Research Article |
Corresponding author: Alessandro Catenazzi ( acatenazzi@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Johannes Penner
© 2017 Alessandro Catenazzi, Alex Ttito, M. Isabel Diaz, Alexander Shepack.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Catenazzi A, Ttito A, Diaz MI, Shepack A (2017) Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n., a new species of Cusco Andes frog from the cloud forest of the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae). ZooKeys 685: 65-81. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.685.12152
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A new species of Bryophryne from the humid montane forest of the Department of Cusco, Peru, is described. Specimens were collected at 2795–2850 m a.s.l. in the Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llaqta, Quispillomayo valley, in the province of Paucartambo. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Bryophryne by having green coloration on dorsum, and blue flecks on flanks and ventral parts. Specimens are characterized by lacking a distinct tympanic annulus, tympanic membrane, and dentigerous processes of vomers, and by having dorsal skin shagreen, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, skin tuberculate on flanks, skin areolate on ventral surfaces of the body, and fingers and toes without lateral fringes or webbing. The new species has a snout–vent length of 14.2–16.9 mm in three males and 22.2–22.6 mm in two females, and is smaller than all other congeneric species except for B. abramalagae. Generic allocation is supported by low genetic distances of the 16S mitochondrial gene and morphological similarity with other species of Bryophryne, and geographic distribution. Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n. is only known from the type locality, a cloud forest along the Quispillomayo River in the upper Nusiniscato watershed.
Se describe una nueva especie de Bryophryne de los bosques nublados del Departamento de Cusco en Perú. Los especímenes fueron colectados a una elevación de 2795–2850 m en el Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llaqta, valle del río Quispillomayo, provincia de Paucartambo. La nueva especie se diferencia fácilmente de todas las demás especies de Bryophryne por tener coloración verde en la espalda y manchitas azuladas en los flancos y las superficies ventrales. Los especímenes se caracterizan por carecer de procesos vomerianos y de anillo y membrana timpánicos, y por poseer piel dorsal finamente granulada, pliegues dorsolaterales discontinuos, piel en los flancos verrugosa, y cubierta de verrugas en areola en las partes ventrales, y por carecer de membrana basal y quillas laterales en los dedos. La nueva especie tiene una longitud hocico–cloaca (LHC) de 14.2–16.9 mm en tres machos y de 22.2–22.6 mm en dos hembras, siendo menor que todas las demás especies de Bryophryne excepto por B. abramalagae. Distancias genéticas bajas para el gen mitocondrial 16S, similitud morfológica con otras especies de Bryophryne y distribución geográfica indican que la nueva especie forma parte del género Bryophryne. Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n. se conoce únicamente de su localidad tipo, un bosque nublado en el valle del torrente Quispillomayo, en la parte alta de la cuenca del río Nusiniscato.
leaf litter amphibian, montane forest, Paucartambo, taxonomy
anfibio de hojarasca, Paucartambo, bosque nublado, taxonomía
The frog genus Bryophryne currently includes nine species, all endemic to the southern Peruvian Department of Cusco, and distributed across the humid highland grasslands and forests from 2350 to 4000 m a.s.l. in the Amazonian slopes of the Andes (
Knowledge of the diversity of this genus has improved dramatically over the past decade (
During May and June of 2015 and 2016 we explored two valleys of the eastern side of the Cordillera de Paucartambo within the Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llaqta (
The format of the diagnosis and description follows
Specimens were fixed and preserved in 70% ethanol. Sex and maturity of specimens were determined by observing sexual characters and gonads through dissections. We measured the following variables (Table
SVL snout–vent length
TL tibia length
FL foot length (distance from proximal margin of inner metatarsal tubercle to tip of Toe IV)
HL head length (from angle of jaw to tip of snout)
HW head width (at level of angle of jaw)
ED eye diameter
TY tympanum diameter
IOD interorbital distance
EW upper eyelid width
IND internarial distance
E–N eye–nostril distance (straight line distance between anterior corner of orbit and posterior margin of external nares)
Genetic distances (uncorrected p-distances) estimated from the non-coding 16S rRNA mitochondrial fragment (GenBank accession codes in parentheses) between Bryophryne phuyuhampatu and related taxa (in boldface the most closely related species) of the subfamily Holoadeninae (Craugastoridae).
