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The Neotropical frog genus Cryptobatrachus includes six currently recognized species distributed throughout the northern Andes in Colombia and Venezuela. Cryptobatrachus conditus, C. pedroruizi, and C. remotus were described from the Colombian and Venezuelan slopes of the Serranía del Perijá. Due to the great morphological similarity among these species, we re-assess their taxonomic status based on morphological and molecular data from types, topotypes, and specimens from localities referred to in the original descriptions of these species. Morphometric comparisons showed that all these species are virtually indistinguishable, although some subtle qualitative differences in morphological traits distinguish C. conditus from the other species. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences found that C. remotus and C. pedroruizi are not reciprocally monophyletic and exhibit low genetic divergence (< 1 %). Therefore, C. remotus should be considered a junior synonym of C. pedroruizi. This work stresses the importance of comprehensive taxon sampling in poorly explored areas, especially between neighbouring countries.

We describe a new species of nurse-frog (Aromobatidae, Allobates) from the Amazonian forest of Loreto, Peru using morphological, acoustic and genetic data. Our phylogenetic analysis placed Allobates sieggreenae sp. nov. as the sister species of A. trilineatus, the most similar-looking species and with which it was previously confused. However, the new species has a brown dorsum, solid dark brown lateral dark stripe not fading towards groin, adult males with few and sparse melanophores over a cream background on chin, chest, and belly, dark transverse bars absent on thighs, and an advertisement call formed by a trill of single notes (in A. trilineatus dorsum dark brown, blackish brown lateral dark stripe, paler from mid-body to groin, adult males with a dark background color on chin, chest, and belly due to a dense layer of melanophores, dark transverse bar present on dorsal surface of thighs, and trills of paired notes). Allobates sieggreenae is known from two localities of Amazonian white-sand forest ecosystems east of the Ucayali River.

The outstanding biodiversity of the Guiana Shield has raised many questions about its origins and evolution. Frogs of the genera Adelastes, Otophryne and Synapturanus form an ancient lineage distributed mostly across this region. These genera display strikingly disparate morphologies and life-history traits. Notably, Synapturanus is conspicuously adapted to fossoriality and is the only genus within this group to have dispersed further into Amazonia. Moreover, morphological differences among Synapturanus species suggest different degrees of fossoriality that might be linked to their biogeographical history. Through integrative analysis of genetic, morphometric and acoustic data, we delimited 25 species in this clade, representing a fourfold increase. We found that the entire clade started to diversify ~55 Mya and Synapturanus ~30 Mya. Members of this genus probably dispersed three times out of the Guiana Shield both before and after the Pebas system, a wetland ecosystem occupying most of Western Amazonia during the Miocene. Using a three-dimensional osteological dataset, we characterized a high morphological disparity across the three genera. Within Synapturanus, we further characterized distinct phenotypes that emerged concomitantly with dispersals during the Miocene and possibly represent adaptations to different habitats, such as soils with different physical properties., Agence Nationale de la Recherche (CEBA, ref. ANR-10-LABX-25-01), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq #140716/2016-5; 305535/2017-0; PQ 302501/2019-3; PQ 303070/2017-0

Vicariance is the simplest explanation for divergence between sister lineages separated by a potential barrier, and the northern Andes would seem to provide an ideal example of a vicariant driver of divergence. We evaluated the potential role of the uplift of the Eastern Cordillera (EC) of the Colombian Andes and the Mérida Andes (MA) of Venezuela as drivers of vicariance between lowland populations co-distributed on both flanks. We synthesized published geological data and provided a new reconstruction showing that the EC-MA grew from north to south, reaching significant heights and separating drainages and changing sediment composition by 38–33 million years ago (Ma). A few lowland passes across the EC-MA may have reached their current heights (~1,900 m a.s.l.) at 3–5 Ma. We created a comparative phylogeographic data set for 37 lineages of lowland tetrapods. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, most divergences between sister populations or species across the EC-MA occurred during Pliocene and the Quaternary and a few during the latest Miocene, and coalescent simulations rejected synchronous divergence for most groups. Divergence times were on average slightly but significantly more recent in homeotherms relative to poikilotherms. Because divergence ages are mostly too recent relative to the geological history and too asynchronous relative to each other, divergence across the northern Andes may be better explained by organism-environment interactions concomitant with climate oscillations during the Pleistocene, and/or dispersal across portals through the Andes.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:30:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-05-01 The matamatas (Chelus fimbriata and the recently described Chelus orinocensis) are the largest species in the family Chelidae, easily identified by their distinct morphological characteristics. The matamatas have a wide distribution in South America, occurring in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru, and Venezuela, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. However, there are many gaps in the knowledge of its distribution. The objective of this study was to present new records of occurrence for the C. fimbriata species complex and describe the area of distribution. We compiled data from published papers, databases in museums and other scientific collections, and research institutes and conservation organizations. From these data we mapped the species distribution, considering 3 types of river drainages based on water color in the Amazon Basin. We added 182 new records in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru, demonstrating that the C. fimbriata species complex has a wide distribution, totaling 6,907,551 kmacross all 3 river types. Most records were concentrated in areas lower than 200 m above sea level. Centro de Estudos de Quelônios da Amazônia/CEQUA Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia/INPA, AM Wildlife Conservation Society Brazil Program, AM Programa de Capacitação Institucional (PCI) Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi/Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Do Pantanal/MPEG/INPP, MT Coordenação de Biodiversidade Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia/INPA, AM Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Faculdade de Ciências de Bauru Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, SP Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos/NAEA Universidade Federal Do Pará/UFPA, PA Museo de Historia Natural la Salle Fundación la Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Apartado Postal 1930 Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioprospecção Molecular Universidade Regional Do Cariri/URCA, CE Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, AM Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e Anfíbios/RAN Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade/ICMBio, GO Universidade Federal Do Tocantins, Quadra 109 Norte, TO Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia Aquática e Pesca/PPGEAP Universidade Federal Do Pará/UFPA, PA Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Faculdade de Ciências de Bauru Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, SP

International audience; Boana xerophylla is a common treefrog widely distributed in northern Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. A recent study found molecular, acoustic, and morphometric differences between the populations located on opposite sides of the Orinoco River. Here, we carry out an updated molecular phylogenetic analysis, including new samples from all the countries along the distribution area, and analyzed additional call recordings from Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Our phylogenetic inference reveals three geographically restricted lineages: one in the eastern Guiana Shield (corresponding to B. xerophylla sensu stricto), another in the western Guiana Shield, and a third one north of the Orinoco River. Morphological and acoustic data agree with the differentiation between the populations north of the Orinoco River and the eastern Guiana Shield despite the low genetic p-distances observed (16S rRNA: 0.7–2.2 %). We argue that the populations north of the Orinoco River correspond to a new species, sister of B. xerophylla. We name and describe Boana platanera sp. nov. from the southern versant of the Cordillera de Mérida (08º48’26’’ N, 70º30’46’’ W, WGS 84; 947 m asl), Venezuela, and refer all the populations north of the Orinoco River currently identified as B. xerophylla to this species. The new species can be readily diagnosed from B. xerophylla (characters of the latter in parentheses) by a pale orange-yellow or light brown dorsal coloration (dark brown to green), palpebral membrane with dark pigments (pigments absent); pericloacal region dark brown (cream), advertisement call with shorter first note length than B. xerophylla. This study represents an empirical example regarding false negatives behind genetic thresholds for species discovery, appraising the use of integrative taxonomic approaches.

True toads of the genus Rhinella are among the most common and diverse group of Neotropical anurans. These toads are widely distributed throughout South America, inhabiting a great diversity of environments and ecoregions. Currently, however, the genus is defined solely on the basis of molecular characters, and it lacks a proper diagnosis. Although some phenetic species groups have traditionally been recognized within Rhinella, the monophyly of some of them have been rejected in previous phylogenetic analyses, and many species remain unassigned to these poorly defined groups. Additionally, the identity and taxonomy of several species are problematic and hinder the specific recognition and description of undescribed taxa. In this work, we first perform phylogenetic analyses of separate mitochondrial and nuclear datasets to test the possible occurrence of hybridiza-tion and/or genetic introgression in the genus. The comparative analysis of both datasets revealed unidirectional mitochondrial introgressions of an unknown parental species into R . horribilis (“ghost introgression”) and of R . dorbignyi into R . bernardoi; therefore, the mitochondrial and nuclear data-sets of these species were considered separately in subsequent analyses. We performed total-evidence phylogenetic analyses that included revised molecular (four mitochondrial and five nuclear genes) and phenotypic (90 characters) datasets for 83 nominal species of Rhinella, plus several undescribed and problematic species and multiple outgroups. Results demonstrate that Rhinella was nonmono-phyletic due to the position of R . ceratophrys, which was recovered as the sister taxon of Rhaebo nasicus with strong support. Among our outgroups, the strongly supported Anaxyrus + Incilius is the sister clade of all other species of Rhinella. Once R . ceratophrys is excluded, the genus Rhinellais monophyletic, well supported, and composed of two major clades. One of these is moderately supported and includes species of the former R . spinulosa Group (including R . gallardoi); the mono-phyletic R . granulosa, R . crucifer, and R . marina Groups; and a clade composed of the mitochondrial sequences of R . horribilis. The other major clade is strongly supported and composed of all the spe-cies from the non-monophyletic R . veraguensis and R . margaritifera Groups, the former R . acrolophaGroup, and R . sternosignata. Consistent with these results, we define eight species groups of Rhinella that are mostly diagnosed by phenotypic synapomorphies in addition to a combination of morpho-logical character states. Rhinella sternosignata is the only species that remains unassigned to any group. We also synonymize nine species, treat three former subspecies as full species, and suggest that 15 lineages represent putative undescribed species. Lastly, we discuss the apparently frequent occurrence of hybridization, deep mitochondrial divergence, and “ghost introgression”; the incomplete phenotypic evidence (including putative character systems that could be used for future phy-logenetic analyses); and the validity of the known fossil record of Rhinella as a source of calibration points for divergence dating analyses.

