identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
FC79951EB9165D7794F889410A51D2FE.text	FC79951EB9165D7794F889410A51D2FE.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pristimantis etsa Figueroa-Coronel & Cisneros-Heredia & Brito-Zapata & Carrión-Olmedo & Reyes-Puig 2026	<div><p>Pristimantis etsa sp. nov.</p><p>Figs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9</p><p>Proposed standard English name.</p><p>Etsa Rain Frog.</p><p>Proposed standard Spanish name.</p><p>Cutín de Etsa.</p><p>Generic placement.</p><p>The new species is assigned to Pristimantis based on the presence of a differentiated tympanic membrane, S-shaped adductor muscles, and expanded terminal discs on digits bearing well-defined circumferential grooves (Hedges et al. 2008).</p><p>Type material.</p><p>Holotype (Figs 3, 4, 6–8) • ZSFQ 6188, adult female, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-78.5075&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-3.9047222" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -78.5075/lat -3.9047222)">cerca de la comunidad de Río Blanco</a>, Cordillera del Cóndor (3°54'17"S, 78°30'27"W, 1655 m), parroquia Paquisha, cantón Paquisha, provincia de Zamora Chinchipe, República del Ecuador, collected on 14 August 2023 by Carolina Reyes-Puig, David Brito-Zapata, David Báez, Elías Figueroa-Coronel, and Juan Hurtado . Paratype (Fig. 5) • ZSFQ 6189, adult male, near the type locality (3°54'59"S, 78°29'31"W, 1830 m), collected on 15 August 2023 by Elías Figueroa-Coronel, Carolina Reyes-Puig, David Brito-Zapata, David Báez, and Juan Hurtado .</p><p>Definition.</p><p>Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. is distinguished from all other Pristimantis by the following combination of characters: (1) dorsal skin shagreen; dorsolateral folds composed of rows of low subconical tubercles; paravertebral folds thin; flanks with scattered conspicuous subconical tubercles, aggregated anteriorly and some forming discontinuous rows; ventral skin coarsely areolate with upraised warts; discoidal fold present; cloacal region bearing low subconical tubercles and warts; (2) tympanic membrane and annulus distinct; supratympanic fold covering upper 15 % of annulus; two prominent conical postrictal tubercles surrounded by smaller subconical tubercles; (3) snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views, with small, low apical papilla; lips slightly flared; (4) upper eyelid with two or three conspicuous subconical tubercles surrounded by smaller subconical tubercles; IOD&gt; EW; interocular region with one subconical tubercle and smaller internasal tubercles; cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous processes of vomers present, oblique, five or six teeth on each; (6) males with nuptial pads on base of Finger I, vocal slits and vocal sac absent; (7) finger length III&gt; IV&gt; II&gt; I; discs and pads expanded and truncated; discs twice the corresponding digit width; (8) slightly visible lateral fringes, more pronounced on fingers II – III, circumferential grooves present; (9) forearm tubercles conspicuous and subconical, arranged in two distinct rows: one extending along ventrolateral margin of forearm from base of palmar tubercle, and a second extending along externolateral margin of forearm, posteriorly from carpal articulation (Fig. 6); (10) heel tubercle subconical and conspicuous, surrounded by multiple subconical tubercles; two or three subconical outer tarsal tubercles with smaller rounded tubercles; inner tarsal fold extends from inner metatarsal tubercle to ¼ tarsus; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid and 6–7 × the size of outer metatarsal tubercle, which is subconical to ovoid; (12) toe length IV&gt; V&gt; III&gt; II&gt; I; narrow lateral fringes on toes III – V forming a basal membrane; discs and pads similar in size to those of hands; discs III – V more dilated than I – II, equally truncated, distal edge of Toe V reaching distal subarticular tubercle of Toe III; (13) in life, dorsum dark brown with longitudinal stripes lighter brown and mid-dorsal stripe dark brown; subocular stripes, labial and posterior leg bars dark brown; flanks brown with yellow blotch on groin of female with spots of the same coloration extending to the upper and posterior regions of the thighs (pale cream brown suffusion in male); venter cream with small brown splattered spots, denser towards the center of venter; iris copper-golden with thin dark reticulations and broad reddish-brown transverse band (Fig. 7); (14) SVL 32.5 mm in one adult female and 18.3 mm in one adult male. Call unknown.