A new minute species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Craugastoridae) with a large head from the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park in central Peru, with comments on the phylogenetic diversity of Pristimantis occurring in the Cordillera Yanachaga

Abstract

Abstract. We describe a new minute species of the genus Pristimantis, P. boucephalus sp. nov., from the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park, Región Pasco, Peru. The description is based on a freshly collected male specimen found at 2950 m a.s.l. in a cloud forest and four previously unidentified museum specimens consisting of two adult males, one subadult female and a juvenile from the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park. The new species is mainly characterized by a snout-vent length of 13.4-14.5 mm in adult males (n = 3), and 12.5 mm in the only known subadult female, and is compared morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by its small size, disproportionally large head with short snout, absence of a tympanic annulus and membrane, and reddish-copper iris. Phylogenetically it belongs to a speciose clade, an as yet unnamed species group, comprising both montane (Andes, Guiana Shield) and lowland (Amazon) taxa from the northern part of South America. The new species is genetically close to the sympatric P. cruciocularis. Species of Pristimantis occurring in the Cordillera Yanachaga region in the Andes of central Peru are members of six divergent phylogenetic lineages.

A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae) from a montane forest of the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru (Región Junín)

“…We assign this species to Pristimantis based on general morphological similarity to other members of the genus and our molecular data (Lehr et al in press). …”

“…Specimens were fixed in 96% ethanol and stored in 70% ethanol. Liver tissues of three specimens (NMP6V 75063–65) were taken for genetic analyses (see Lehr et al in press, GenBank accession numbers KY006110-12). Sex and maturity of specimens were identified through dissections of gonads.…”

“…Photographs taken by EL and JM were used for descriptions of coloration in life. The 16S DNA barcoding was used for comparison of the new species with morphologically similar Pristimantis species from Ecuador and Peru (Lehr et al in press). Comparisons of congeners focused on Andean and Amazonian lowland species from Ecuador and Peru with similar morphology and genetically close species as recovered in our tree (Lehr et al in press).…”

“…The 16S DNA barcoding was used for comparison of the new species with morphologically similar Pristimantis species from Ecuador and Peru (Lehr et al in press). Comparisons of congeners focused on Andean and Amazonian lowland species from Ecuador and Peru with similar morphology and genetically close species as recovered in our tree (Lehr et al in press). Information on species for comparative diagnoses was obtained from Duellman and Lehr (2009) and from original species descriptions.…”

“…Herein, we describe a new species of Pristimantis ( Pristimantis sp. Pui Pui in Lehr et al in press) from a montane forest between 1700 and 1800 m a.s.l in the PPPF.…”