Search

We described a new species of Dendrophryniscus from the Mantiqueira Mountains, a mountain range in the Atlantic Forest in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dendrophryniscus cuca sp. nov. is known only from its type locality, the private Protected Area Chapada͂o da Serra Negra, municipality of Santa Bárbara do Monte Verde. The new species is morphologically distinguished from its congeners mainly by the combination of the following characters: medium size for the genus, longitudinal set of granules posterior to the corner of mouth, fingers neither fringed nor webbed, and presence of nuptial pads in males. Molecular analysis of the 16S mitochondrial DNA indicates a genetic distance range from 2.39% (D. brevipollicatus) to 17.92% (D. carvalhoi). Individuals were found in bromeliads, and we described a male–male amplexus with the presence of release vibrations, but calling activity was not observed. This is the fourth endemic anuran species of the Serra Negra da Mantiqueira, part of the Mantiqueira mountain range (Serra Negra da Mantiqueira), highlighting the importance of the region for the Neotropical herpetofauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of urbanization on amphibians has received some attention in the conservation literature. Despite the various impacts on animal life, some species can persist along the cities structures by adjusting their natural histories. Leptodactylus fuscus is a common anuran species occurring in South America, which can commonly be found in urban environments. Herein, we compare the diet of L. fuscus between an urban and a wild environment. We collected 57 individuals of L. fuscus and analysed their diet, which differed significantly between the two sites. In the urban environment, Coleoptera were the prevalent prey items, whereas specimens from the wild site had a more diverse diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of poison frog in the Ameerega picta group is described from Amazonia, states of Pará and Mato Grosso. It inhabits rock outcrops in open areas near streams of the central Teles Pires River system. The new species differs from congeners by the combination of four characters: 24.87-28.59 mm adult SVL, black immaculate dorsum, white ventral side with black vermicular blotches, and an orange stripe in the axillar region. Genetically, the new species is most closely related to A. flavopicta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]