</p><p>Diagnosis.</p><p>The diagnosis is summarized in Table 1, and a visual comparison of P. etsa sp. nov. and P. nangaritza is shown in Fig. 8. The species included in the comparative diagnosis were selected because they are phylogenetically close to Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. within the P. cryptomelas group or because they share one or more externally similar characters, especially colored groin, ulnar tuberculation, and occurrence in the Cordillera del Cóndor, southern Ecuador, or adjacent northern Peru. Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. is distinguished from these congeners by the following combination of characters: snout rounded in dorsal view and profile; dorsolateral folds conspicuous, composed of subconical tubercles; outer forearm with two distinct rows of tubercles along ventrolateral and externolateral margins; and groin with a yellow blotch and yellow spots in the female and pale cream-brown in the male. The presence of conspicuous dorsolateral folds separates P. etsa sp. nov. from P. verrucosus, P. plateado, P. aquilonaris Lehr, Aguilar, Siu-Ting &amp; Jordán, 2007, P. bellator Lehr, Aguilar, Siu-Ting &amp; Jordán, 2007, P. nigrogriseus (Andersson, 1945), P. nangaritza, P. gagliardoi, P. spinosus, and P. cryptomelas, all of which lack dorsolateral folds. It differs from P. daquilemai Brito-Zapata, Reyes-Puig, Cisneros-Heredia, Zumel &amp; Ron, 2021 by having conspicuous dorsolateral folds composed of subconical tubercles, a rounded snout, and two distinct rows of forearm tubercles along the ventrolateral and externolateral margins, whereas P. daquilemai has thin dorsolateral folds, “ › ‹ ” - shaped scapular folds, and a subacuminate snout. The groin coloration of P. etsa sp. nov. further distinguishes it from species with dark or differently pigmented groins, including P. nigrogriseus, which has a dark brown to black groin with large yellow spots; P. aquilonaris, which has a blackish brown groin with yellowish-orange or reddish-orange flecks; P. nangaritza, which has a brown groin with or without minute pale flecks; P. spinosus, which has a black groin with white spots; and P. cryptomelas, which has a black groin. It also differs from P. bellator, P. gagliardoi, P. verrucosus, and P. plateado by the combination of conspicuous dorsolateral folds, two distinct rows of forearm tubercles, and yellow groin blotches in the female, rather than a yellow groin with brown flecks, pink groin, or reddish orange groin coloration in some individuals.</p><p>Description of holotype.</p><p>Adult female, 32.5 mm SVL (Figs 3, 4, 6, 7), head wider than long, HW 33 % of SVL; EN 10 % of SVL, ED 12 % of SVL; snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views; nostrils dorsolaterally directed; canthus rostralis concave in dorsal and lateral views; lips slightly flared. Upper eyelid bearing three conspicuous subconical tubercles, surrounded by 12 smaller, rounded to subconical tubercles, denser on the posterior part of the eyelid; a row of low, rounded tubercles present along the outer edge of the eyelid. Interorbital area flat, with a tiny round tubercle (EW 51 % of IOD). Cranial crests absent. Tympanic membrane differentiated from surrounding skin; tympanic annulus rounded. Supratympanic fold covering 15 % of the upper tympanic annulus (Fig. 4 C); two highly conspicuous postrictal tubercles forming a ridge, surrounded by several smaller tubercles. Choanae small and oval, not concealed by palatal shelf; vomerine processes present, semicircular, bearing six teeth. Tongue longer than wide, ~ 60 % attached to the floor of the mouth, posteriorly notched.</p><p>Dorsal skin shagreen, with two dorsolateral folds formed by tubercles: an upper fold extending from the postocular region to the cloaca, and a lower fold extending from the posterior scapular region to the inguinal region; two thin parallel paravertebral folds extending from the interorbital region to the ilium, more evident in life (Figs 7, 8). Flanks with scattered conspicuous subconical tubercles, aggregated anteriorly, some arranged in discontinuous rows. Three large subconical tubercles present on each flank, denser in the axillary region; limbs tuberculate in dorsal view; a row of low, rounded tubercles present along the dorsal surface of the forearm; small subconical tubercles present on the dorsal surfaces of hands and feet. Venter coarsely areolate; discoidal fold weakly defined, covering 95 % of the abdomen from the level of forelimb insertion to near the level of hind limb insertion. Thoracic fold thin; pericloacal region with multiple subconical tubercles of different sizes.