. Amazonas 3008 y Rumipamba, Casilla 17-03-448, Quito, Ecuador.
Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Av. Amazonas 3008 y Rumipamba, Casilla 17-03-448, Quito, Ecuador.
Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Av. Amazonas 3008 y Rumipamba, Casilla 17-03-448, Quito, Ecuador.
Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, Av. Amazonas 3008 y Rumipamba, Casilla 17-03-448, Quito, Ecuador. División de Herpetología, Museo Ecuatoriano de Ciencias Naturales, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Calle Rumipamba 341 y Av. de los Shyris, Casilla: 17-07-8976, Quito, Ecuador.
Andes Ecuador Pristimantis bicantus Pristimantis nelsongalloi sp. nov. Craugastoridae Anura Amphibia

Abstract

A new frog of the genus Pristimantis is described from a montane cloud forest at 9 de Octubre (2°14’52” S, 78°16’37” W; 1778 m) province of Morona Santiago in the upper basin of the Upano River, southeastern Ecuador. The description of the new species is based on the examination of eleven adult males and three adult females. The new taxon can be readily distinguished from other congeneric species that inhabit the eastern Andes of Ecuador by the unique combination of the following characters: small body (adult males SVL 12.0–17.0 mm, adult females SVL 18.5–21.7 mm); skin of dorsum finely shagreen with two subconical scapular tubercles, weak and discontinuous dorsolateral folds in the middle of the back; large tympanum 70–93% of eye diameter; snout subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile; upper eyelid bearing four or five small and flat supraocular tubercles; males lacking vocal slits and nuptial pads; all discs on fingers and toes lanceolate. Additionally, we provide information on the advertisement call and natural history of the new species.

References

  1. Brito, J., Batallas, D. & Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. (2017) Ranas terrestres Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) de los bosques montanos del río Upano, Ecuador: Lista anotada, patrones de diversidad y descripción de cuatro especies. Neotropical Biodiversity, 3, 1, 125–156.

    https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2017.1299529

    Brito, J., Ojala-Barbour, R., Batallas, D. & Almendáriz, A. (2016) A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Strabomantidae) from the cloud forest of Sangay National Park, Ecuador. Journal of Herpetology, 50, 2, 337–344.

    https://doi.org/10.1670/13-103

    Duellman, W.E. (2005) Cusco Amazonico. The Lives of Amphibians and Reptiles in an Amazonian Rainforest. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, New York. 433 pp.

    Duellman, W.E. & Lehr, E. (2009) Terrestrial-breeding frogs (Strabomantidae) in Peru. Natur und Tier-Verlag GmbH. Berlin, 382 pp.

    Frost, D.R. (2019) Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Available from: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html (accessed 7 August 2019)

    Goin, C.J. & Cochran, D.M. 1963. Two new genera of leptodactylid frogs from Colombia. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 31, 499–505.

    González-Durán, G.A., Targino, M., Rada, M. & Grant, T. (2017) Phylogenetic relationships and morphology of the Pristimantis leptolophus species group (Amphibia: Anura: Brachycephaloidea), with the recognition of a new species group in Pristimantis Jiménez de la Espada, 1870. Zootaxa, 4243 (1), 1, 42–74.

    https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4243.1.2

    Guayasamin, J.M. & Funk C.W. (2009) The amphibian community at Yanayacu Biological Station, Ecuador, with a comparison of vertical microhabitat use among Pristimantis species and the description of a new species of the Pristimantis myersi group. Zootaxa, 2220, 41–66.

    https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.190060

    Guayasamin, J.M., Krynak, T., Krynak, K. L., Culebras, J. & Hutter, C.R. (2015) Phenotypic plasticity raises questions for taxonomically important traits: a remarkable new Andean rainfrog (Pristimantis) with the ability to change skin texture. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 173, 913–928.

    https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12222

    Hedges, S.B., Duellman W.E. & Heinicke, P. (2008) New world direct–developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and conservation. Zootaxa, 1737 (1), 1–182.

    https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1737.1.1

    Heinicke, M.P., Duellman, W.E., & Hedges, S.B. (2007) Major Caribbean and Central American frog faunas originated by ancient oceanic dispersal. PNAS, 104, 24, 10092–10097.

    https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0611051104

    IUCN. (2001) Red list categories: version 3.1. UICN Species Survival Comission, Gland, 32 pp.

    Jiménez de la Espada, M. (1875) Vertebrados del Viaje al Pacífico Verificado de 1862 a 1865 por una Comisión de Naturalistas Enviada por el Gobierno Español. Batracios. M. Ginesta, Madrid, 228 pp.

    https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.5769

    Lehr, E. & Coloma, L.A. (2008) A minute new Ecuadorian Andean frog (Anura: Strabomantidae, Pristimantis). Herpetologica, 64, 354–367.

    http://doi.org/10.1655/07-089.1

    Lynch, J.D. (1973) A new narrow-toed frog from Andean Ecuador (Leptodactylidae: Eleutherodactylus). Copeia, 1973, 222–225.

    http://doi.org/10.2307/1442960

    Lynch, J.D. (1976) Three new leptodactylid frogs (genus Eleutherodactylus from the Andean slopes of Colombia and Ecuador. Herpetologica, 32, 310–317.

