Pristimantis altamnis, Elmer, Kathryn R. & Cannatella, David C., 2008

Elmer, Kathryn R. & Cannatella, David C., 2008, Three new species of leaflitter frogs from the upper Amazon forests: cryptic diversity within Pristimantis “ ockendeni ” (Anura: Strabomantidae) in Ecuador, Zootaxa 1784, pp. 11-38 : 15-18

Pristimantis altamnis sp. nov.

Figures 2–4 .

Holotype. QCAZ 25311 (field number SC 11271), an adult female collected at Cando community, upper Napo river, parroquía Talag, Napo province, Ecuador (S 01° 05.71’, W 77° 55.47’, altitude 680 m) on 3 May 2003 by KRE and T. Sugahara.

Paratypes. (12 specimens: 8 males, 2 females, 2 juveniles) QCAZ 25302–304, 25306–310, 25313, 25324–326, and tissue samples were collected in the area of Cando community on 3 May 2003 by KRE and T. Sugahara.

Etymology

This species is named for the swift headwater rivers of the Amazon River, since it is found at localities near the origins of Ecuador’s major rivers (Napo, Pastaza, and Aguarico). The name is a compound adjective of the Latin “altus” for upper and “amnis” for river.

Diagnosis

(1) Skin on dorsum smooth to finely shagreened with W-shaped occipital-scapular ridges, that on venter areolate; discoidal folds absent; dorsolateral fold absent; (2) tympanum distinct, tympanic annulus present, its width approximately one-third eye width; supratympanic ridge not or barely pigmented; (3) snout subacuminate (weakly pointed) in dorsal view, blunt in lateral profile, canthus rostralis from anterior corner of eye to nostril straight in profile, concave in dorsal view, moderately sharp in cross-section; (4) upper eyelid bearing two low tubercles in some; (5) vomerine odontophores moderately raised, oval, oblique; (6) males with moderately sized vocal slits, nuptial pads absent; (7) first finger shorter than second; all fingers bearing pads with circumferential grooves; discs slightly truncate, those on IV and III largest; (8) fingers bluntly fringed; (9) ulnar tubercles absent; (10) heel bearing small subconical tubercles; inner and outer tarsal tubercles absent; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle raised, oval, 4–5 times longer than conical outer metatarsal tubercle; plantar supernumerary tubercles on finger I and II; (12) toes weakly fringed; webbing absent; toe V much longer than III; discs approximately equal size and shape as finger discs; (13) dorsum dark to medium brown, W-shaped scapular ridge black in most, black dots at base of points of the W in all, grey interorbital bar in some specimens; postsacral dorsal bar partly or entirely black; posterior surface of thighs uniform brown; venter cream with numerous dark flecks; (14) adults small, males 16.9–19.9 mm (N = 8), females 26.9–27.9 mm (N = 3) SVL.

Description

Head slightly wider than body, approximately as long as wide; head width of females 39–41% SVL (x = 40%, N = 3), of males 37–39% SVL (x = 38%, N = 8); snout subacuminate (weakly pointed) in dorsal view, in lateral view snout blunt; upper jaw slightly overhanging lower jaw at anterior tip; snout of moderate length, eye-nostril distance of females 104–124% of eye width (x = 115%, N = 3), of males 89–110% (x = 100%, N = 8); canthus rostralis from anterior corner of eye to nostril straight in profile, concave in dorsal view, sharply angled in cross-section; loreal region slightly concave, lips not flared; nostrils slightly protuberant, directed laterally with slight dorsal inclination; interorbital space flat; no cranial crests; two low tubercles on mid-eyelids in some specimens; interorbital distance in females 50–53% of head width (x = 51%, N = 3), in males 47– 56% (x = 51%, N = 8); temporal region vertical, sloping slightly laterally towards jaw; supratympanic ridge not or barely pigmented, not obscuring tympanum, postrictal tubercle present; tympanum visible, tympanic membrane distinct, tympanic annulus present, in females tympanum width 39–40% of eye width (x = 39% N = 2), in males tympanum width 30–37% of eye width (x = 35% N = 8), size and shape not sexually dimorphic; distance from tympanum to eye less than diameter of tympanum; choanae medium-sized, moderately elliptical, well within borders of jaws; vomerine odontophores moderately raised, oval, and oblique (less raised in females), slightly larger than and posterior to choanae, separated medially by 2–3 times width of odontophore, females with more teeth than males (females median 4 left/5 right, males median 2 left/3 right); tongue longer than wide, posteriorly notched, attached at front of mouth, posteriorly and laterally not adherent to floor of mouth; males with moderate sized lateral vocal slits. Nuptial pads absent.