[EN] Gymnophthalmids are a highly diverse group of Neotropical lizards and its species richness is still in process of discovery. The incorporation of molecular evidence and a noticeable increase in taxon and geographic sampling in systematic studies has led to the description of numerous new genera and species of gymnophthalmids (particularly in Cercosaurinae) in recent years. Herein we describe a new genus and species of cercosaurine lizard with crocodile-like morphology, from the Venezuelan Guiana Shield on the basis of molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence. Kataphraktosaurusgen. nov. can be readily distinguished from all other genera of Cercosaurinae by a unique combination of morphological characters that includes heterogeneous dorsal scalation with enlarged and strongly keeled scales forming two paravertebral rows, ventral and subcaudal scales imbricated and strongly keeled, large and symmetrical cephalic scales, absence of postmental scale, palpebral disc translucent and divided, tail slightly compressed, all digits clawed, and only six femoral pores (three at each hindlimb) inserted in a clump of small scales. This genus is described as monotypic and only contains Kataphraktosaurus ungerhamiltonisp. nov., which is known from one specimen and diagnosed by the same set of aforementioned characters. The secretive habits of this species and the remoteness of the locality may explain its singleton situation. Following the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s criteria, we categorized the new species as Data Deficient., [ES] Gymnophthalmidae es un grupo de lagartos neotropicales muy diverso y su riqueza de especies aún está en proceso de descubrimiento. La incorporación de evidencia molecular y un incremento notable en el muestreo taxonómico y geográfico en estudios sobre su sistemática han resultado en la descripción de un gran número de géneros y especies nuevas de gymnoftálmidos (particularmente en Cercosaurinae) en años recientes. Aquí describimos un nuevo género y especie de lagarto cercosaurino con fenotipo cocodriloide, del Escudo Guayanés venezolano, a partir de análisis filogenéticos moleculares y caracteres morfológicos. Kataphraktosaurusgen. nov. se distingue de todos los demás géneros de Cercosaurinae por su combinación única de caracteres morfológicos que incluye un patrón de folidosis dorsal heterogéneo, con escamas agrandadas y fuertemente aquilladas formando dos filas paravertebrales, escamas ventrales y subcaudales imbricadas y fuertemente aquilladas, escamas cefálicas grandes y simétricas, ausencia de escama postmental, disco palpebral translúcido y dividido, cola ligeramente comprimida, todos los dedos con uñas, y solo seis poros femorales (tres en cada muslo) insertos en medio de una agrupación de pequeñas escamas. Este género, descrito como monotípico, solo incluye a Kataphraktosaurus ungerhamiltonisp. nov., conocida por un espécimen y cuya diagnosis consta del mismo conjunto de caracteres mencionados para el género. Los hábitos crípticos de esta especie y lo remoto de la localidad tipo pueden explicar el hecho de que sólo se conozca un ejemplar. Siguiendo los criterios de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, asignamos a la nueva especie la categoría de Datos Insuficientes., Financial support was provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq, Brazil (SCF, grant #: 312744/ 2017-0), and the PrInt program of Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior, CAPES, Brazil (SCF, grant #: 88887.508359/2020-00).

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:48:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-12-01 We describe a new species of the South American frog genus Adenomera, based on external morphology, color patterns, advertisement call, and mtDNA sequences. The new species was collected from the Japurá River basin in northwestern Brazilian Amazonia and is distinguished from all congeners by the combination of large snout-vent length (SVL), toe tips unexpanded, presence of antebrachial tubercle on underside of forearm, and by a multi-note advertisement call composed of non-pulsed notes. This new species is part of the A. lutzi clade together with a candidate new species known as Adenomera sp. P and A. lutzi. The three species have the largest SVL in the genus. The presence of toe tips fully expanded and a single-note advertisement call distinguish A. lutzi from the new species. Acoustic and morphological data are still required to assess the taxonomic identity of Adenomera sp. P. Our new species of Adenomera is the third anuran species described from the Solimões-Japurá interfluve. This flags this poorly known region of lowland forests as an important area of species richness in northwestern Amazonia. Laboratório de Herpetologia Departamento de Biodiversidade e Centro de Aquicultura Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Laboratório de Sistemática de Vertebrados Pontifícia Universidade Católica Do Rio Grande Do sul (PUCRS) Laboratório de Herpetologia Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) Museo de Historia Natural la Salle Fundación la Salle de Ciencias Naturales Department of Herpetology American Museum of Natural History Laboratório de Herpetologia Departamento de Biodiversidade e Centro de Aquicultura Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)

We study the phylogenetic relationships of egg-brooding frogs, a group of 118 neotropical species, unique among anurans by having embryos with large bell-shaped gills and females carrying their eggs on the dorsum, exposed or inside a pouch. We assembled a total evidence dataset of published and newly generated data containing 51 phenotypic characters and DNA sequences of 20 loci for 143 hemiphractids and 127 outgroup terminals. We performed six analytical strategies combining different optimality criteria (parsimony and maximum likelihood), alignment methods (tree- and similarity-alignment), and three different indel coding schemes (fifth character state, unknown nucleotide, and presence/absence characters matrix). Furthermore, we analyzed a subset of the total evidence dataset to evaluate the impact of phenotypic characters on hemiphractid phylogenetic relationships. Our main results include: (i) monophyly of Hemiphractidae and its six genera for all our analyses, novel relationships among hemiphractid genera, and non-monophyly of Hemiphractinae according to our preferred phylogenetic hypothesis; (ii) non-monophyly of current supraspecific taxonomies of Gastrotheca, an updated taxonomy is provided; (iii) previous differences among studies were mainly caused by differences in analytical factors, not by differences in character/taxon sampling; (iv) optimality criteria, alignment method, and indel coding caused differences among optimal topologies, in that order of degree; (v) in most cases, parsimony analyses are more sensitive to the addition of phenotypic data than maximum likelihood analyses; (vi) adding phenotypic data resulted in an increase of shared clades for most analyses., Funding for this study was provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientıfico e Tecnologico (CNPq), Brazil to LYE and SC-F (scholarship numbers 830432/1999-0 and 312744/2017-0), Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nıvel Superior (CAPES), Brazil to LYE (scholarship number 88887.179352/2018-00) and projects CGL2014-53523-P and PGC2018-097421-B-100 of the Spanish Government (PI, Ignacio De la Riva).

Pristimantis lassoalcalai Barrio-Amorós, Rojas-Runjaic & Barros, 2010 is a poorly known terrarana, endemic to the eastern slope of Sierra de Perijá in Venezuela. Although a close relationship of this species with Tachiramantis has been suspected based on its overall morphological similarity, this relationship had not been tested so far. On the basis of molecular data (two fragments of the 12S and 16S mtDNA genes) obtained from the type series, we reconstruct its evolutionary relationships and establish its phylogenetic position as a member of Tachiramantis. Based on this phylogenetic hypothesis, we transfer Pristimantis lassoalcalai to Tachiramantis as Tachiramantis lassoalcalai comb. nov. In addition, we describe its advertisement call. This is the fourth known species of the genus and the second to which its vocalization is described.

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).

Venezuelan Guayana covers a fifth of the Precambrian Guiana Shield in South America, one of the largest wilderness areas on the planet. Scientific knowledge of its herpetofauna has increased in a remarkable and sustained way in recent decades, but is still incomplete, with enormous geographical sampling gaps and almost total ignorance about species ecology. Currently, records exist of 195 species of amphibians (189 anurans and six caecilians) and 221 of reptiles (202 lizards and snakes, 15 turtles, and four crocodilians). Together, they represent nearly the 14% of the megadiverse South America herpetofauna. Such diversity and taxonomic composition of amphibians and reptiles are unevenly distributed in the Guayanan region: richness decreases with elevation, while endemism increases. Thirty-four percent of the amphibians and 22% of the reptiles are exclusive to the uplands and the highlands of Central Guayana province, including four genera. In the peripheral lowlands, herpetofaunal communities are dominated by taxa that are widespread or that have an Amazonian-Guianan distribution. Presently, Venezuelan Guayana biodiversity is seriously threatened by increasing deforestation, uncontrolled illegal mining, and uncontrolled mega-developments. Few highlands are affected by uncontrolled tourism, but climate change has emerged recently as a significant threat for the endemic Pantepui diversity. It is imperative and urgent to increase national and international efforts to study and monitor the most vulnerable populations of amphibians and reptiles in Venezuelan Guayana, before many of them disappear.

Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to 'tell it like it is.' On the basis of this obligation and the graphical indicators presented below, we declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world, clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency.

Amphisbaena rozei is endemic to the Caura River basin in Venezuela, and known only from the holotype and one paratype. Its original description is very brief, lacking relevant information used by taxonomists today. Additionally, A. rozei appears to be similar to A. spurrelli, a species from northwestern Colombia and southern Panama. We present a redescription of A. rozei based on the examination of the type specimens and compare this taxon to the other known South American amphisbaenids, especially A. spurrelli. We conclude A. rozei is a valid name, and the species is diagnosed mainly by the presence of four precloacal pores, a lateral sulcus, 205–209 body annuli, 20 caudal annuli, 15–16 dorsal and 14 ventral segments on a midbody annulus, and dorsal surface of tail covered by strong tubercles.

Lepidodactylus lugubris is a small gekkonid lizard, predominantly parthenogenetic, with a widespread distribution in Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean islands, continental Asia, and well established exotic populations in the continental America and the Caribbean. Herein, we report the second inland locality for this gecko in Venezuela, extending its distribution ca. 126 km east from the only locality previously reported for the country (Naguanagua, Carabobo state). Based on the first record, the species was introduced in Venezuela at least seven years ago, but until now apparently remains uncommon and localized.