Barycholos pulcher (EU186709) | Bryophryne bakersfield (KT276289) | Br. bustamantei (KT276293) | Br. cophites (EF493537) |
Br. phuyuhampatu |
Br. phuyuhampatuMUBI 14654 (MF419259) |
Br. phuyuhampatu |
Br. phuyuhampatu |
Br. phuyuhampatu |
Br. phuyuhampatu |
Br. phuyuhampatuMUBI 14655 (MF419260) | Holoaden luederwaldti (EU186710) | Noblella lochites (EU186699) | Psychrophrynella chirihampatu (KU884559) | P. guillei (AY843720) | P. usurpator (EF493714) | P. wettsteini (EU186696) | |
Barycholos pulcher (EU186709) | |||||||||||||||||
Bryophryne bakersfield (KT276289) | 0.19 | ||||||||||||||||
Br. bustamantei (KT276293) | 0.26 | 0.05 | |||||||||||||||
Br. cophites (EF493537) | 0.24 | 0.04 | 0.15 | ||||||||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatu |
0.19 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | |||||||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatuMUBI 14654 (MF419259) | 0.20 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.00 | ||||||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatu |
0.20 | 0.04 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |||||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatu |
0.20 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatu |
0.20 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatu |
0.20 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||||||
Br. phuyuhampatuMUBI 14655 (MF419260) | 0.21 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |||||||
Holoaden luederwaldti (EU186710) | 0.27 | 0.18 | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.20 | ||||||
Noblella lochites (EU186699) | 0.25 | 0.20 | 0.26 | 0.24 | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.19 | 0.23 | |||||
Psychrophrynella chirihampatu (KU884559) | 0.21 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.21 | ||||
P. guillei (AY843720) | 0.24 | 0.14 | 0.12 | 0.22 | 0.13 | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.15 | |||
P. usurpator (EF493714) | 0.29 | 0.20 | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.27 | 0.05 | 0.21 | ||
P. wettsteini (EU186696) | 0.26 | 0.17 | 0.20 | 0.21 | 0.16 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.13 | 0.21 |
Hand length was measured as the distance from the proximal margin of thenar tubercle to tip of Finger III. Fingers and toes are numbered preaxially to postaxially from I–IV and I–V respectively. We determined comparative lengths of toes III and V by adpressing both toes against Toe IV; lengths of fingers I and II were determined by adpressing these fingers against each other. In two female specimens, the ovaries were dissected, the eggs extracted, and their diameter measured under a stereomicroscope to the nearest 0.01 with a digital caliper.
Standard protocols were used to extract, amplify and sequence the non-coding 16S rRNA mitochondrial fragment (
Specimens examined are listed in Appendix I; codes of collections are:
MUBI Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú, Cusco
Research was approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees of Southern Illinois University Carbondale (protocol #13–027). The permit to carry on this research has been issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture (permit #292–2014-MINAGRI-DGFFS-DGEFFS). The Comunidad Campesina Japu Q'eros authorized our work on their land.
(Figs
(Fig.
Dorsolateral and ventral views of four paratypes of Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n. showing variation in dorsal and ventral coloration. Male
Range and average (± standard deviation) measurements (in mm) of type series of Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n.
Characters | Females (n = 2) | Males (n = 3) |
---|---|---|
SVL | 22.2–22.6 | 14.2–16.9 (15.7 ± 0.8) |
TL | 8.1–8.4 | 5.6–6.5 (6.1 ± 0.3) |
FL | 9.2–9.9 | 5.8–6.6 (6.3 ± 0.3) |
HL | 8.1–8.9 | 4.8–5.5 (5.1 ± 0.2) |
HW | 7.0–7.6 | 4.4–5.4 (5.0 ± 0.3) |
ED | 2.1 | 1.6–1.8 (1.7 ± 0.1) |
IOD | 3.6–3.7 | 2.2–2.6 (2.4 ± 0.1) |
EW | 1.4–1.6 | 1.0–1.1 (1.1 ± 0.0) |
IND | 2.0–2.1 | 1.4–1.5 (1.5 ± 0.0) |
E–N | 1.5–2.0 | 1.3 (1.3 ± 0.0) |
TL/SVL | 0.36–0.38 | 0.38–0.39 |
FL/SVL | 0.41–0.45 | 0.39–0.41 |
HL/SVL | 0.36–0.40 | 0.31–0.34 |
HW/SVL | 0.31–0.34 | 0.31–0.33 |
HW/HL | 0.85–0.86 | 0.92–1.06 |
E–N/ED | 0.71–0.95 | 0.72–0.81 |
EW/IOD | 0.38–0.44 | 0.38–0.50 |
Three juveniles,
A new species of Bryophryne as defined by