Skin of dorsum smooth to finely shagreened; skin of venter areolate, skin of flanks shagreened; no apparent discoidal folds (that can be distinguished from preservation artefact); pair of W-shaped prominent ridges from posterior eyelid to scapular region, two posterior tubercles at scapular region end of W; postsacral bar with low tubercles; small (generally low) tubercles on elbow, smooth forearm; palmar tubercle bifid, with crease at base of U in some specimens, larger than elongate thenar tubercle; palm bearing elongate tubercles smaller than subarticular tubercles; subarticular tubercles elliptical, supernumerary tubercles on finger I and II; distal subarticular tubercles flattened and rounded; proximal subarticular tubercles subconical; fingers bluntly fringed; all fingers bearing slightly truncate discs on pads, all pads wider than long, pads in decreasing order of size IV=III-II-I (barely wider than digit); decreasing finger length III-IV-II-I.

Heel bearing one or two small subconical tubercles; inner and outer edge of tarsus lack tubercles; tarsal fold weak; inner metatarsal tubercle raised, oval, 4–5 times longer than smaller and conical outer metatarsal tubercle; subarticular tubercles subconical, most distal subarticular tubercles flatter and smaller; toes weakly fringed, lacking webbing; toe discs wider than long, approximately equal size and shape to finger discs, in order of descending size, IV–V=III–II–I; hindlimbs of moderate length, shank of female 55–58% SVL (x = 57%, N = 3), of males 53–63% SVL (x = 60%, N = 8).

Colour in preservation

Central dorsum dark to medium brown, paler on flanks, diagonal brown stripes on flanks; sacral chevrons mostly absent, dark anal triangle present; ridge of scapular W-marking black in most, base of W with two black dots on each side separate or longitudinally joined; background colour of head and scapular region brown or grey, similar to that of dorsum; prominent dark labial bar at anterior margin of eye; less prominent labial bar at posterior margin of eye in some; grey interorbital bar in some specimens; upper eyelids grey; dark band at mid-forearm, upper arm lacking markings, elbow with dark spot in some; brown bands on thigh, shank, and tarsus; a few with postsacral dorsal bar black, in most a pair of postsacral dark tubercles; discs of fingers and toes paler than remainder of digits; venter moderately dense distribution of melanophores giving a slightly grey appearance, cream background (under microscope small deposits of guanine pigment visible on ventral aeroli warts), melanophores more concentrated around chin and pectoral region, producing a fine reticulum under chin; underside of thighs brown, lighter line along mid-ventral region of thigh and shank due to absence of melanophores.

Colour in life

Dorsum medium to dark brown, lighter laterally, some individuals with stripes; scapular W mark with black points at base in all, black W in most, sometimes also outlined in reddish brown; some individuals with light brown patch from snout or top of head, extending to W; venter cream with mottled speckling, throat with yellow flush in some males.

Some specimens from northern Ecuador (610 masl, locality 1 in Fig. 5 ) ( QCAZ 25819–38) had slighter paler dorsal and ventral colouration than most P. altamnis . MtDNA sequence data of cytochrome b and 16S confirms their identity to the remainder of the specimens at that locality, and thus part of the P. altamnis clade ( Elmer et al. 2007b). Colour of iris not noted.

