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Expeditions to unexplored or little explored places are important for discovering new species and also for collecting new samples (including specimens and tissues for DNA sequencing ) that may help resolve a plethora of taxonomic problems. In the 19th century, several naturalists explored a number of localities in Amazonia, describing species for which type material was deposited, mostly, in European museums of natural history. Some of these types were lost or destroyed in World War II and recent expeditions have focused on sampling new material from the type localities. material from Boana cinerascens, which allowed us to infer phylogenetic relationships of the Boana punctata group (i.e., green Boana), based on DNA sequence data, and to revaluate the status of B. cinerascens and its synonyms. We designate, redescribe and illustrate a neotype for B. cinerascens, which was described by Spix in 1824, from the Municipality of Tefé, State of Amazonas, Brazil. We revalidate, redescribe, and illustrate Hyla granosa gracilis Melin, 1941(= Boana gracilis). Corroborating previous studies, the green Boana were not recovered as a monophyletic group. Boana cinerascens is sister of B. gracilis plus a clade containing B. atlantica + B. punctata (both species not recovered as monophyletic).

We describe a new species of Lynchius from the eastern montane forest of southern Ecuador. We also report the occurrence of L. parkeri in Ecuador, on paramos of Yacuri National Park, near the border with Peru. We used morphological and genetic evidence for the description of the new species and the new report of L. parkeri. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference on DNA sequences for mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The phylogeny shows that L. simmonsi is sister to a clade composed of the remaining species of Lynchius and that the new species is sister to L. flavomaculatus. The new species has a prominent and heavily ossified head with noticeably spiculate cranial exostosis that easily distinguishes it from all its congeners. The dorsal region and limbs present several reduced subconical and rounded tubercles and pronounced dermal ridges on the dorsum. We also describe the osteology of the new species based on x-rays of the holotype. Only six species of Lynchius, two known to occur in Ecuador (L. flavomaculatus and L. simmonsi). The description of L. megacephalus sp. n. and new record of L. parkeri double the number of known Lynchius in Ecuador and suggest that the diversity of Ecuadorian and Peruvian Lynchius is still underestimated.

A new frog in the genus Pristimantis is described from a cloud forest on the western flanks of the Cordillera del Cóndor and eastern Andean slopes in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, southeastern of Ecuador. We inferred its phylogenetic position using DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The new species is strongly supported as part of a clade that includes P. ardalonychus, P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthospilus, P. chalceus, P. minutulus, P. luteolateralis, P. parvillus, P. ockendeni, P. unistrigatus, and P. walkeri. It can be distinguished from all other species from Cordillera del Cóndor and congeneric species by the unique combination of the following characters: (1) iris light blue with black reticulations; (2) skin of dorsum finely shagreen with scattered pustular tubercles and absence of dorsal folds; (3) tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus visible; (4) snout rounded in dorsal and lateral view; (5) upper eyelid bearing two or three enlarged subconical tubercles; (6) cranial crest absent; (7) males lacking vocal sac and slits; and (8) venter uniformly bright red, light red, salmon or orange. The new species is most closely related to P. ardalonychus, P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthospilus, P. ockendeni and P. unistrigatus. We consider the new species to be Endangered following IUCN criteria because it has been severely affected by large scale open-pit mining in some localities. Currently, the amphibian fauna of the Cordillera del Cóndor and nearby protected areas are threatened by large–scale copper and gold mining projects with devastating effects on ~20 species, including several undescribed ones.

We describe a new species of the hylid frog genus Dendropsophus from Amazonian Ecuador. The new species, Dendropsophus shiwiarum sp. nov., appears to be part of the D. microcephalus species group. Dendropsophus shiwiarum differs from its congeners by a combination of: (1) tympanic membrane non-differentiated and annulus evident only ventrally, (2) disc of Finger III and Toe IV with pointed tip, (3) dorsal surfaces of digital discs with a conical tubercle as result of projection of distal phalanx, and (4) small size (SVL19 mm). The new species is morphologically most similar to Dendropsophus riveroi. Examination of the type material of the latter suggests that some Ecuadorian populations reported as D. riveroi were misidentified and in fact belong to D. shiwiarum sp. nov.

Bufonidae is one of the most diverse amphibian families. Its large-scale phylogenetic relationships are relatively well understood with the exception of few Neotropical genera that may have diverged early in the evolution of the family. One of those genera is Andinophryne, a poorly known group of three toad species distributed in the western slopes of the Andes of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. Their phylogenetic position is unknown due to lack of genetic data. We estimated a new phylogeny (over 200 species) of the family Bufonidae based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes to assess the phylogenetic position of Andinophryne based on recently collected specimens of A. colomai and A. olallai from Ecuador and Colombia. We also examined external and internal morphology of Andinophryne to explore its congruence with the new phylogeny. The mtDNA and nuclear phylogenies show that Andinophryne is embedded within Rhaebo, a genus that belongs to a large clade characterized by the presence parotoid glands. Morphological characters confirmed the affinity of Andinophryne to Rhaebo and a close relationship between Andinophryne colomai and Andinophryne olallai. Rhaebo was paraphyletic relative to Andinophryne and to solve this problem we synonymize Andinophryne under Rhaebo. We discuss putative morphological synapomorphies for Rhaebo including Andinophryne. We provide species accounts for R. atelopoides new comb., R. colomai new comb. and R. olallai new comb. including assessments of their conservation status. We suggest that the three species are Critically Endangered. Their altitudinal distribution and association with streams are characteristic of endangered Andean amphibians.