We describe and name the second species of Phyzelaphryne (Brachycephaloidea, Eleutherodactylidae), from northwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Phyzelaphryne nimio sp. nov. is distinguished from its only congener, Phyzelaphryne miriamae, by its smaller body size and the anatomy of the carpal and metacarpal regions, with relatively larger (sometimes fused) supernumerary carpal and metacarpal tubercles. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on fragments of the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COI suggest that the currently known distribution of the species is restricted to its type locality and other areas within Estação Ecológica Juami-Japurá, state of Amazonas, Brazil. Based on molecular, morphological and bioacoustic evidence, we assigned other specimens recently collected in Parque Nacional do Jaú, state of Amazonas, Brazil, to P. miriamae, extending the species’ known geographic distribution north of the Amazon River.

Species diversity in collared frogs of the genus Mannophryne is presumed to be underestimated due to the paucity of external morphology characters, but combining morphology with bioacoustics and other lines of evidence has shown to be useful in delimiting species of this group. Herein we describe a new species of Mannophryne from Sierra de Aroa in northwestern Venezuela. The new species is morphologically similar to M. herminae but is readily recognized by its strikingly different advertisement call. It also can be distinguished from all its congeners by the unique combination of its small body size, general color pattern, basal toe webbing, and advertisement call consisting of long trills of single tonal notes emitted at a rate of 2–3 notes/s. Additionally, to facilitate future diagnosis of undescribed species related to M. herminae, we amend the definition of the latter, describe in detail its advertisement call, and redefine its known distribution range. The new species increases the number of described species of Mannophryne to 20.

We describe a new species of nurse-frog (Aromobatidae, Allobates) from northwestern Brazilian Amazon. Allobates juami sp. nov. is distinguished from similar congeneric species by the combination of the following characters: body-size range (snout-to-vent length 17.5–18.5 mm), lack of dark pigments on ventral surfaces of male specimens, dorsal color pattern (predominantly solid dark brown, but conspicuously light brown over snout and urostyle regions), presence of conspicuous pale dorsolateral and ventrolateral stripes, and presence of a diffuse pale paracloacal mark. The advertisement call of the new species lasts 2.5–5.1 s, contains 60–73 short notes (trills), and is emitted at an average rate of 13 notes per second within trills. Duration of silent intervals between notes ranges between 0.020–0.050 s, and the peak frequency of notes ranges from 4.59 to 5.47 kHz. The new species is currently known only from the type locality at Estação Ecológica Juami-Japurá (1.96455° S, 67.93579° W; ~ 87 m a.s.l.).

A new species of Hyloscirtus , belonging to the H. bogotensis species Group, is described from the Venezuelan and Colombian slopes of the Sierra de Perija. The new species can be readily distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: mental gland present, disc-shaped and small; ulnar, outer, and inner tarsal folds present; calcar tubercle absent; whitish stripes on external border of upper eyelids and supratympanic folds, longitudinally on the mid-dorsum, on supracloacal fold, outer ulnar folds, inner and outer tarsal folds, and also on dorsal internal surface of shanks. We estimate phylogenetic relationships based on mtDNA (spanning fragments of 12S rRNA, tRNA-Val and 16S rRNA), of all Hyloscirtus species available in Genbank, as well as the new species described herein, H. callipeza , H. jahni , and H. platydactylus , all of which have not been previously sequenced. Our molecular data support the hypothesis of the new species as sister species of H. callipeza and indicates that H. jahni does not belong to the H. bogotensis species Group, but rather is sister species of all other Hyloscirtus ( sensu Faivovich et al . 2005). Based on this last result we propose a new species group for H. jahni and the synonymy of Colomascirtus in Hyloscirtus . We also provide the first description of the advertisement call of H. callipeza . With the new species described herein, the number of Hyloscirtus species increases to 37.

The tepuis of South America are massive flattop mountains with cliffs up to 1000m and summits up to 3100m. Tepuis hold enormous endemicity levels, but little is known about the origins of the endemic flora and fauna. Recently diverged lineages offer the possibility of understanding the origins of summit endemicity by examining population dynamics and dispersal. We examine species delimitation, clade relationships, and demographic patterns of three recently diverged lineages of Tepuihyla, an endemic treefrog clade. These three lineages represent two currently recognized species, T. edelcae and T. rodriguezi. Given the low divergences in both nuclear and mitochondrial genes among lineages, we find unexpectedly high numbers of unique nuclear haplotypes and moderate levels of lineage sorting. We also find support from multiple analyses for a cryptic, undescribed summit species within T. edelcae. We suggest that the genetic and distribution patterns of the four most recently diverged Tepuihyla lineages support a concurrent speciation event during the Pliocene, and suggest a biogeographic hypothesis in which a widespread climatic change made mid- and low-elevation habitat unsuitable for the common ancestor within the timeframe of their divergence.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T12:17:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-11-23 Villanova Univ, Dept Biol, Villanova, PA 19085 USA Museu Nacl Hist Nat & Ciencia, Lisbon, Portugal Univ Brasilia, Dept Zool, Inst Ciencias Biol, BR-70910900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil Smithsonian Inst, Natl Museum Nat Hist, Washington, DC 20560 USA Sorbonne Univ, Museum Natl Hist Nat, ISYEB, Paris, France Univ Nacl Tucuman, San Miguel De Tucuman, Argentina King Saud Univ, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Cornell Univ, Ithaca, NY USA Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Diadema, Brazil Upper Austrian Museum, Ctr Biol, Linz, Austria Villanova Univ, Villanova, PA 19085 USA Univ Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria Plazi, Bern, Switzerland Univ Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil Zool Forsch Museum A Koenig, Bonn, Germany Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belem, Para, Brazil Russian Acad Sci, St Petersburg, Russia Pontificia Univ Catolica Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil Museo Reg Sci Nat, Turin, Italy Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Porto 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The Neotropical chactid scorpion genus Chactopsis Kraepelin, 1912, is revised. New diagnoses are presented for all previously described species, most of which have not been revised since their original description. The trichobothrial pattern is reinterpreted and the hemispermatophore described for the first time. Chactopsis is restricted to eight species, two of which are new: Chactopsis chullachaqui, n. sp., from Peru and Chactopsis curupira, n. sp., from Brazil. Chactopsis insignis Kraepelin, 1912, is redescribed and supplementary data on pedipalp trichobothria and hemispermatophore (where known) provided for Chactopsis amazonica Lourenco and Francke, 1986, Chactopsis barajuri Gonzalez-Sponga, 1982, Chactopsis buhrnheimi Lourenco, 2003, Chactopsis siapaensis Gonzalez-Sponga, 1991, and Chactopsis sujirima Gonzalez-Sponga, 1982. Two new genera are created to accommodate the remaining species, formerly assigned to Chactopsis, based on a cladistic analysis of morphological characters. Chactopsoides...

We report the first record of Centrolene notostictum for Venezuela, the first records of Centrolene venezuelense and Hyalinobatrachium pallidum for Zulia state, and extend the distribution of Hyalinobatrachium tatayoi and Espadarana andina based on specimens coming from the eastern versant of the Sierra de Perijá in northwestern Venezuela. The altitudinal ranges of all species are extended, and comments and notes on natural history provided.

Atelopus is among the most threatened of all amphibian genera. Most species of harlequin frogs disappeared more than two decades ago and only a few still exist. From ten critically endangered Atelopus species endemic to Venezuela, Atelopus cruciger is the only one that can be located at present. To assess the status of remnant populations of A. cruciger and to provide the demographic data for designing in situ management programs, we estimated: (1) the population size; (2) the apparent survival; and (3) the recruitment rates of one remnant population using mark-recapture data. The adult population size varied (69117), and this variation was not related to that of abundance indices based on visual counts at the river margins. Thus, caution is recommended when using visual counts as an index of abundance in Atelopus, because capture rates differ significantly among months and between seasons. Despite the observed variations, this population appears to be stable. Previous reports suggest that species of Atelopus are long-lived. For populations of long-lived species to remain approximately constant, recruitment must be low. Our mark-recapture study, however, showed that adults tend to remain in the population for approximately 15 mo, but an average of 165 new frogs are recruited every year. Although immigration and emigration are possibilities, the site fidelity and the absence of nearby streams suggests that movement in and out of the study area is less important than births and deaths. Under the proposed hypothesis of a short life expectancy/high recruitment, the risk of extinction must be lower than previously thought.

Agalychnis medinae is a medium-sized frog endemic to the Cordillera de la Costa, northern Venezuela, and known from only three localities in the cloud forests of this mountain system. Herein we report the fourth locality for this species and extend its distribution to the Sierra de Aroa, Yaracuy state, 29 km northwest of Cerro Zapatero, the westernmost locality previously known.

A new frog of the genus Pristimantis is named and described from the summit of Abakapá-tepui in the Chimantd massif, south-eastern Venezuela. The new species is known from two adult specimens and is the second craugastorid species described from this massif. It can be readily distinguished from all congeners inhabiting the highlands of the Guiana Shield by the unique combination of the following characters: dorsal skin shagreen and ventral skin coarsely areolate, tympanum small and ill-defined, vocal slits absent in males, finger I shorter than II, thumbs with two whitish and non-spinous nuptial pads in adult males, fingers and toes with broad lateral fringes, basal webbing between all toes, throat and chest nacreous white in life. Also, based on five specimens of Pristimantis muchimuk recently collected from Churi-tepui, we provide new information on this little known species, including an amended diagnosis, notes on morphology, color variation, advertisement calls, and natural history.