Description of holotype

Measurements (in mm): 27.6 SVL, 15.2 tibia length, 19.4 foot length, 10.8 head width, 9.8 head length, 5.4 IOD, 4.3 END, 3.5 eye width, 1.3 tympanum width. Colour in preservative: medium brown dorsum, lighter stripes laterally, dark bars on thighs and shanks, thin black line of W, most thick around base tips; venter cream, some light speckling under throat. Colour in life: “medium brown dorsum, grey-brown laterally; black W”.

Molecular diversity

MtDNA cytochrome b sequences examined for eight paratype specimens ( QCAZ 25306-25310, 25324- 25326) are identical (one haplotype). MtDNA 16S sequences for three paratypes ( QCAZ 25306, 25309, 25313) are also identical (one haplotype). MtDNA GenBank accession numbers (cytochrome b / 16S): QCAZ 25308 EU 130652 /, QCAZ 25309 EU 130653 / EU 130607 , QCAZ 25310 EU 130654 /, QCAZ 25313 / EU 130608 , QCAZ 25324 EU 130647 / EU 130605 , QCAZ 25325 EU 130648 /, QCAZ 25326 EU 130649 /.

Distribution

Pristimantis altamnis has been found throughout the humid upland tropical forests of eastern Ecuador, at elevations of approximately 400–1000 masl (see Fig. 5 ). To the east it is replaced by P. k i c h w a r u m or P. achuar . Its range limits to the north and south are not known. In the upper Napo River area (Jatun Sacha Biological Station), P. altamnis has been found sympatrically with P. kichwarum .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of three paratypes of P. altamnis (top row; QCAZ 25313, 25302, 25304), P. kichwarum (middle row; QCAZ 25287, 27762, 25782), and P. achuar (bottom row; QCAZ 25538, 25490, 25491). Note the presence of a canthal stripe in P. kichwarum and its absence in P. altamnis and P. achuar.

FIGURE 3. Ventral view of three paratypes of P. altamnis (top row; QCAZ 25445, 25442, 25447), P. kichwarum (middle row; QCAZ 25287, 25558, 25759), and P. achuar (bottom row; QCAZ 25461, 25530, 25534). Note the difference in ventral colouration between the three species, with P. altamnis having the most dense flecking of melanophores and P. achuar having the palest venter.

FIGURE 4. Lateral view of specimens of P. kichwarum (QCAZ 18033), P. achuar (QCAZ 25463), and P. altamnis (QCAZ 25311). Note the presence of a canthal stripe and darkened supratympanic ridge in P. kichwarum and their absence in P. achuar and P. altamnis.

FIGURE 5. Map of localities for reviewed specimens of P. altamnis (white dot), P. kichwarum (grey dot), and P. achuar (black dot). The general area of the Cuyabeno Reserve and Yasuní National Park are noted, as mentioned in the text for some collections. For simplicity, some nearby localities share a dot. (1) Chonta Yacu, Lumbaqui; (2) Centro Shuar Yawi; (3) Serena; (4) Talag or Cando; (5) Jatun Sacha Biological Station and Arajuno Jungle Lodge; (6) Puca Chicta, Misahuallí; (7) Auca 14 Rd near Dayuma; (8) Parque Nacional Yasuní: Estación Científica, Onkonegare, and pozo Capiron; (9) Llanganates Mountains, Canton Arosamena Tola; (10) La Selva Lodge, Pañacocha; (11) Y of road Tena to Puyo, Canton Sta Clara; (12) Fundación Hola Vida, El Porvenir; (13) Kapawi Lodge; (14) Lorocachi; (15) Petrolera Garza 1, Montalvo; (16) Bloque Shiripuno, Parque Nacional Yasuní; (17) Rio Huataracu, via Hollín-Loreto; (18) Indillama; (19) Yuturi; (20) Bataburo Lodge, Rio Tiguño; (21) Santa Rita; (22) Parque Nacional Yasuní, Carretera Pompeya Sur-Iro Km 21, 38 or 41; (23) Comuna El Descanso; (24) Parque Nacional Yasuní Road to MAXUS km 107 and AMO 1; (25) Parque Nacional Yasuní Bloque 31.