Bolitoglossa altamazonica ( Cope, 1874 )

Brcko, Isabela Carvalho, Hoogmoed, Marinus Steven & Neckel-Oliveira, Selvino, 2013, Taxonomy and distribution of the salamander genus Bolitoglossa Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 (Amphibia, Caudata, Plethodontidae) in Brazilian Amazonia, Zootaxa 3686 (4), pp. 401-431 : 423-425

Bolitoglossa altamazonica ( Cope, 1874)

( Figures 5 D, 6)

Oedipus altamazonicus Cope, 1874: 120 ; Dunn, 1924: 99 –100; Dunn, 1926: 357, 396–400, 440; Myers & Carvalho 1945: 7. Bolitoglossa altamazonica —Brame Jr. & Wake 1963: 13, Fig. 22 (in part); Wake & Lynch 1976: 41 (in part); Frost 2011;

Gutiérrez-Lamus et al. 2011; Acosta-Galvis & Gutiérrez-Lamus 2012; Fermin et al. 2012; Acevedo et al. 2013. Bolitoglossa paraensis — Avila-Pires et al. 2007:15 (in part).

Juveniles of Bolitoglossa (MPEG 5376, MPEG 5455, MPEG 5547, MPEG 5603) were collected west of the municipality of Benjamin Constant (4 23’ 07,29S, 70 01’ 53,50W), Amazonas state, border between Brazil and Peru and close to Colombia. Morphological, morphometric and coloration data from material collected in Brazil were compared with those of specimens of B. altamazonica collected at the border of Colombia with Brazil. We identified the material from Benjamin Constant as B. altamazonica on the basis of the geographical proximity to the type locality of the species (Nauta, Loreto Department, Peru), SL in juveniles 24.2–36.4 mm (17.4–40.5 mm), TL/SL in juveniles 60–80% (60–100%), same shape of hands and feet, truncate snout and dorsal color.

Comparisons with other species. Distinguished from species of all other genera of Neotropical salamanders by presence of extensive digital webbing, 13 costal grooves between the limbs and the absence of a sublingual fold. A moderately large, slender species of Bolitoglossa , with digits completely webbed, morphologically similar to other species of Brazilian Amazonia . It can be distinguished from other Amazonian species of Bolitoglossa by the following characteristics (condition for B. altamazonica from the combined Benjamin Constant and Colombian border region specimens in parentheses): Bolitoglossa peruviana : SL in adult males 25.2–32.1 mm (30.5–46.8 mm) and in adult females 30.1–42.5 mm (43.3–57.8 mm), SL/HW in adult males5.1–6.2 times, mean 5.7 times (6.8–8.2 times, mean 7.4 times) and in adult females 5.9–7.0 times, mean 6.3 times (6.3–8.1 times, mean 7.5 times). Bolitoglossa paraensis : extensively webbed hands and feet but only the tips of third finger and third toe visible (hands and feet extensively webbed, tips of all digits of hands and feet visible) ( Figure 2 ), SL in adult males 28.9–41.7 mm, mean 35.6 mm (30.5–46.8 mm, mean 39.0 mm) and in adult females 31.4–48.2 mm, mean 38.8 mm (43.3–57.8 mm, mean 54.1 mm), FW/HLL ≤ 40% in adult males and females (≥ 40% in adult males and females), TL/SL in adult males 80–100% (70–120%). Bolitoglossa tapajonica sp. nov.: TL/SL in adult males 70–80% (70– 120%) and in adult females 80–90% (60–100%); PT in adult males 3–5 (2–3). Bolitoglossa caldwellae sp. nov.: SL in adult males 32.3–39.2 mm (30.5–46.8 mm) and in adult females 30.2–43.2 mm (43.3–57.8 mm), TL/SL in adult males 50–90% (70–120%), PT in adult males 2–4 (1–3). Bolitoglossa madeira sp. nov.: DBE/HL in adult females 60% (30–50%, mean 40%). For comparison of selected morphometric and dentition characters for B. altamazonica , B. paraensis , B. peruviana , B. tapajonica sp. nov., B. caldwellae sp. nov. and B. madeira sp. nov. see Table 3.

Description of Brazilian specimens. Slender species, moderately large in size. Maximum total length in juveniles 36.4 mm. SL 24.2–36.4 mm (mean 29.9. mm) in four juveniles. Species with moderately broad head, SL/ HW 6.4–7.0 times (mean 6.6 times); head flattened, width 0.9–1.0 times of head, head as long as wide; head wider than neck. Eyes prominent; horizontal orbit diameter 80–120% of snout length. Eyes protrude slightly beyond lateral margins of head. Nasolabial protuberances evident. Snout rather large, SNL/HL 40–50%, snout broad, SWS/HL 90%. Snout truncate in dorsal and lateral views. Some individuals with concave area in the middle portion of the extremity of the snout. Canthus rostralis not distinct. Nostrils small, located near tip of snout. Body cylindrical, 13 distinct and deep costal grooves. Limbs slender and short, costal interspaces between adpressed fore- and hind limbs 3.0–3.5 (mean 4.0). Hands and feet broad, complete webbed, with distal phalanges of all digits free. