A new terrestrial species of Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from central Mexico

Abstract

Chiropterotriton is a relatively small genus that comprises 15 species with great morphological and ecological diversity. In previous studies, molecular data provided evidence for a considerable number of species that remain undescribed. In this study, we describe one new species, Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov. based on molecular and morphological characters. We present mtDNA phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood that include all described and several undescribed species. Morphometric data from eight recognized species provide evidence for the distinctiveness of the new taxon. Description of this new species adds to the already high salamander diversity of the state of Hidalgo, which is an important area for the diversification of the genus.

Descriptions of five new species of the salamander genusChiropterotriton(Caudata: Plethodontidae) from eastern Mexico and the status of three currently recognized taxa

“…This represents a considerable increase in the somewhat slow but steady rise in species descriptions trajectory that began in the 1980s when molecular data became readily available. With the use of protein electrophoresis data, 19 new species of salamanders were described from Mexico (Hanken & Wake, 1994, 1998Hanken, Wake & Freeman, 1999) and with the use of mitochondrial markers 31 new species have been described from Mexico since 2001 (Parra- Olea, Papenfuss & Wake, 2001;Parra-Olea, García-París & Wake, 2002;Parra-Olea, Canseco-Márquez & García-París, 2004;, 2005a, 2005bBrodie, Mendelson & Campbell, 2002;Canseco-Marquez & Parra-Olea, 2003;Canseco-Márquez & Gutiérrez-Mayén, 2005;Rovito et al, 2012Rovito et al, , 2015bGarcía-Castillo et al, 2017, 2018Sandoval-Comte et al, 2017). Thus, almost 40% of Mexican bolitoglossines have been described using molecular characters in combination with morphological and ecological traits.…”

“…COI sequences. The alignment for the L2 fragment included 35 Chiropterotriton samples sequenced in this study, 40 sequences available on GenBank from previous studies (Parra -Olea, 2003;Rovito et al, 2015a;García-Castillo et al, 2018) and two additional sequences from Aquiloeurycea cephalica and Thorius sp. as outgroups.…”

“…as outgroups. The alignment for COI included seven sequences from this study and 21 from GenBank (García-Castillo et al, 2018). All sequence information is shown in Table 1.…”

“…Chiropterotriton sp. I.-Darda, 1994; Parra- Olea, 2003;Raffaëlli, 2007;Raffaëlli, 2013;García-Castillo et al, 2017;García-Castillo et al, 2018. Images are derived from a µCT scan of MVZ 92874, an adult male.…”

“…Chiropterotriton sp. H.-Darda, 1994Parra-Olea, 2003;Raffaëlli, 2007;Raffaëlli, 2013;García-Castillo et al, 2017; Referred specimens: Seventy-two specimens, all from Veracruz, Mexico. IBH 16778-82, 22384, 22391, 22395, 22568, 23062, 23066, 23072, 29853, 29857, 29863-64, 29866, 29872, 30840-41, 30844, 30847, 31032-39 and 31055-62;KU 100747-54;MVZ 114351, 114355, 114357, 114358, 173440-41, 178659-60, 178662, 178666-68, 200684-86, 200688-90, 200692, 200695-97, 200699-701 and 200703. Diagnosis: This is a small but stout species of plethodontid salamander that is phylogenetically related to Chiropterotriton lavae, C. ceronorum and C. totonacus; mean SVL 29.7 mm in 12 adult males (range 26.5-32.8) and 31.7 mm in eight adult females (range 27.4-34.3).…”