Pristimantis kichwarum, 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 : 18-22

Pristimantis kichwarum sp. nov.

Figures 2–4 , 6.

Holotype. QCAZ 18128 (field number SC7783), an adult male collected at Jatun Sacha Biological Station, parroquía Ahuano, Napo province, Ecuador (S 01°04.45’, W 77°36.93’, altitude 472 m), on 14 November 2001 by KRE and F. Ayala-Varela. MtDNA cytochrome b Genbank accession number EF581033 .

Paratypes. (45 specimens: 29 males, 13 females, 3 juveniles) QCAZ 18023, 18027, 18030, 18033, 18039, 18041, 18045, 18053, 18069, 18071, 18077, 18085, 18089, 18092, 18096, 18098, 18110, 18112, 18117, 18126, 18132, 18137, 18139, 18153, 18165, 25287, 25288, 25290, 25291, 25295, 25552, 25554, 25555, 25558, 25561, 25564, 25573, 25575, 25579, 25580, 25751, 25757, 25759, 25773, and 25782 were collected between 4 November 2001 and 14 April 2003 from Jatun Sacha Biological Station and adjacent areas ( Librarius Study Center and Inner Vision Lodge [currently known as Arajuno Jungle Lodge]) (Appendix 1).

Referred. Specimens collected adjacent to Jatun Sacha Biological Station (at Inner Vision Lodge) by KRE and T. Sugahara, QCAZ 25752 (male) 13 April 2003 and QCAZ 25783 (male) 17 April 2003.

Etymology

This species is named for the indigenous Kichwa communities in the Oriente of Ecuador. They are recognized in this small collective way as a token of appreciation for the engagement of individuals and communities in this research, and for sharing their biodiversity and knowledge. The patronym is a Latin feminine plural genitive of the nation name.

Diagnosis

(1) Skin of dorsum smooth to finely shagreened with W-shaped occipital-scapular ridges, that of venter areolate; no obvious discoidal folds; dorsolateral fold absent; (2) tympanum and tympanic membrane distinct, tympanic annulus barely or slightly discernible, tympanum width approximately one-third eye width; supratympanic ridge dark; (3) snout subacuminate (weakly pointed) in dorsal view, rounded in lateral profile, canthus rostralis from anterior corner of eye to nostril slightly convex in lateral profile, concave in dorsal view, sharply angled in cross-section; (4) upper eyelid with or without two low tubercles; cranial crests absent; (5) 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, almost rounded, those on IV and III largest; (8) fingers slightly fringed; (9) ulnar tubercles very low or absent; (10) heel bearing small subconical tubercles; tarsal tubercles absent, tarsal fold weak; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle raised, elliptical, lateral margin more convex than medial margin, 4–5 times longer than conical outer metatarsal tubercle; few supernumerary plantar tubercles; (12) toes weakly fringed, lacking webbing; toe V much longer than III; discs approximately of equal size and shape as finger discs; (13) dorsum dark to light brown; W-shaped scapular ridge black in some, black dots at the lower points of the W in all; canthal stripe black; postsacral bar slightly or completely black; posterior surface of thighs brown; venter cream with some dark flecks; (14) adults small, males 17.5–21.9 mm (N = 30), females 24.4–27.0 mm (N = 13) SVL.

Description

Head slightly wider than body, approximately as long as wide; head width of females 36–39% SVL (x = 37%, N = 5), of males 33–39% SVL (x = 36%, N = 9); snout subacuminate (weakly pointed) in dorsal view, in lateral view rounded; upper jaw overhanging lower jaw at anterior tip; snout of moderate length, eye-nostril distance of females 90–98% of eye width (x = 94%, N = 5), of males 78–104% (x = 93%, N = 9); canthus rostralis from anterior corner of eye to nostril slightly convex in lateral profile, canthus rostralis 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; cranial crests absent, interorbital distance in females 49–58% of head width (x = 53%, N = 5), in males 52–61% (x = 57%, N = 9); two low tubercles on mid eyelids in some specimens; temporal region vertical, sloping slightly laterally towards jaw; supratympanic ridge, darkened, not obscuring tympanum, postrictal tubercle present; tympanum visible, tympanic membrane distinct, tympanic annulus barely or slightly discernable, in females tympanum width 27– 44% of eye width (x = 34%, N = 5), in males tympanum width 29–43% of eye width (x = 33%, N = 9), size and shape not sexually dimorphic; distance from eye to tympanum less than diameter of tympanum; choanae medium-sized, round, moderately elliptical, well within borders of jaws; odontophores moderately raised 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 (median 5 left/5 right in females, median 2 left/2 right in males), teeth of males somewhat covered by mucosal tissue in some specimens; tongue longer than wide, with slight posterior notch, attached at front of mouth, posteriorly and laterally not adherent to floor of mouth; vocal slits lateral, moderate sized; in some male specimens slightly distended subgular vocal sac visible. 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 scapular tubercles located at base of W; postsacral bar with low tubercles; small (generally low) tubercles on elbow, smooth forearm, ulnar tubercles low or absent; palmar tubercle bifid, crease at base of U in most specimens, larger than elongate thenar tubercle; elongate palmar tubercles smaller than subarticular tubercles; subarticular tubercles elliptical, raised and flat in lateral view, supernumerary tubercles on finger I and II; distal subarticular tubercles flattened and rounded; proximal subarticular tubercles subconical; fingers with weak lateral fringes; all fingers bearing discs on pads, all pads wider than long, slightly truncate, equally distinct on fingers IV-II, 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 lacking tubercles; tarsal fold weak; inner metatarsal tubercle raised, elliptical and lateral margin more convex than medial margin, 4–5 times longer than smaller conical outer metatarsal tubercle; subarticular tubercles subconical, most distal subarticular tubercles flatter and smaller; toes weakly fringed, lacking webbing; toe discs wider than long, slightly truncate, approximately equal size to finger discs, in order of descending size, IV-V=III-II-I; hindlimbs of moderate length, shank of female 53–58% SVL (x = 55%, N = 5), of males 54–60% SVL (x = 58%, N = 9).