The Phyllomedusa perinesos group is composed of four species that inhabit cloud forests in the eastern Andean slopes. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships among them and their closest relatives using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Our results confirm the monophyly of the group and a close relationship with the Amazonian species Phyllomedusa atelopoides and Phyllomedusa tomopterna. A chronogram indicates that the group originated during the Miocene and the contemporary species diverged from their closest relatives during the Miocene and early Pliocene. The timing of the group's origin suggests that its evolution was linked to the rise of the eastern Andes. Based on the phylogeny we expand the species content of the group to include P. atelopoides and P. tomopterna.

Many Amazonian frog species that are considered widely distributed may actually represent polyspecific complexes.. A minute tree frog from the Guiana Shield originally assigned to the allegedly widely distributed Dendropsophus brevifrons proved to be a yet undescribed species within the D. parviceps group. We herein describe this new species and present a phylogeny for the D. parviceps group. The new species is diagnosed from other Dendropsophus of the parviceps group by its small body size (19.6-21.7 mm in males, 22.1-24.5 mm in females), thighs dorsally dark grey with cream blotches without bright yellow patch, absence of dorsolateral and canthal stripe, and an advertisement call comprising trills (length 0.30-0.35 s) composed of notes emitted at a rate of 131-144 notes/s, generally followed by click series of 2-3 notes. Its tadpole is also singular by having fused lateral marginal papillae and absence of both labial teeth and submarginal papillae. Genetic distances (p-distance) are >5.3% on the 12S and >9.3% on the 16S from D. brevifrons, its closest relative. This species occurs from the Brazilian state of Amapa, across French Guiana and Suriname to central Guyana and is likely to also occur in adjacent Brazilian states and eastern Venezuela. This species is not rare but is difficult to collect because of its arboreal habits and seasonal activity peaks.

Bufonidae is one of the most diverse amphibian families. Its large-scale phylogenetic relationships are relatively well understood with the exception of few Neotropical genera that may have diverged early in the evolution of the family. One of those genera is Andinophryne, a poorly known group of three toad species distributed in the western slopes of the Andes of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. Their phylogenetic position is unknown due to lack of genetic data. We estimated a new phylogeny (over 200 species) of the family Bufonidae based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes to assess the phylogenetic position of Andinophryne based on recently collected specimens of A. colomai and A. olallai from Ecuador and Colombia. We also examined external and internal morphology of Andinophryne to explore its congruence with the new phylogeny. The mtDNA and nuclear phylogenies show that Andinophryne is embedded within Rhaebo, a genus that belongs to a large clade characterized by the presence parotoid glands. Morphological characters confirmed the affinity of Andinophryne to Rhaebo and a close relationship between Andinophryne colomai and Andinophryne olallai. Rhaebo was paraphyletic relative to Andinophryne and to solve this problem we synonymize Andinophryne under Rhaebo. We discuss putative morphological synapomorphies for Rhaebo including Andinophryne. We provide species accounts for R. atelopoides new comb., R. colomai new comb. and R. olallai new comb. including assessments of their conservation status. We suggest that the three species are Critically Endangered. Their altitudinal distribution and association with streams are characteristic of endangered Andean amphibians.

The Phyllomedusa perinesos group is composed of four species that inhabit cloud forests in the eastern Andean slopes. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships among them and their closest relatives using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Our results confirm the monophyly of the group and a close relationship with the Amazonian species Phyllomedusa atelopoides and Phyllomedusa tomopterna. A chronogram indicates that the group originated during the Miocene and the contemporary species diverged from their closest relatives during the Miocene and early Pliocene. The timing of the group's origin suggests that its evolution was linked to the rise of the eastern Andes. Based on the phylogeny we expand the species content of the group to include P. atelopoides and P. tomopterna.

We describe a new species of the hylid frog genus Dendropsophus from Amazonian Ecuador. The new species, Dendropsophus shiwiarum sp. nov., appears to be part of the D. microcephalus species group. Dendropsophus shiwiarum differs from its congeners by a combination of: (1) tympanic membrane non-differentiated and annulus evident only ventrally, (2) disc of Finger III and Toe IV with pointed tip, (3) dorsal surfaces of digital discs with a conical tubercle as result of projection of distal phalanx, and (4) small size (SVL < 19 mm). The new species is morphologically most similar to Dendropsophus riveroi. Examination of the type material of the latter suggests that some Ecuadorian populations reported as D. riveroi were misidentified and in fact belong to D. shiwiarum sp. nov.

We describe Engystomops puyango sp. nov. from the lowlands of southwestern Ecuador. The new species is closely related to E. pustulatus from which it differs in skin texture, advertisement call, and karyotype features. The new species also differs from E. pustulatus at genes 12S and 16S of mitochondrial DNA (6.5%–6.8% of sequence divergence). A phylogeny based on mtDNA shows that E. sp. nov. is part of a clade of Engystomops distributed below 1300 m in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. The new species occurs in Evergreen Lower Montane Forest and Foothill Semideciduous Costa Forest. The karyotype of the new species has 2n = 20 chromosomes which represents the first known reduction in chromosome number in Leiuperidae (2n = 22). Its advertisement calls as well as those of E. pustulatus have a facultative component that resembles the chuck in calls of E. pustulosus but that are less discrete and have lower acoustic complexity.