Research Article |
Corresponding author: Miquéias Ferrão ( uranoscodon@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Angelica Crottini
© 2017 Miquéias Ferrão, Jiří Moravec, Rafael de Fraga, Alexandre Pinheiro de Almeida, Igor Luis Kaefer, Albertina Pimentel Lima.
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:
Ferrão M, Moravec J, Fraga R, Almeida AP, Kaefer IL, Lima AP (2017) A new species of Scinax from the Purus-Madeira interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia (Anura, Hylidae). ZooKeys 706: 137-162. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.706.14691
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A new tree frog species of the genus Scinax from the interfluve between the Purus and Madeira rivers, Brazilian Amazonia, is described and illustrated. The new species is diagnosed by medium body size, snout truncate in dorsal view, ulnar and tarsal tubercles absent, nuptial pads poorly developed, skin on dorsum shagreen, dorsum light brown with dark brown spots and markings, white groin with black spots, anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs black, and iris bright orange. The advertisement call consists of a single short note, with 16−18 pulses and dominant frequency at 1572−1594 Hz. Tadpoles are characterized by body ovoid in dorsal view and triangular in lateral view, tail higher than body, oral disc located anteroventrally and laterally emarginated, dorsum of body uniformly grey-brown with dark brown eye-snout stripe in preservative, fins translucent with small to large irregular diffuse dark brown spots.
Amazonian rainforest, Amazonas, anuran diversity, Brazil, Rondônia, Scinax onca sp. n.
With nearly 70 currently recognized species, the genus Scinax Wagler, 1830 represents one of the most species-rich hylid genera in the Neotropics. Nevertheless, an increasing rate of new Scinax species recognition in the few last years (e.g.,
The Hyla rubra species group was first recognized by Leon (1969). Several years later,
Recently,
The genus Scinax has a wide distribution area ranging from Mexico to central Argentina and Uruguay (
The PMI is crossed by an abandoned Trans-Amazonian highway (BR-319). Current proposals to reconstruct this highway bring a very serious threat for regional forest habitats and their fauna. Recent studies warn that one third of the PMI rainforest will be lost as a consequence of massive logging if this road improvement scheme goes ahead (
Here, we describe a new species of Scinax (Scinax sp. 3 sensu
Adult specimens of the new species were collected in four sampling areas in the PMI (Fig.
Distribution of Scinax onca sp. n. and Scinax iquitorum in Brazilian Amazonia. Yellow star: A type locality of S. onca sp. n., kilometre 350 of the BR-319 Highway, municipality of Beruri, State of Amazonas. Yellow circles: B paratype locality of S. onca sp. n., Floresta Estadual Tapauá Reserve, municipality of Tapauá, State of Amazonas C–D paratype localities of S. onca sp. n., municipality of Porto Velho, State of Rondônia. White triangles: E record of S. iquitorum near southern distribution of S. onca sp. n. according
All adult specimens were collected at night, anesthetised, and killed with topic solution of 10% benzocaine, fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and stored in 70% ethanol. Tissue samples were obtained from all adult specimens and stored in 96% ethanol at Albertina Lima´s laboratory at INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia), Manaus, Brazil. Measurements were taken to the nearest 0.1 mm with digital calliper under a dissecting microscope. Sex and maturity of specimens were identified by observing secondary sexual characters (vocal sac, vocal slits), and gonads through dissection. The format for the description and diagnostic characters follows
Tadpoles of the new species were collected in a 25m2 pond not connected to stream, in the sampling area near the kilometre 350 of the BR-319 highway (5°15'57"S, 61°55'58"W, ca. 59 m a.s.l.: Fig.
The interspecific pairwise genetic distances in the 16S rRNA between the new species and other available Scinax species were presented by
Advertisement calls of one male (INPA-H 26624) from the Floresta Estadual Tapauá Reverve (middle PMI: Fig.