Colour in preservation

Central dorsum dark to light brown, paler on flanks, diagonal brown stripes on flanks, thin white mid-dorsal line extending from tip of snout to vent in some (e.g. QCAZ 18030, 18110, 18126, 25554, 25558); sacral chevron present in some, dark anal triangle present; scapular W-shaped ridge, outer lines of W black, inner lines of W black in some, and/or with white along ridge (in individuals with thin white snout-to-vent line), base of W with two black dots on each side separate or longitudinally joined; background colour of head and scapular region brown or grey, approximately same colour as dorsum; canthal stripe black; prominent dark labial bar at anterior margin of eye; less prominent labial bar at posterior margin of eye in some; supratympanic ridge with thin black line; eyelids grey; dark band at mid-forearm, upper arm lacking markings, elbow with dark spot in some; brown bars on thigh, shank, and tarsus; anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs uniform brown; postsacral dorsal bar partially or fully black; discs of fingers and toes paler than remainder of digits; venter cream (under microscope small deposits of guanine pigment visible on ventral areolar warts) with small dark spotting, more concentrated around jaw and flank; ventral surface of thighs brown, mid-ventral region of thigh and shank with absence of melanophores producing a lighter line.

Colour in life

Dorsum light to medium brown, lighter laterally, occasionally with posterio-lateral stripes and/or reticulate pattern, with or without darker mid-dorsal chevron(s); some specimens with reddish tinge lateral to W and around upper arms (e.g. QCAZ 18085, 18165), some specimens with random grey dorsal flecks (e.g. QCAZ 18033, 18039, 18069, 18077, 18085, 18132, 18137, 18165), some specimens with thin white snout-vent line (e.g. QCAZ 18030, 18110, 18126, 25554, 25558); points at base of scapular W black, W-shaped ridge most commonly black (except, e.g. QCAZ 18071, 18092); some specimens with lighter brown patch extending from nose to top of head (between eyes) (e.g. QCAZ 18030, 18077, 18085, 18139) or to W (e.g. QCAZ 18117), or extending from top of head (between eyes) to W (e.g. QCAZ 18069); venter cream, lightly specked especially around throat, throat tinged with yellow in some males (e.g. QCAZ 25552, 25555, 25558, 25564). Iris is bronze with a darker lateral stripe, lighter bronze above and darker below median.

Description of the holotype

Measurements (in mm): SVL 20.2, tibia length 12.3, foot length 15.7, head width 7.6, head length 7.9, IOD 3.9, END 2.9, eye width 2.6, tympanum width 0.9. Colour in preservative: medium brown with reticulate patterning, scapular W marking white with very thin black outline, base points of W black, thin white snoutvent line, finger and toe pads lighter than digits. Right foot of the holotype with unusually small toe discs. Colour in life: “mottled medium dark brown dorsum, black and light (paler) outlines of scapular W, thin white snout-vent line”.

Molecular diversity

MtDNA cytochrome b sequences examined for 44 paratype specimens and the holotype resulted in five haplotypes with a maximum uncorrected p -distance between them of 0.63%. MtDNA 16S sequences for six paratypes resulted in three haplotypes with a maximum uncorrected p -distance of 0.39%. See Appendix 1 for cytochrome b and/or 16S GenBank accession numbers.

Natural history

Individuals were found in primary and secondary forest. By night they were found perched on the leaves or stems of low vegetation from 0.2 to 1.5 m elevation. By day they were found in the leaflitter. The following specimens were collected in amplexus: QCAZ 25287 (paratype female) with 25288 (paratype male), 25751 (paratype female) with 25752 (referred male), and 25782 (paratype female) with 25783 (referred male).

Distribution

Pristimantis kichwarum has been found throughout the humid tropical forests of eastern lowlands of Ecuador in the Napo, Orellana, and Sucumbíos provinces, at elevations of approximately 500 masl and below (see Fig. 5 ). The extent of its distribution to the east and north is not known. The species is apparently replaced by P. achuar to the south in the Pastaza basin. In the upper regions of the Napo River (Jatun Sacha Biological Station), P. kichwarum has been found sympatrically with P. altamnis .

...... continued on the next page [1] Lynch and Duellman 1980; [2] Lynch 1980; [3] Duellman 1978; [4] Lynch 1974; [5] IUCN et al.; [6] Lynch 1968; [7] Duellman & Lynch 1988; [8] Flores & Vigle 1994; [9] Rodriguez & Duellman 1994; [no citation] KRE/DCC review of QCAZ specimens.

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.