    Lynch, J.D. & Duellman, W.E. (1980) The Eleutherodactylus of the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuador Andes (Anura: Leptodactylidae). Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, 69, 1–86.

    https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.16222

    Lynch, J.D. (1981) Leptodactylid frogs of the genus Eleutherodactylus in the Andes of northern Ecuador and adjacent Colombia. Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, 72, 1–46.

    https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.16289

    Lynch, J.D. & Duellman, W.E. (1997) Frogs of the genus Eleutherodactylus in western Ecuador. Systematics, ecology, and biogeography. Special Publications of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, 23, 1–236.

    https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.7951

    Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador. (2013) Sistema de clasificación de los ecosistemas del Ecuador continental. Subsecretaría de Patrimonio Natural, Quito, 136 pp.

    Navarrete, M.J., Venegas, P.J. & Ron, S.R. (2016) Two new species of frogs of the genus Pristimantis from Llanganates National Park in Ecuador with comments on the regional diversity of Ecuadorian Pristimantis (Anura, Craugastoridae). Zookeys, 593, 139–192.

    https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.593.8063

    Ortega-Andrade, H.M., Rojas-Soto, O., Valencia, J.H., Espinosa de los Monteros, A., Morrone, J.J., Ron, S.R. & Cannatella, D.C. (2015) Insights from integrative systematics reveal cryptic diversity in Pristimantis frogs (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the Upper Amazon Basin. PLoS ONE, 10 (11), e0143392.

    https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0143392

    Padial, J.M., Grant, T. & Frost, D. R. (2014) Molecular systematics of terraranas (Anura: Brachycephaloidea) with an assessment of the effects of alignment and optimality criteria. Zootaxa, 3825 (1), 1–132.

    https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3825.1.1

    Peracca, M.G. (1904) Rettili ed Amfibii in viaggio del Dr. Enrico Festa nell’Ecuador e regioni vicine. Bolletino dei Musei di Zoologia ed Anatomia Comparata della Università di Torino, XIX, 14977.

    https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.11596

    Pinto-Sánchez, N.R., Ibáñez, R., Madriñán, S., Sanjur, O. I., Bermingham, E. & Crawford, A.J. (2012) The great American biotic interchange in frogs: multiple and early colonization of Central America by the South American genus Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62, 954–972.

    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.11.022

    Reyes-Puig, M.M., Reyes-Puig, J.P. & Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. (2013) Ranas terrestres del género Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) de la Reserva Ecológica Río Zuñag, Tungurahua, Ecuador: Lista anotada y descripción de una especie nueva. Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 5, 5–13.

    https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v5i2.133

    Reyes-Puig, J.P., Reyes-Puig, C., Pérez, M.B. & Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. (2015) Dos nuevas especies de ranas Pristimantis (Craugastoridae) de la cordillera de los Sacha Llanganatis, vertiente oriental de los Andes de Ecuador. Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 7, 61–74.

    https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v7i2.258

    Reyes-Puig, J.P., Reyes-Puig, C., Ramírez-Jaramillo, S.R., Pérez, M.B. & Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. (2014) Tres nuevas especies de ranas terrestres Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) de la cuenca alta del Río Pastaza. Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 6, B51–B64.

    https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v6i2.179

    Reyes-Puig, J.P. & Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. (2012) Una nueva especie de Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) del corredor ecológico Llanganates-Sangay, Andes de Ecuador. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 52, 6, 81–91.

    https://doi.org/10.1590/S0031-10492012000600001

    Reyes-Puig, J.P., Yánez-Muñoz, M.H., Cisneros-Heredia, D.F. & Ramírez-Jaramillo, S. (2010) Una nueva especie de rana Pristimantis (Terrarana: Strabomantidae) de los bosques nublados de la cuenca alta del río Pastaza, Ecuador. Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 2, 78–82.

    https:// doi.org/10.18272/aci.v2i3.48

    Rojas-Runjaic, F.J.M., Delgado, A.J. & Guayasamin, J.M. (2014) A new rainfrog of the Pristimantis myersi Group (Amphibia, Craugastoridae) from Volcán Pichincha, Ecuador. Zootaxa, 3780 (1), 36–50.

    http://doi.org.10.11646/zootaxa.3780.1.2

    Ron, S.R., Merino-Viteri, A. & Ortiz, D.A. (2019) AmphibiaWebEcuador. Version 2019.0. Museo de Zoología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador. Available from: http:// zoologia.puce.edu.ec/Vertebrados/anfibios (accessed 7 August 2019)

    Valencia, J.H. & Garzón, K. (2011) Guía de anfibios y reptiles en ambientes cercanos a las estaciones del OCP. Fundación Herpetológica Gustavo Orcés, 268 pp.

    Yánez-Muñoz, M.H., Bejarano-Muñoz, P., Brito, J. & Batallas, D. (2014) Ranas terrestres de los Andes surorientales de Ecuador II: Una nueva especie de Pristimantis verde espinosa de los bosques montanos del Parque Nacional Sangay (Anura: Craugastoridae). Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 6, 63–77.

    https:// doi.org/10.18272/aci.v6i2.180

    Yánez-Muñoz, M.H., Meza-Ramos, P., Cisneros-Heredia, D.F. & Reyes-Puig, J.P. (2010) Descripción de tres nuevas especies de ranas del género Pristimantis (Anura: Terrarana: Strabomantidae) de los bosques nublados del Distrito Metropolitano de Quito, Ecuador. Avances en Ciencias e Ingenierías, Sección B, 3, 16–27.

    https://doi.org/10.18272/aci.v2i3.40