Institutional abbreviations are as follows:
NMP6V National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
Scinax
iquitorum
:
Scinax
sp. 3:
(Figs
(Figs
Two:
We assign the new species to Scinax based on general morphological similarity to other members of the genus, cloacal tube of tadpoles positioned above the margin of the lower fin (a synapomorphy of the former S. ruber Clade sensu
A medium-sized species of Scinax characterized by the following combination of characters: (1) SVL 31.3−34.5 mm (n = 13) in males and 35.5−40.4 mm (n = 4) in females; (2) snout truncate in dorsal view, bluntly rounded in lateral view; (3) tarsal tubercles absent; (4) tubercles on lower jaw and knee absent; (5) skin on dorsum shagreen; (6) dentigerous processes of vomers triangular; (7) in life, ground colour of dorsum light brown with dark brown spots and markings; dorsolateral stripes or X-shaped blotch on dorsum absent; flanks light brown with or without dark brown spots; axillar region and groin white with black irregular spots; anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs black (usually bordered by an irregular white streak); webbing between toes black; belly white to yellow, with round dark brown spots; iris bright orange; (8) advertisement call consisting of a single pulsed note; note duration 102−121 ms; 16−18 pulses/note; dominant frequency 1572−1594 Hz; (9) tadpoles with body triangular in lateral view; labial tooth row formula 2(2)/3(1); labial arm absent.
Until now, the following 28 valid species of Scinax occur in Amazonia (
Morphologically, Scinax onca sp. n. can be distinguished from all other Amazonian Scinax species by having bright orange iris and white groin with black spots in life and by the following combinations of characters (characters of other species in parentheses or brackets unless otherwise stated):
The new species differs from S. baumgardneri, S. garbei, S. jolyi, S. kennedyi, S. nebulosus, S. pedromedinae, S. proboscideus, and S. rostratus by snout truncate in dorsal view and bluntly rounded in lateral view, and by the absence of tubercles on the lower jaw and knee (elongated or pointed snout, and tubercles present on the lower jaw and knee;
The male SVL 31.3−34.5 mm of S. onca sp. n. is larger than male SVL of S. blairi (27.8−30.1 mm;
Scinax onca sp. n. can be distinguished from S. boesemani by conspicuous dark brown spots on the dorsum (light spots on dorsum) and belly (no spots), black posterior surfaces of thighs (light brown), and black webbing between toes (light brown;
The new species differs from S. chiquitanus in having snout truncate in dorsal view (rounded), head wider than body (narrower), black posterior surfaces of thighs (brown), and in having dark brown spots on the belly (light brown when present;
Scinax onca sp. n. differs from S. ruber by the snout truncate in dorsal view (rounded), black posterior surfaces of thighs (brown with yellow or orange mottling), and absence of dorsolateral stripes (tan to yellow dorsolateral stripes present;
From Scinax x-signatus (Spix, 1824) the new species can be distinguished by absence of the X-shaped mark (present) and presence of dark brown spots on the dorsum (absent;
Scinax onca sp. n. differs from S. ictericus by snout truncate in dorsal view (bluntly round), absence of ulnar and tarsal tubercles (tubercles present), and by black posterior surfaces of thighs (light to dark brown;
The new species can be distinguished from S. funereus (Fig.
Adult specimens of Scinax funereus and S. iquitorum. A Female specimen of Scinax funereus (KU221960b) from San Jacinto, Region Loreto, Peru, and B male paratype of Scinax iquitorum (NMP6V 71267/1) from Puerto Almendras, Region Loreto, Peru. Photograph by W.E. Duellman (A) and Jiří Moravec (B).
The new species differs from S. iquitorum (Fig.