Egg-brooding frogs (Hemiphractidae) are a group of 105 currently recognized Neotropical species, with a remarkable diversity of developmental modes, from direct development to free-living and exotrophic tadpoles. Females carry their eggs on the back and embryos have unique bell-shaped gills. We inferred the evolutionary relationships of these frogs and used the resulting phylogeny to review their taxonomy and test hypotheses on the evolution of developmental modes and bell-shaped gills. Our inferences relied on a total evidence parsimony analysis of DNA sequences of up to 20 mitochondrial and nuclear genes (analyzed under tree-alignment), and 51 phenotypic characters sampled for 83% of currently valid hemiphractid species. Our analyses rendered a well-resolved phylogeny, with both Hemiphractidae (sister of Athesphatanura) and its six recognized genera being monophyletic. We also inferred novel intergeneric relationships [((Cryptobatrachus, Flectonotus), (Stefania, (Fritziana, (Hemiphractus, Gastrotheca))))], the non-monophyly of all species groups previously proposed within Gastrotheca and Stefania, and the existence of several putative new species within Fritziana and Hemiphractus. Contrary to previous hypotheses, our results support the most recent common ancestor of hemiphractids as a direct-developer. Free-living aquatic tadpoles apparently evolved from direct-developing ancestors three to eight times. Embryos of the sister taxa Cryptobatrachus and Flectonotus share a pair of single gills derived from branchial arch I, while embryos of the clade including the other four genera have two pairs of gills derived from branchial arches I and II respectively. Furthermore, in Gastrotheca the fusion of the two pairs of gills is a putative synapomorphy. We propose a revised taxonomy concordant with our optimal topologies.

Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M., Delgado, J. Amanda, Guayasamin, Juan M. (2014): A new rainfrog of the Pristimantis myersi Group (Amphibia, Craugastoridae) from Volcán Pichincha, Ecuador. Zootaxa 3780 (1), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3780.1.2

A new frog of the Pristimantis myersi Group is described from a bamboo patch within the Reserva Ecológica Verdecocha (0°5'46.9"S, 78°36'15.3"W; 2851 m), located at northwestern flank of the Volcán Pichincha, in the vicinities of Quito, Ecuador. The new species is known from eight adult males, whereas the females remain unknown; it can be readily distinguished from all species of the P. myersi Group that inhabit the highlands of the Ecuadorian Andes by the unique combination of the following characters: body small (adult male SVL 14.9-19.7 mm; females unknown); dorsal skin shagreen, with a barely visible middorsal raphe, scapular and dorsolateral folds; tympanum small but well-defined; upper eyelid with one enlarged tubercle; males with prominent vocal slits, but without nuptial pads on thumbs; fold-like tarsal tubercles. With this new species, the number of Pristimantis assigned to the P. myersi Group raises to 16, of which, 12 are in Ecuador. We provide notes on morphology and color variation, advertisement call, and natural history of the new species.

Marcelo Gehara [et al.], Species distributed across vast continental areas and across major biomes provide unique model systems for studies of biotic diversification, yet also constitute daunting financial, logistic and political challenges for data collection across such regions. The tree frog Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) is a nominal species, continentally distributed in South America, that may represent a complex of multiple species, each with a more limited distribution. To understand the spatial pattern of molecular diversity throughout the range of this species complex, we obtained DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the 16S rhibosomal gene (16S) for 407 samples of D. minutus and closely related species distributed across eleven countries, effectively comprising the entire range of the group. We performed phylogenetic and spatially explicit phylogeographic analyses to assess the genetic structure of lineages and inferancestral areas. We found 43 statistically supported, deep mitochondrial lineages, several of which may represent currently unrecognized distinct species. One major clade, containing 25 divergent lineages, includes samples from the type locality of D. minutus. We defined that clade as the D. minutus complex. The remaining lineages together with the D. minutus complex constitute the D. minutus species group. Historical analyses support an Amazonian origin for the D. minutus species group with a subsequent dispersal to eastern Brazil where the D. minutus complex originated. According to our dataset, a total of eight mtDNA lineages have ranges .100,000 km2. One of them occupies an area of almost one million km2 encompassing multiple biomes. Our results, at a spatial scale and resolution unprecedented for a Neotropical vertebrate, confirm that widespread amphibian species occur in lowland South America, yet at the same time a large proportion of cryptic diversity still remains to be discovered.

Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M., Salerno, Patricia E., Señaris, J. Celsa, Pauly, Gregory B. (2013): Terraranans of the Lost World: a new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Craugastoridae) from Abakapá-tepui in the Chimantá massif, Venezuelan Guayana, and additions to the knowledge of P. muchimuk. Zootaxa 3686 (3): 335-355, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3686.3.3

1 Museo de Historia Natural La Salle, Seccion de Herpetologia. Apartado Postal 1930. Caracas 1010-A. Venezuela. E-mail: rojas_runjaic@yahoo.com 2 Universidad Nacional Experimental Romulo Gallegos, Museo de Vertebrados. Apartado 205. San Juan de los Morros 2301. Guarico. Venezuela. 3 Universidad del Zulia, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Museo de Biologia de La Universidad del Zulia. Apartado Postal 526. Maracaibo 4011. Venezuela.

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The flattop mountains (tepuis) of South America are ancient remnants of the Precambrian Guiana Shield plateau. The tepui summits, isolated by their surrounding cliffs that can be up to 1000 m tall, are thought of as "islands in the sky," harboring relict flora and fauna that underwent vicariant speciation due to plateau fragmentation. High endemicity atop tepui summits support the idea of an ancient "Lost World" biota. However, recent work suggests that dispersal between lowlands and summits has occurred long after tepui formation indicating that tepui summits may not be as isolated from the lowlands as researchers have long suggested. Neither view of the origin of the tepui biota (i.e., ancient vicariance vs. recent dispersal) has strong empirical support owing to a lack of studies. We test diversification hypotheses of the Guiana Shield highlands by estimating divergence times of an endemic group of treefrogs, Tepuihyla. We find that diversification of this group does not support an ancient origin for this taxon; instead, divergence times among the highland species are 2-5 Ma. Our data indicate that most highland speciation occurred during the Pliocene. Thus, this unparalleled landscape known as "The Lost World" is inhabited, in part, not by Early Tertiary relicts but neoendemics.

