A new minute Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Andes of southern Ecuador

Six new species of Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae) from Llanganates National Park and Sangay National Park in Amazonian cloud forests of Ecuador

We describe six new species of rainfrogs of the genus Pristimantis (Strabomantidae) from Amazonian cloud forests in Ecuador. We also present a phylogeny showing the relationships of the new species. The phylogeny is based on mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA (16S), 12 rRNA (12S), NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 1 (ND1) and the nuclear gene recombination-activating 1 (RAG1). We also describe the osteology of two of the new species using high-resolution x-ray computed tomography. The new species belong to two clades. The first clade is sister to the subgenus Huicundomantis and includes P. tamia sp. nov., P. miktos, and P. mallii. Pristimantis tamia sp. nov. is morphologically similar to P. miktos, P. mallii, P. martiae, and P. incomptus, but differs from them by lacking vocal slits and tympanic membrane and by having light greenish blue iris. Based in our results we expand the subgenus Huicundomantis to include the P. miktos species group. The second clade is remarkable by being highly divergent and consisting exclusively of new species: P. anaiae sp. nov., P. glendae sp. nov., P. kunam sp. nov., P. resistencia sp. nov., and P. venegasi sp. nov. The new species resemble P. roni, P. yanezi, P. llanganati, P. katoptroides, P. verecundus, and P. mutabilis but can be distinguished from them by lacking vocal slits and tympanic membrane and by having large dark round areas with thin clear borders in the sacral region. All six new species occur in the eastern slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes and are known from a single locality in Llanganates or Sangay National Park. We recommend assigning all of them to the Data Deficient (DD) Red List category. Based in our high-resolution x-ray tomographies, we report the presence of structures that appear to be intercalary elements. This would be the first report of such structures in Terrarana.

Fifty years after: A taxonomic revision of the amphibian species from the Ecuadorian biodiversity hotspot Abra de Zamora, with description of two new Pristimantis species

Abra de Zamora is an important biodiversity hotspot in southern Ecuador. Between 1938 and 2010, eleven species of frogs were described from here: Lynchius flavomaculatus, Gastrotheca psychrophila, Pristimantis balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. cryptomelas, P. percultus, P. versicolor, P. vidua, Telmatobius cirrhacelis, P. andinognomus, and Atelopus podocarpus. Unfortunately, many of these species were not re-encountered after their original description, and for the majority DNA samples were not available, making their phylogenetic position unknown. In this study, we assess the current state of the amphibians from Abra de Zamora, by: i. redescribing the species which were first reported from the area, by contributing genetic delimitation (for L. flavomaculatus, P. balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. percultus, and P. vidua), release call (L. flavomaculatus) and advertisement call descriptions (for P. balionotus, P. vidua and P. versicolor); ii. presenting an updated amphibian species list of Abra de Zamora, with the description of two additional Pristimantis species; iii. updating the distribution of these species, including data collected in similar montane habitats from surrounding areas; and iv. amending recommendations regarding their conservation status.

Genetic delimitation of Pristimantisorestes (Lynch, 1979) and P.saturninoi Brito et al., 2017 and description of two new terrestrial frogs from the Pristimantisorestes species group (Anura, Strabomantidae)

In the genus Pristimantis, species are often combined into taxonomic units called species groups. The taxonomy of these groups is frequently inaccurate due to the absence of genetic data from type series and repeated misidentifications generated by high morphological resemblance between taxa. Here, we focus on the P.orestes species group, providing the first genetic assessment of P.orestes sensu stricto from individuals collected from the type locality, with a reviewed diagnosis and description of advertisement calls. We find that two lineages previously named P.orestes are genetically distinct and should be separated into two different species. Based on genetic and morphological data, we name one of these species P.cajanuma sp. nov. This new species is morphologically distinct from other members of the group by having shagreen dorsal skin, evident dorsolateral folds, broader discs on toes and fingers and pale gray ventral coloration. Additionally, P.saturninoi is placed within the P.orestes species group based on genetic data from its type series. However, we find that one of its paratypes is genetically distinct and belongs to a clade containing a new species we name P.quintanai sp. nov. This new species is morphologically distinguished by lacking a tympanic membrane and vocal sacs in males, and by having expanded discs on toes and fingers, finely tuberculated dorsal skin and irregular white or cream spots in the groin and concealed surfaces of thighs. Our findings highlight the importance of providing genetic characterization and placement from the type series in taxonomic challenging groups, such as Pristimantis. We also suggest that the diversity of species within the P.orestes group will increase as more sampling is achieved in the southern Andes of Ecuador.