Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Neotropical genus Pseudopaludicola focusing on species relationships including 11 of the 17 known species of Pseudopaludicola; several samples of Pseudopaludicola are not assigned to any species; and 34 terminal species as an outgroup. The study was based on the analysis of approximately 2.3 kb of the sequence of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, tRNAval and 16S rRNA genes through maximum parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction approaches. Our results showed that Pseudopaludicola is a well‐supported monophyletic group organized into four major clades and confirmed that the assemblage of species that lack T‐shaped terminal phalanges is paraphyletic with respect to the P. pusilla Group. Chromosomal data mapped on the cladogram showed a direct correlation among the four clades and observed chromosome numbers (2n = 22, 20, 18 and 16) with a progressive reduction in the chromosome number. Overall, our findings suggest that some taxonomic changes are necessary and reinforce the need for a revision of the genus Pseudopaludicola.

No abstract

Taxonomic changes have frequently occurred in the anuran genus Pseudopaludicola as a consequence of high morphological similarity among its species. The present work reports karyotypic analysis of three Pseudopaludicola species sampled in their type locality and four Pseudopaludicola populations from distinct localities, aiming at contributing to the systematics of this genus. Chromosomes were stained with Giemsa or submitted to the silver staining (Ag-NOR) and C-banding techniques. The karyotype was 2nϭ22 in P. mineira, Pseudopaludicola sp. and two populations of P. saltica. The chromosome pair 8 was heteromorphic in P. saltica, characterizing a XX/XY sex-determination system with telocentric X and submetacentric Y. Highly similar karyotypes with 2nϭ18 chromosomes were observed in P. canga, P. aff. canga from Barreirinhas, State of Maranhão, Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais and Icém, State São Paulo. The high similarity among the karyotypes 2nϭ18 suggested that the populations of P. aff. canga belong to the group 'pusilla', the same group of P. canga. The data demonstrated also that P. aff. canga from Barreirinhas (northeast region) is cytogenetically identical to P. canga with regarding the NOR site position in pair 3 and the presence of a heterochromatic block in the pair 2, whereas P. aff. canga from Uberlândia and Icém (southeast) had the NOR in the pair 9. Moreover, the cytogenetic data discriminated P. mineira and Pseudopaludicola sp. from the previously analyzed species with 22 chromosomes, and suggested that Pseudopaludicola sp. is an undescribed species. Sexual heteromorphic chromosomes are fi rstly reported in Pseudopaludicola and the data indicated the need of an extensive taxonomic review in this genus.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola is described from human-altered areas originally covered by Semideciduous Forest in northwestern state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Morphologically, the new species differs from four species belonging to the P. pusilla group by the absence of either T-shaped terminal phalanges or toe tips expanded, and from all other congeners except P. canga and P. facureae by possessing an areolate vocal sac, with dark reticulation. The higher duration (300-700 ms) of each single, pulsed note (9-36 nonconcatenated pulses) that compose the call in the new species distinguishes it from all other 14 species of Pseudopaludicola with calls already described (10-290 ms). Absence of harmonics also differ the advertisement call of the new species from the call of its sister species P. facureae, even though these two species presented unexpected low genetic distances. Although we could not identify any single morphological character distinguishing the new species from P. facureae, a PCA and DFA performed using 12 morphometric variables evidenced significant size differences between these two species.

I describe here a new species of Pseudopaludicola (P. serrana) found in the southern limits of the Espinhaço mountain range in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This new species is related to P. saltica and P. murundu and can be diagnosed by the following combination of characters: (1) long hindlimbs and absence of T-shaped terminal phalanges, (2) single, dark, and subgular vocal sac with dark longitudinal folds in males; (3) immaculate to light brown, nuptial pads in males that cover the external part of finger I; (4) SVL/HL greater than 2.7; and (5) advertisement call with dominant frequency above 5 kHz, pulse duration range between 13 and 23 ms, and mean interval between notes of 177 ms. Tadpoles and the advertisement call are also described.