Scinax onca sp. n. differs from Scinax sp. 5 (sensu
Adult male 31.3 mm SVL. Body moderately slender; head wider than body, slightly longer than wide (HL/HW = 1.2, HL = 38.0% of SVL, HW = 32.3% of SVL); snout truncate in dorsal view, bluntly rounded in lateral view; nostrils markedly protuberant, elliptic, directed dorsolaterally; eye-nostril distance 76% of ED; internarial region moderately depressed; canthus rostralis rounded in both dorsal and lateral views; loreal region concave, more concave near to nostril; interorbital distance longer than upper eye width (IOD/ELW = 1.1), IOD 31% of HW; eye diameter 34% of HW; tympanic annulus distinct, tympanic membrane evident, rounded, 51% of ED; supratympanic fold present, slightly distinct; vocal sack subgular, bilobate; vocal slits extend from lateral base of tongue (slightly behind the half distance from the anterior edge) to the mouth angles; dentigerous processes of vomers triangular, bearing 7/6 (left/right) teeth; choanes rounded; tongue lanceolate.
Arm and forearm slender; axillary membrane absent; pectoral fold present; hand length 29% of SVL; fingers long bearing horizontally expanded discs; diameter of disc on finger III 49% of ED; relative length of fingers I<II<IV<III; palmar tubercle bifid, flat, longer than wide; thenar tubercle elongated; distal subarticular tubercle conical on Finger I, subconical on Finger II, rounded on fingers III–IV; supernumerary tubercles small, slightly distinct; nuptial pad poorly developed, slender, extending from proximal base of thenar tubercle to distal base of distal subarticular tubercle on Finger I; fingers II–IV basally webbed; fingers with narrow lateral fringes, external fringe on Finger IV extends to distal portion of thenar tubercle.
Hind limb long; tibia longer than femur, tibia length 52% of SVL, femur length 47% of SVL; tarsus length 27% of SVL; foot length 44% of SVL; toe discs more rounded than finger discs; diameter of disc on Finger IV 44% of eye ED; relative length of toes I<II<III<V<IV; inner metatarsal tubercle oval and flat; outer metatarsal tubercle rounded, flat, three times smaller than inner metatarsal tubercle; subarticular tubercles subconical on toes I–II, rounded on toes III–V; supernumerary tubercles small, rounded, and flat; webbing on toes I 2−2+ II 1+−2 III 1+−2 IV 2−1+ V; distinct external lateral fringe on Toe V extending to outer metatarsal tubercle; fringe on external margin of Toe I extends to inner metatarsal tubercle; tarsal folds and tarsal tubercles absent; tubercles on heels absent.
Skin on dorsum shagreen, almost granular in supratympanic and anterotympanic region; skin smooth on forelimbs, hind limbs, throat, chest, and vocal sac; skin areolate on belly and ventral surface of thighs.
(in mm).SVL 31.3; HL 11.9; HW 10.9; ED 3.7; EN 3.6; ELW 3.1; IND 2.8; IOD 3.4; TD 1.9; HAL 9.1; Fin3DW 1.8; TL 16.3; THL 14.8; TSL 8.6; FL 13.7; Toe4DW 1.6.
(Fig.