A new species of Bryophryne characterized by: (1) skin on dorsum shagreen; skin on venter areolate, discoidal fold absent, thoracic fold present; dorsolateral folds irregular and discontinuous; (2) tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus absent; (3) snout rounded in dorsal view and in profile; (4) upper eyelid with two small tubercles, narrower than IOD; cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous process of vomers absent; (6) vocal sac and slits absent; nuptial pads absent; (7) Finger I much shorter than Finger II; tips of digits slightly pointed; (8) fingers lacking lateral fringes; (9) outer edge of forearm bearing small tubercles; (10) heel bearing minute tubercles; inner tarsal fold absent; outer edge of tarsus bearing small tubercles; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle prominent, ovoid, of similar relief and slightly larger than ovoid, outer metatarsal tubercle; supernumerary plantar tubercles indistinct; (12) toes lacking lateral fringes; webbing absent; toes III and V about equal in length; tips of digits slightly pointed; (13) in life, dorsum tan to green and brown with dark brown markings, greenish blue on lower flanks; some specimens with a yellow middorsal line extending from tip of snout to cloaca and to the posterior surface of thighs; interorbital bar present; chest, belly and ventral parts of forearms and legs dark brown with grayish blue flecks; throat brown with flecks turning from gray-blue to copper near tip of mouth; palmar and plantar surfaces brown with lighter fingers and toes; (14) SVL 14.2–16.9 in males (n = 3), 22.2–22.6 in females (n = 2).
The new species differs from other members of the genus by having green coloration on dorsum and blue coloration on flanks and ventral parts. Furthermore, B. phuyuhampatu differs from other species by the following combination of characters (condition for comparing species in parenthesis): from B. abramalage by having proportionally longer feet with FL/SVL from 0.41–0.45 (0.37–0.42), narrower head with HW/HL from 0.85–0.86 (0.97–1.07), and inner metatarsal tubercle larger than outer metatarsal (inner half the size of outer metatarsal tubercle); B. flammiventris and B. gymnotis by lacking a tympanum (present), from B. bakersfield and B. bustamantei by having discontinuous dorsolateral folds (continuous), from B. cophites by females being much smaller (22.6 mm vs. 35.8 mm), from B. hanssaueri by lacking bright orange coloration on throat (present), from B. nubilosus by having toes III and V similar in length (toe V > III), and from B. zonalis by having blue-gray mottled coloration on belly (distinctive black mottled coloration, variably confined to lower portion of belly). The new species further differs from B. gymnotis by having vomers lacking dentigerous processes (present), from B. cophites by males lacking nuptial pads (present), and from B. bakersfield, B. bustamantei, B. flammiventris and B. gymnotis for males lacking vocal slits (present).
Bryophryne phuyuhampatu (max. SVL 22.6 mm) is much smaller than B. bakersfield (31.1 mm), B. cophites (35.8 mm; pers. obs.), B. hanssaueri (29.3 mm; pers. obs.), and B. zonalis (32.4 mm), smaller than B. bustamantei (23.4 mm), B. flammiventris (24.1), B. hanssaueri (24.6 mm), and about the same size of B. abramalagae (20.1 mm) and B. nubilosus (26.0 mm; pers. obs.). Five other small species of craugastorid frogs of the subfamily Holoadeninae are known to occur in montane forests and high Andean grasslands south of the Apurimac canyon in Peru: Noblella madreselva, N. pygmaea, Psychrophrynella bagrecito, P. chirihampatu and P. usurpator, which all possess a visible tympanic annulus.
Adult male (16.9 mm SVL); head narrower than body, its length 33% of SVL; head wider than long, head length 83% of head width; head width 32% of SVL; snout short, rounded in dorsal and lateral views (Fig.
Skin on dorsum shagreen with small, scattered tubercles; dorsolateral folds discontinuous, extending from posterior margin of upper eyelid to sacral region; skin on flanks tuberculate; skin on throat smooth, skin on chest, and belly areolate; thoracic fold present, discoidal fold absent; cloaca slightly protuberant, cloacal sheath short, cloacal region without tubercles. Outer surface of forearm with minute tubercles; palmar tubercle flat and oval, approximately same length but twice the width of elongate, thenar tubercle; few supernumerary tubercles low, ovoid; subarticular tubercles prominent, ovoid in ventral view, rounded in lateral view, largest at base of fingers; fingers lacking lateral fringes; Finger I much shorter than Finger II; relative lengths of fingers 3 > 4 = 2 > 1 (Fig.
