A new rainfrog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura, Brachycephaloidea) from central and eastern Panama

Abstract

Substantial molecular and morphological character differences lead us to the description of a new species of the genus Pristimantis from the cloud forest of Cerro Chucantí, Maje Mountains, Darien Province, as well as from several other mountain ranges in eastern and central Panama. Pristimantis gretathunbergaesp. nov. is a sister species to the allopatric P. erythropleura-penelopus group from northern Colombia with a mtDNA sequence divergence of > 4.4% at 16S and > 14.6% at COI. Its closest congener in sympatry is P. cruentus that differs by a large sequence divergence of > 9.6% in 16S mtDNA and 19.0% at COI, and from which it differs also by ventral and groin coloration, unusually prominent black eyes, a contrasting light upper lip, commonly a single conical to spine-like tubercle on the upper eyelid, and a larger head. While the habitat continuity at most sites in eastern Panama is moderate, habitats in central Panama are severely fragmented. Cerro Chucantí and the surrounding Maje Mountains are highly threatened by rapid deforestation and replaced by plantations and cattle pastures. Thus, investigations on the ecology of the new species and its population status, especially at the type locality, are highly recommended. As a flagship species, this new frog can help to preserve the Chucantí cloud forest including several recently described species known only from this isolated area in eastern Panama.

Egg burying behaviour in Pristimantis highlights the link between direct development and specialised parental care

“…Besides nest‐building activities, there are species with direct development where either the female (e.g. Chinchilla‐Lemus & Meneses‐Pelayo, 2016 ; Mebert et al., 2022 ; Ortega‐Andrade et al., 2010 ; Pombal et al., 1994 ) or the male (e.g. Bignotte‐Giró et al., 2022 ; Chinchilla‐Lemus & Meneses‐Pelayo, 2016 ; Mebert et al., 2022 ; Rojas‐Rivera et al., 2013 ) care for the recently laid eggs, and in some cases, parents of these species carry newly hatched froglets over several weeks on their backs to provide protection (Diesel et al., 1995 ; Schulte et al., 2020 ).…”

“…Chinchilla‐Lemus & Meneses‐Pelayo, 2016 ; Mebert et al., 2022 ; Ortega‐Andrade et al., 2010 ; Pombal et al., 1994 ) or the male (e.g. Bignotte‐Giró et al., 2022 ; Chinchilla‐Lemus & Meneses‐Pelayo, 2016 ; Mebert et al., 2022 ; Rojas‐Rivera et al., 2013 ) care for the recently laid eggs, and in some cases, parents of these species carry newly hatched froglets over several weeks on their backs to provide protection (Diesel et al., 1995 ; Schulte et al., 2020 ). All these examples, including the observation presented in the present report, suggest that highly specialized forms of parental care may be adaptive in direct developing species.…”

Naming the menagerie: creativity, culture and consequences in the formation of scientific names

“…In particular, the naming of species for celebrities [24] seems like a strategy tailor-made for generating public attention to species discovery. Eponymous names have been coined for musicians (the fern Gaga monstraparva [74]), actors (the beetle Agra katewinsletae [75]), filmmakers (the alga Euthora timburtonii [76]), athletes (the wasp Diolchogaster ichiroi [77]), politicians (the lichen Ocellularia jacinda-arderniae [78]), activists (the frog Pristimantis gretathunbergae [79]), novelists (the fossil sea turtle Psephophorus terrypratchetti [80]) and more. Blake et al [81] have shown that species with such names attract more Wikipedia page views than their close relatives with non-celebrity names-with the effect being especially strong in less charismatic taxa such as invertebrates and amphibians, and weaker to undetectable for birds and mammals.…”

“…In particular, the naming of species for celebrities [ 24 ] seems like a strategy tailor-made for generating public attention to species discovery. Eponymous names have been coined for musicians (the fern Gaga monstraparva [ 74 ]), actors (the beetle Agra katewinsletae [ 75 ]), filmmakers (the alga Euthora timburtonii [ 76 ]), athletes (the wasp Diolchogaster ichiroi [ 77 ]), politicians (the lichen Ocellularia jacinda-arderniae [ 78 ]), activists (the frog Pristimantis gretathunbergae [ 79 ]), novelists (the fossil sea turtle Psephophorus terrypratchetti [ 80 ]) and more. Blake et al .…”