A new species of diurnal frog of the genus Aromobates is described from the Sierra de Perijá in the Andes of western Venezuela. The new species is the first dendrobatid reported from this mountain range, though many other congeners are known from the Cordillera de Mérida, also in the Venezuelan Andes. It can be readily distinguished from all congeners by the unique combination of the following characters: dorsal skin granulate, paired and protuberant dorsal digital scutes, finger I shorter than finger II, fringes absent on fingers I and IV, present and conspicuous on all toes, toe webbing basal, dorsolateral stripe present, oblique lateral stripe diffuse, ventrolateral stripe absent. With this new species the number of Aromobates species from Venezuela increases to 13.

Two new species of Pristimantis are described from Cerro Las Antenas, on the Venezuelan versant of the Sierra de Perija, a region that is being rapidly destroyed by extensive cultivation and civil unrest. The first species (P. lassoalcalai sp. nov.) has dirty-white spots surrounded by black in the groin and on the hidden surfaces of the hind limbs—a characteristic shared by members of the "lentiginosus" group (Rivero 1982) from the Cordillera de Merida—and marbled to reticulated venter. The second species (P. rivasi sp. nov.) is currently the largest member of the genus known from Perija, and presents conspicuous cranial crests. The two new species are assigned to the P. unistrigatus species group.

An extensive field survey allowed us to expand the geographical distribution of the scorpion Tityus perijanensis in the Perija range, western Zulia State, Venezuela, including areas where adult cases of severe scorpionism have been reported. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing, DL(50) determination, and native PAGE suggest low genetic and venom proteomic divergence across the distribution range. The results also indicate phylogenetic divergence between T. perijanensis and T. discrepans, the species prevalent in northcentral Venezuela. T. perijanensis venom lethality (0.91-0.94 mg/kg) is comparable to that of the Brazilian T. serrulatus and ranks highest among toxic Venezuelan Tityus studied so far. The data indicate that the Perija range should be included amongst the endemic areas of scorpionism of Venezuela and Colombia.

Egg-brooding frogs (Hemiphractidae) are a group of 105 currently recognized Neotropical species, with a remarkable diversity of developmental modes, from direct development to free-living and exotrophic tadpoles. Females carry their eggs on the back and embryos have unique bell-shaped gills. We inferred the evolutionary relationships of these frogs and used the resulting phylogeny to review their taxonomy and test hypotheses on the evolution of developmental modes and bell-shaped gills. Our inferences relied on a total evidence parsimony analysis of DNA sequences of up to 20 mitochondrial and nuclear genes (analyzed under tree-alignment), and 51 phenotypic characters sampled for 83% of currently valid hemiphractid species. Our analyses rendered a well-resolved phylogeny, with both Hemiphractidae (sister of Athesphatanura) and its six recognized genera being monophyletic. We also inferred novel intergeneric relationships [((Cryptobatrachus, Flectonotus), (Stefania, (Fritziana, (Hemiphractus, Gastrotheca))))], the non-monophyly of all species groups previously proposed within Gastrotheca and Stefania, and the existence of several putative new species within Fritziana and Hemiphractus. Contrary to previous hypotheses, our results support the most recent common ancestor of hemiphractids as a direct-developer. Free-living aquatic tadpoles apparently evolved from direct-developing ancestors three to eight times. Embryos of the sister taxa Cryptobatrachus and Flectonotus share a pair of single gills derived from branchial arch I, while embryos of the clade including the other four genera have two pairs of gills derived from branchial arches I and II respectively. Furthermore, in Gastrotheca the fusion of the two pairs of gills is a putative synapomorphy. We propose a revised taxonomy concordant with our optimal topologies.

Pristimantis myersi is a small Andean frog that inhabits paramos, sub-paramos and upper Andean forests at elevations between 2,900–3,275 m. It is known from about a dozen localities in the southern end of the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. Herein, we report for the first time the presence of this species in Ecuador, based on ten specimens from three localities in the provinces of Imbabura and Sucumbíos. The species’ range is extended and a distribution map with the Ecuadorian records is provided.

Dendropsophus meridensis is a medium-sized treefrog endemic to the Cordillera de Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes. The geographic distribution of this species is poorly known, and only 10 localities known in the literature. Most of these localities do not have associated geographic coordinates and altitude. In this note we provide eight new locality records and a geographic distribution map of D. meridensis, based on field work, revision of Venezuelan museum collections, and species distribution modeling. Three of these new localities were found after performing species distribution modeling. Additionally, some comments on natural history and color variation are included.