Colour in life of Scinax onca sp. n. Colour variation in life of Scinax onca sp. n. from the Purus-Madeira Interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia. A–B
(Figs
Both uncorrected p and K2P distances between specimens from southern and specimens from middle PMI groups range between 0.4 and 1.1%. Both the p and K2P distances between individuals from middle PMI varied from 0% to 0.2% and between individuals from southern PMI varied from 0% to 0.6% (Table
Intraspecific and interspecific genetic divergence. Uncorrected p-distance (upper-right) and K2P distance (lower-left) between 16S rRNA sequences of the paratype of Scinax iquitorum (1) and specimens of S. onca sp. n. from the southern (2–7) and middle (8–14) Purus-Madeira Interfluve. * = denote the sequence obtained from one tadpole of the lot
Specimens | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12* | 13 | 14 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NMP6V 71267/3 | 0.059 | 0.063 | 0.059 | 0.059 | 0.057 | 0.059 | 0.059 | 0.059 | 0.059 | 0.061 | 0.059 | 0.059 | 0.059 | |
2 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | |
3 |
|
0.070 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.011 | 0.008 | 0.008 | 0.008 | |
4 |
|
0.065 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | |
5 |
|
0.065 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | |
6 |
|
0.062 | 0.002 | 0.006 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.008 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.006 | |
7 |
|
0.065 | 0.000 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.004 | |
8 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
9 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
10 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
11 |
|
0.068 | 0.006 | 0.011 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.009 | 0.006 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.002 | 0.002 | |
12 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
13 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 | |
14 |
|
0.065 | 0.004 | 0.009 | 0.004 | 0.004 | 0.006 | 0.004 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.002 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
The specimens from southern PMI exhibit slightly larger average size (t = -3.1, df = 10.4, p = 0.009) and significantly lower values of nine following male body proportions: HL/SVL (t = 2.3, df = 10.9, p = 0.01), IND/SVL (t = 3.4, df = 10.8, p = 0.005), IOD/SVL (t = 3.2, df = 9.6, p = 0.009), HAL/SVL (t = 6.9, df = 8.5, p < 0.001), THL/SVL (t = 2.8, df = 11, p = 0.01), TL/SVL (t = 3.9, df = 8.8, p = 0.003), TAL/SVL (t = 2.6, df = 10.2, p = 0.02), FL/SVL (t = 5.1, df = 10.3, p = 0.0003), and X3FD/SVL (t = 2.9, df = 6.7, p = 0.02). Variation of measurements and body proportions of the type specimens is given in Table
Morphometric data (in mm) of Scinax onca sp. n. from the Purus-Madeira interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia. Means followed by standard deviation, and ranges in parentheses. For abbreviations, see Materials and methods.
Middle Purus-Madeira interfluve | Southern Purus-Madeira interfluve | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Males (n = 7) | Females (n = 2) | Males (n = 6) | Females (n = 2) | |
SVL | 32 ± 1.1 (31.3−34.3) | 36.5 ± 1.0 (35.5−37) | 33.6 ± 0.7 (32.6−34.5) | 39.6 ± 1 (38.9−40.4) |
HL | 12.1 ± 0.3 (11.8−12.6) | 13.1 ± 0 (13.1−13.1) | 12.3 ± 0.3 (12−12.7) | 13.6 ± 0.1 (13.6−13.7) |
HW | 11.3 ± 0.4 (10.9−11.9) | 12.3 ± 0.3 (12.1−12.6) | 11.8 ± 0.3 (11.4−12.1) | 13.2 ± 0.1 (13.1−13.3) |
ED | 3.7 ± 0.3 (3.5−4.2) | 3.7 ± 0.3 (3.5−3.9) | 3.6 ± 0.2 (3.3−3.9) | 3.9 ± 0.1 (3.8−4) |
TD | 2.1 ± 0.2 (1.9−2.4) | 2.3 ± 0.3 (2.1−2.4) | 2.2 ± 0.1 (2−2.4) | 2.3 ± 0.1 (2.3−2.4) |
UEW | 3.1 ± 0.2 (2.7−3.2) | 3.1 ± 0.1 (3−3.2) | 3.2 ± 0.2 (2.9−3.4) | 3 ± 0.1 (2.9−3.1) |
IOD | 3.3 ± 0.2 (3.1−3.7) | 3.7 ± 0.3 (3.5−3.9) | 3.2 ± 0.2 (3−3.4) | 3.8 ± 0.2 (3.7−4) |
IND | 2.7 ± 0.1 (2.6−2.8) | 3.2 ± 0.1 (3.1−3.3) | 2.7 ± 0.1 (2.7−2.8) | 3 ± 0.1 (2.9−3.1) |
TAL | 9 ± 0.3 (8.6−9.6) | 10 ± 0.3 (9.8−10.2) | 9 ± 0.3 (8.7−9.3) | 10.5 ± 0 (10.5−10.5) |
FL | 13.7 ± 0.4 (13.4−14.4) | 15.7 ± 0.4 (15.4−16) | 13.4 ± 0.4 (12.9−14.1) | 16.5 ± 0.4 (16.2−16.7) |
HAL | 9.5 ± 0.5 (9.1−10.4) | 10.9 ± 0 (10.9−10.9) | 9.2 ± 0.2 (8.9−9.5) | 11.4 ± 0.7 (11−11.9) |
3FD | 1.8 ± 0.1 (1.7−1.9) | 2.2 ± 0 (2.2−2.2) | 1.7 ± 0.2 (1.5−1.9) | 2 ± 0.2 (1.8−2.2) |
4TD | 1.7 ± 0.1 (1.6−1.8) | 2 ± 0.1 (1.9−2.1) | 1.6 ± 0.2 (1.4−1.8) | 1.9 ± 0.2 (1.8−2.1) |
END | 3.9 ± 0.2 (3.6−4.2) | 3.9 ± 0.2 (3.6−4.2) | 4 ± 0.2 (3.7−4.2) | 4.4 ± 0.1 (4.4−4.5) |
TL | 17 ± 0.5 (16.3−17.6) | 19.2 ± 0.6 (18.7−19.6) | 17 ± 0.4 (16.5−17.7) | 19.8 ± 0.5 (18.5−19.2) |
THL | 15.9 ± 0.6 (14.8−16.5) | 18.2 ± 0.7 (17.8−18.7) | 15.8 ± 0.7 (14.7−16.9) | 18.2 ± 0.7 (17.8−18.7) |
HL/SVL | 0.38 ± 0.01 (0.37−0.39) | 0.36 ± 0.01 (0.35−0.37) | 0.37 ± 0.01 (0.36−0.38) | 0.34 ± 0.01 (0.34−0.35) |
HW/SVL | 0.35 ± 0.01 (0.35−0.37) | 0.35 ± 0.01 (0.35−0.37) | 0.35 ± 0.01 (0.34−0.37) | 0.33 ± 0.01 (0.33−0.34) |
ED/SVL | 0.12 ± 0.01 (0.11−0.13) | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.10−0.11) | 0.11 ± 0.01 (0.10−0.12) | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.10) |
TD/SVL | 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.06−0.07) | 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.06−0.07) | 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.06−0.07) | 0.06 ± 0 (0.06−0.06) |
UEW/SVL | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.10) | 0.09 ± 0.01 (0.08−0.09) | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.10) | 0.08 ± 0.01 (0.07−0.08) |
IOD/SVL | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.10−0.11) | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.11) | 0.09 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.10) | 0.10 ± 0.01 (0.09−0.10) |
IND/SVL | 0.09 ± 0.01 (0.08−0.09) | 0.09 ± 0 (0.09−0.09) | 0.08 ± 0 (0.08−0.08) | 0.08 ± 0.01 (0.07−0.08) |
TAL/SVL | 0.28 ± 0.01 (0.27−0.30) | 0.28 ± 0.01 (0.27−0.28) | 0.27 ± 0.01 (0.26−0.28) | 0.27 ± 0.01 (0.26−0.27) |
FL/SVL | 0.43 ± 0.01 (0.42−0.45) | 0.43 ± 0 (0.43−0.43) | 0.40 ± 0.01 (0.38−0.41) | 0.42 ± 0.02 (0.40−0.43) |
HAL/SVL | 0.30 ± 0.01 (0.29−0.31) | 0.30 ± 0.01 (0.29−0.31) | 0.27 ± 0.01 (0.27−0.28) | 0.29 ± 0.02 (0.27−0.31) |
3FD/SVL | 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.05−0.06) | 0.06 ± 0 (0.06−0.06) | 0.05 ± 0.01 (0.05−0.06) | 0.05 ± 0.01 (0.05−0.06) |
4TD/SVL | 0.05 ± 0 (0.05−0.05) | 0.06 ± 0.01 (0.05−0.06) | 0.05 ± 0.01 (0.04−0.05) | 0.05 ± 0.01 (0.04−0.05) |
END/SVL | 0.12 ± 0.01 (0.12−0.13) | 0.12 ± 0 (0.12−0.12) | 0.12 ± 0.01 (0.11−0.13) | 0.11 ± 0 (0.11−0.11) |
TL/SVL | 0.53 ± 0.01 (0.51−0.55) | 0.53 ± 0 (0.53−0.53) | 0.51 ± 0.01 (0.49−0.51) | 0.50 ± 0.03 (0.48−0.52) |
THL/SVL | 0.50 ± 0.02 (0.47−0.52) | 0.50 ± 0.01 (0.50−0.51) | 0.47 ± 0.01 (0.45−0.49) | 0.47 ± 0.02 (0.46−0.49) |
Colour change was observed after (Fig.
Colour in preservative of dorsum of Scinax onca sp. n. Dorsal colour variation of preserved specimens of Scinax onca sp. n. Specimens from middle (A−C) and southern (D−F) Purus-Madeira Interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia. A
Colour in preservative of venter of Scinax onca sp. n. Ventral colour variation of preserved specimens of Scinax onca sp. n. Specimens from middle (A−C) and southern (D−F) Purus-Madeira Interfluve, Brazilian Amazonia. A
The advertisement call of Scinax onca sp. n. consists of a single short multipulsed note (Fig.
Advertisement call of Scinax onca sp. n. Spectrogram (A) and oscillogram (B) of an advertisement call of Scinax onca sp. n. The specimen (
The following description is based on six tadpoles (Stage 37) of the lot
Tadpole of Scinax onca sp. n. from the middle Purus-Madeira Interfluve (lot
Oral disc of the tadpole of Scinax onca sp. n. (lot
In life, dorsal and lateral surfaces of body silvery-green. Fins silvery-green, translucent, having dark grey spots. In preservative, dorsum of body uniformly grey-brown. A dark brown eye-snout stripe and dark brown interorbital blotch present. Fins translucent with small to large irregular diffuse dark brown spots. Tail musculature light brown. Ventral surfaces of the body white, slightly transparent.
The specific name onca refers to the Brazilian common name for the jaguar Pantera onca (Linnaeus, 1758) due the blotchy colour pattern of the new species. Furthermore, the specific name is a reference to frequent encounters of P. onca during the fieldwork in the PMI. The name is used as a noun in apposition.
Scinax onca sp. n. is an exclusive forest dweller, known from two small areas located in the middle section of the PMI (State of Amazonas, Brazil), and two small areas lying in southern part of PMI, close to municipality of Porto Velho (Rondônia, Brazil). The maximum straight distance between the localities is around 500 km (Fig.
The new species is an explosive breeder. All specimens were encountered after (or during) heavy rains when aggregated at middle-sized or large temporary forest ponds. The ponds were not connected to streams. The males were calling from shrubs growing in or next to the water. Calling males adopted both horizontal and vertical positions on leaves and shrub trunks ca. 50–200 cm above the ground. Other tree frogs found in sympatry with S. onca sp. n. included Dendropsophus leucophyllatus (Beireis, 1783), D. marmoratus (Laurenti, 1768), D. minutus (Peters, 1872), D. parviceps (Boulenger, 1882), D. rhodopeplus (Boulenger, 1882), D. sarayacuensis (Shreve, 1935), Phyllomedusa vaillantii Boulenger, 1882, and Scinax sp. 7 (sensu
Based on the sparse data available and due to threats, it is suggested that S. onca sp. n. be classified as “Data Deficient” according to the IUCN red list criteria (
The morphological data presented here show slight differences between members of the middle and southern PMI populations of Scinax onca sp. n. These differences are consistent with previously obtained molecular phylogeny (
Three records of Scinax iquitorum, species most closely related to S. onca sp. n., were recently reported from Brazilian western Amazonia (State of Acre;
It is evident that Brazilian States of Acre, Amazonas, and Rondônia house much more diverse fauna of Scinax tree frogs than previously thought. Similarly, this region is probably also home of many other, still unnamed, anuran species. Although a number of new species will be described in the near future, a more complete evaluation of the unique anuran diversity of the PMI is a long-term process, which is unlikely to be successfully completed without an effective wide-scale protection of the lowland Amazonian rainforest.
We thank Edgar Lehr and an anonymous reviewer for the careful revision of the manuscript and William E. Duellman for providing comparative photographs of Scinax funereus. This work was supported by PRONEX – FAPEAM/CNPq (proj. 003/2009, proc. 653/2009) and by Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (DKRVO 2016/15, National Museum, 00023272). We thank Centro de Estudos Integrados da Biodiversidade Amazônica (CENBAM) by assistance in fieldwork at the interfluve between the Purus and Madeira Rivers. Miquéias Ferrão received research fellowships from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) under Grant CNPq – proc. 573721/2008-4, via CENBAM while conducting this study. Currently, Miquéias Ferrão receives a PhD fellowship from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas (FAPEAM), and Rafael de Fraga a PhD fellowship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). We are indebted to Fernanda Werneck and Ariane Silva for access to
List of specimens examined for morphological comparisons. Abbreviations: AM, state highway, State of Amazonas, Brazil; BR, Federal highway, Brazil; PDBFF, Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project; UHE, Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Scinax sp. 1: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Tapauá, BR-319, km 450 (
Scinax sp. 2: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Humaitá, BR-319, km 620 (
Scinax sp. 4: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Humaitá, BR-319, km 620 (
Scinax sp. 5: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Tapauá, BR-319, km 450 (
Scinax sp. 6: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Careiro da Várzea, BR-319, km 34, Ramal do Purupuru (
Scinax sp. 7: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Careiro da Várzea, BR-319, km 100 (
Scinax boesemani: SURINAME: PARAMARIBO (SURINAME): near Zanderij (RMNH12601, holotype). BRAZIL: RORAIMA: Caracaraí, Parque Nacional do Viruá (
Scinax chiquitanus: BRAZIL: RONDÔNIA: Porto Velho, UHE Santo Antônio, M-14 (
Scinax cruentommus: ECUADOR: NAPO: Santa Cecilia (
Scinax funereus: ECUADOR: ORELLANA: Río Napo, Primavera (
Scinax fuscomarginatus: BRAZIL: RORAIMA: Boa Vista, Estação Ecológica de Maracá (
Scinax garbei: BRAZIL: RORAIMA: Caracaraí, Parque Nacional do Viruá (
Scinax cf. ictericus: PERU: MADRE DE DIOS: Rio Tambopata (
Scinax iquitorum: PERU: LORETO: ca. 17 km straight SW of Iquitos, (NMP6V 71267/13; paratypes).
Scinax madeirae: BRAZIL: RONDÔNIA: Alta Floresta, Parque Estadual Corumbiaria (
Scinax nebulosus: BRAZIL: PARÁ: Alter do Chão (
Scinax onca sp. n. (tadpoles): BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Beruri, BR-319, km 350 (lot
Scinax pedromedinae: BOLIVIA: BENI: 5 km NE of Riberalta (NMP6V 70700); PERU: UCAYALI: Masisea (NMP6V 74902/1–3).
Scinax proboscideus: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Manaus, Reserva Colosso do PDBFF (
Scinax sateremawe: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Borba, Ramal Novo Horizonte (
Scinax ruber F: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Borba, BR-319, km 220 (
Scinax ruber PM: BRAZIL: AMAZONAS: Careiro da Várzea, AM-354, km 10 (