Elachistocleis ovalis ( Schneider 1799 )

Barrio-Amorós, César L., Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M. & Señaris, J. Celsa, 2019, Catalogue of the amphibians of Venezuela: Illustrated and annotated species list, distribution, and conservation, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 180) 13 (1), pp. 1-198 : 103

Elachistocleis ovalis ( Schneider 1799)

Type: Unknown.

Type locality: Not assigned.

Distribution: Regions 2, 3. Name Elachistocleis ovalis historically applied to populations from Panama, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. In Venezuela, present north of the Orinoco in open lowlands.

Remarks: Name Elachistocleis ovalis long-applied to the Elachistocleis with a uniform yellow or orange ventral pattern in northern Venezuela. Caramaschi (2010) considered this name a nomen dubium (name of unknown or doubtful application), and species inquirenda (species of doubtful identity needing further investigation). Current authors agree that a complex of species is hidden under that name, and even knowing that the nomen ovalis is not valid, but must be used while awaiting a definitive solution and new available names for this long-standing taxonomic conundrum.

Selected references: Lutz (1927); Carvalho (1954); Ginés (1959); Rivero (1961, 1964b-d); Bogart and Nelson (1976); Staton and Dixon (1977); Hoogmoed and Gorzula (1979); Rada (1981a); Gremone et al. (1986); Ramo and Busto (1989, 1990); Yústiz (1996); Gorzula and Señaris (1998); Barrio and Durant (2000); Lavilla et al. (2003); Caramaschi (2010); Tárano (2010).