</p><p>Palmar tubercle bilobed; thenar tubercle elongated and directed outward; subarticular tubercles prominent and subconical, strongly pronounced on Fingers I and II; two subarticular tubercles present on Fingers III and IV, all rounded. Disc of Finger III reaching the distal subarticular tubercle of Finger IV. Supernumerary tubercles present, most evident at the base of Finger III, all rounded (Fig. 4 A). Two distinct rows of forearm tubercles evident and subconical: one extending from the base of the palmar tubercle along the ventrolateral margin of the forearm, and a second extending along the externolateral margin of the forearm.</p><p>Hind limbs slender and long (TL 51 % of SVL); heel bearing two large subconical tubercles and several smaller subconical tubercles; three small, rounded tubercles present on the inner tarsus; a row of low, rounded tubercles present along the tarsus.</p><p>Relative length of toes IV&gt; V&gt; III&gt; II&gt; I; basal webbing present as lateral fringes on Toes III, IV, and V; discs and pads on toes similar in size to those on fingers; discs of Toes III, IV, and V more expanded than those of Toes I and II, all equally truncate. Supernumerary tubercles present at the base of all toes, more aggregated on Toes IV and V (Fig. 4 B).</p><p>Coloration of holotype in preservative.</p><p>Dorsum brown with vertebral and dorsolateral dark brown stripes, flanks dark brown; groin with conspicuous white blotches with small brown spots extending towards the dorsal surfaces of thighs. Dorsal surfaces of limbs brown with small cream blotches on hands and feet, mainly on fingers I-III and toes I-IV, venter cream with abundant small dots forming brown blotches, more concentrated on ventral surfaces of limbs. Iris dark gray.</p><p>Coloration of holotype in life.</p><p>(Fig. 7) dorsum brown with darker brown longitudinal stripes extending along the dorsolateral rows of tubercles; axilla and shoulder with inconspicuous yellow spots. In dorsolateral view, head brown with a small yellow patch on the lower half of the tympanum. Labial stripes pale cream with small yellow accents. Groin and flanks with conspicuous large yellow spots, extending from the mid-flanks to nearly the entire surface of the thighs. Limbs dark brown, paler than the dorsum. Iris pale bronze with a reddish-brown horizontal bar and a narrow black median vertical streak and black reticulations. Venter and throat pale creamy-yellow; venter with scattered dark brown spots, whereas the throat bears larger black blotches. Ventral surfaces of hands with small, inconspicuous yellow spots.</p><p>Measurements (in mm) of holotype.</p><p>SVL = 32.5; HW = 13.5; HL = 11.6; ED = 4.0; EW = 3.5; IOD = 6.9; IND = 2.6; EN = 3.3; TL = 16.7; HaL = 9.8; FL = 15.7</p><p>Variation.</p><p>Measurements of the adult male paratype ZSFQ 6189 are as follows, in mm: SVL = 18.3; HW = 7.2; HL = 7.0; ED = 2.8; EW = 2.1; IOD = 4.0; IND = 1.5; EN = 2.1; TL = 10.1; HaL = 6.2; FL = 9.8. The male paratype differs from the female holotype by lacking a conspicuous yellow inguinal blotch; its groin is light brown with dark brown spots and lacks yellow ventral coloration. In life, the male paratype has a darker overall coloration, dark brown lateral bands in the anterior part of the inguinal region, black spots posterior to the eyelids, and a dark brown mid-ventral stripe. The snout of the male paratype appears more angular in lateral view than that of the female holotype, which is rounded. In both specimens, the rostral papilla is less evident in preservative than in life, and tubercles and folds are less conspicuous in preserved specimens.</p><p>Etymology.</p><p>The specific epithet etsa is a noun in apposition derived from the Shuar language. Among the Shuar people, an indigenous nationality inhabiting eastern Ecuador and northern Peru, including parts of the Cordillera del Cóndor, Etsa is a powerful anthropomorphic being whose primary manifestation is the sun. In Shuar cosmology, Etsa acts as a cultural transmitter who endows animals and people with essential skills, such as hunting techniques, restores life to forest birds, and upholds moral order (Pellizaro 1984; Barrueco 1985).</p><p>Distribution and natural history.</p><p>Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. is known from two nearby localities, near the Río Blanco hamlet, Paquisha parish, Paquisha canton, Zamora Chinchipe province, Ecuador (Fig. 9). The species inhabits Low Montane Evergreen Forest (MAE 2013) from 1655 to 1830 m a. s. l. on the western slopes of the Cordillera del Cóndor. Both specimens of the type series were active at night (20: 00–22: 00 h), over shrub leaves, 1.2–2 m above ground. The holotype was found in a swampy habitat, syntopic with centrolenids such as Chimerella mariaelenae (Cisneros-Heredia &amp; McDiarmid, 2006), and hylids such as Dendropsophus minutus (Peters, 1872), and Callimedusa ecuatoriana (Cannatella, 1982) . The individual was located in a 0.32 - km 2 patch of selectively logged forest surrounded by pastures. The male paratype was discovered 2.2 km away in a straight line to the southeast, within a much larger continuous forest. We did not detect P. etsa sp. nov. during surveys conducted in the lowest areas of Río Blanco (at 1560 m) or higher up in regions covered by Evergreen Shrubland and Montane Grassland or Evergreen Montane Forest on Sandstone Plateaus.</p><p>Conservation status.</p><p>The type locality of Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. lies in the Río Blanco sector of the Cordillera del Cóndor (Fig. 9), an area undergoing rapid and severe anthropogenic transformation. Legal and illegal mining are the primary drivers of habitat loss and degradation. Illegal operations employ highly destructive placer and underground extraction methods along riverbanks and adjacent mountains, causing extensive soil disturbance and water pollution. In addition, large-scale industrial extraction at the Fruta del Norte gold mine and associated infrastructure has reshaped land-use dynamics across the region, which currently includes 28 active metallic mining concessions and three concessions for construction materials, together covering 64,453 ha; mining activities are projected to continue at least until 2031, with the possibility of a 25 - year extension (Hochstein et al. 2023). Agriculture and cattle ranching further contribute to the progressive removal and fragmentation of forest along the foothills and lower slopes, intensifying the isolation and degradation of remaining habitat fragments.</p><p>Despite substantial survey effort at the type locality — 15 days of fieldwork in June 2025, 10 days in August 2023, and four additional four-day campaigns between 2021 and 2022 — only two individuals of P. etsa sp. nov. have been detected. Extensive herpetological surveys in nearby areas of the Cordillera del Cóndor have not produced additional records of the species. Using the georeferenced records and the GeoCAT tool (Bachman et al. 2011), and following IUCN mapping standards with a 2 × 2 km grid, we estimated an area of occupancy (AOO) of 8 km 2, corresponding to two occupied grid cells. The species is therefore known from a single threat-defined location exposed to intense and ongoing mining and agricultural pressures.</p><p>Pristimantis etsa sp. nov. clearly meets the conditions for listing under criterion D 2: it has a very restricted AOO (typically &lt;20 km 2) and occurs at a single location where plausible, well-documented threats could rapidly drive the taxon to a higher risk category, or even towards extinction, in a short time frame. On this basis, and despite the absence of quantitative data on population size or long-term demographic trends, we recommend that P. etsa sp. nov. be assessed as Vulnerable (VU) under the criterion D 2. Further surveys, ecological studies, and monitoring are urgently needed to refine estimates of its distribution, evaluate population dynamics, and determine whether it may warrant uplisting if habitat loss and degradation at Río Blanco continue or intensify.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FC79951EB9165D7794F889410A51D2FE	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Pensoft via Plazi	Figueroa-Coronel, Elías;Cisneros-Heredia, Diego F.;Brito-Zapata, David;Carrión-Olmedo, Julio C.;Reyes-Puig, Carolina	Figueroa-Coronel, Elías, Cisneros-Heredia, Diego F., Brito-Zapata, David, Carrión-Olmedo, Julio C., Reyes-Puig, Carolina (2026): A new rain frog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura, Craugastoridae) from the Cordillera del Cóndor, southeastern Ecuador. ZooKeys 1282: 205-228, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1282.187506