Hindlimbs short and robust, tibia length 38% of SVL; foot length 39% of SVL; upper surfaces of hindlimbs shagreen with scattered, minute tubercles; posterior surface of thighs tuberculate to areolate, ventral surface areolate; heel with minute tubercles (not visible in preservative); inner edge of tarsus without tubercles, outer edge of tarsus with small tubercles; inner metatarsal tubercle prominent, ovoid, of similar relief and slightly larger than ovoid, outer metatarsal tubercle; supernumerary plantar tubercles indistinct; subarticular tubercles low, ovoid in dorsal view; toes lacking lateral fringes, not webbed; toe tips weakly pointed, not expanded laterally, about as large as those on fingers; relative lengths of toes: 4 > 3 = 5 > 2 > 1 (Fig.
Measurements of holotype (all in mm): SVL 16.9, TL 6.5, FL 6.6, HL 5.5, HW 5.4, ED 1.6, IOD 2.4, EW 1.1, IND 1.5, E–N 1.3.
(Fig.
(Fig.
Coloration in life is based on field notes and photographs taken by A. Catenazzi of the paratopotypes (Fig.
The summary of measurements of all types is reported in Table
The specific name phuyuhampatu is a combination of Quechua words used in apposition meaning “toad” (“hampa'tu”) that lives in the “fog” (“phuyu”).
Bryophryne phuyuhampatu was discovered during a rapid amphibian survey in the upper Quispillomayo Valley (Fig.
Collection localities of Bryophryne phuyuhampatu sp. n. in the upper Quispillomayo River valley A lookout from 3050 m a.s.l.: frogs were found under mosses, leaves and rocks in the cloud forest along the Quispillomayo River B such as the type locality at 2850 m a.s.l. C and disturbed forest at the confluence with a stream at 2795 m a.s.l. D Photographs by A. Catenazzi.
Both female paratopotypes had large eggs in their ovaries, indicative of terrestrial breeding and direct development:
The type locality (and known distribution range) of the new species lies within the Área de Conservación Privada Ukumari Llaqta (
We assign the new species to Bryophryne on the basis of molecular data, shared meristic traits, general body shape and appearance, and overall similarity with the type species B. cophites, as well as with other species of Bryophryne. These frogs share robust bodies, short limbs, and usually lack a tympanic membrane and annulus (but they are present in B. flammiventris and B. gymnotis). Although no synapomorphy has been identified for external morphological characters, the geographic distribution within the Cusco region along with the molecular data support allocation of the new species to Bryophryne. Many recent descriptions within Holoadeninae have used molecular data as evidence supporting genus allocation (
The diversity of high-elevation, small terrestrial-breeding frogs in the Department of Cusco has increased sharply over the past decade (
Bryophryne phuyuhampatu occurs in a remote and protected area where no threats have been observed. Therefore, and according to the IUCN Red List criteria and categories (
We thank the Comunidad Campesina Japu Qeros for their hospitability, for granting us access to and guiding us through the Quispillomayo valley; special thanks to Juan Samata Apaza, and Juan Marcos and Daniel Samata Huillca. We thank the Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica for logistical support, and especially Marlene Mamani for coordinating our visit to Ukumari Llaqta. We thank E. Lehr, S. Serrano Rojas, and an anonymous reviewer for comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research was supported by grants from the Sabin Family Foundation, the Eppley Foundation, the bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and Southern Illinois University startup funds to AC.
Bryophryne bustamantei: PERU: Cusco: Provincia La Convención: Abra de Málaga:
Bryophryne cophites: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de Paucartambo: Distrito Kosñipata: S slope Abra Acanaco, 14 km NNE Paucartambo, 3400 m:
Bryophryne gymnotis: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de La Convención, Distrito de Huayopata: 1 km east of San Luis at elevations of 3272–3354 m:
Bryophryne hanssaueri: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de Paucartambo, Distrito de Kosñipata: Acjanaco, Manu National Park, 3266 m elevation:
Bryophryne nubilosus: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de Paucartambo: Distrito de Kosñipata, 500 m NE of Esperanza, 2712 m:
Bryophryne sp.: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de Quispicanchis: Distrito de Marcapata: Coline, 3672 m:
Bryophryne zonalis: PERU: Cusco: Provincia de Quispicanchis, Distrito de Marcapata, Kusillochayoc at 3129 m elevation: