A new diploid species belonging to the Odontophrynus americanus species group (Anura: Odontophrynidae) from the Espinhaço range, Brazil

Abstract

The Odontophrynus americanus species group is a complex of diploid and tetraploid species hardly distinguished by morphological characters. It currently consists of three allopatric diploid species (i.e. O. cordobae, O. lavillai, and O. maisuma) and one widely distributed tetraploid species (i.e. O. americanus). We herein describe a new diploid allopatric species from campo rupestre, a typical phytophysiognomy of the Espinhaço Range, Brazil. The new species is distinguishable by the diploid complement of 2n = 2x = 22 chromosomes, small to medium-sized dorsal dark brown blotches with low contrast on a light brown background, light mid-dorsal stripe absent or greatly interrupted in most specimens with yellowish coloration as the background of both head and flanks of the body, advertisement call with dominant frequency of 840-1080 Hz, pulse rate of 90.5-106.7 pulses/s, and small tadpoles (TL = 24.30-35.69 mm).

Whole-genome duplication and hemoglobin differentiation traits between allopatric populations of Brazilian Odontophrynus americanus species complex (Amphibia, Anura)

“…These differences were recorded in Argentinian frogs (Bogart and Wasserman, 1972; Martino and Sinsch, 2002) and they evince the existence of a prenuptial isolation mechanism that, coupled with genetic incompatibility, are factors that contribute in maintaining both groups apart. Together with other sources of biochemical and genetic evidence it has been proposed that the Argentinian diploid O. americanus is a new cryptic species, named O. cordobae (Martino and Sinsch, 2002), O. lavillai (Cei, 1985), O maisuma (Rosset 2008), and O. juquinha (Rocha et al , 2017).…”

“…The same is true for the Argentine- Uruguayan populations (Barrio and Pistol de Rubel, 1972). Odontophrynus lavillai (Cei, 1985) encompasses diploid populations from Santiago del Estero that were analyzed formerly by Barrio and Pistol de Rubel (1972), with the denomination O. americanus referring exclusively to tetraploid specimens (Cei, 1985, corroborated by Rosset et al , 2006, and followed by several authors, as Rocha et al. , 2017).…”

“…, 2017). Also, O. cordobae was described as diploid population (Martino and Sinsch, 2002), followed by O. maisuma (Rosset, 2008), and more recently, O. juquinha (Rocha et al , 2017).…”

Integrative taxonomic reassessment ofOdontophrynuspopulations in Argentina and phylogenetic relationships within Odontophrynidae (Anura)

“…South American anurans provide several examples for morphologically highly conserved genera in which integrative taxonomy led to reliable species delimitation and subsequent conservation priorities (De Magalhães et al, 2018; Fouquet et al, 2018; Von May, Lehr & Rabosky, 2018). The semi fossorial toads of the genus Odontophrynus pose a similar challenge because all original species descriptions are solely based on morphology and often too ambiguous for a reliable species distinction (Duméril & Bibron, 1841; Berg, 1896; Cei, Ruiz & Beçak, 1982; Di Tada et al, 1984; Cei, 1985; Martino & Sinsch, 2002; Rosset et al, 2006, 2007; Rosset, 2008; Caramaschi & Napoli, 2012; Rocha et al, 2017). Extant populations are currently assigned to 12 species that are placed into three phenetic groups based on overall morphological similarities, except for O. salvatori that is possibly a misplaced Proceratophrys species (Caramaschi, 1996; Amaro, Pavan & Rodrigues, 2009; Caramaschi & Napoli, 2012; Frost, 2018).…”

“…of the Sierra de San Luis may or not be conspecific with O. achalensis described from the Sierras de Cordoba (Di Tada et al, 1984). Diploid O. americanus -like populations reported from the vicinity of the disjunct O. americanus ranges have been recently described as three distinct species, O. cordobae in Central Argentina (Martino & Sinsch, 2002), O. maisuma in coastal Uruguay and Brazil (Rosset, 2008) and O. juquinha in Minas Gerais, Brazil (Rocha et al, 2017). It remains controversial, if diploids of the O. americanus group derived from tetraploids or tetraploids several times independently from diploids (Beçak & Beçak, 1974; Beçak, 2014).…”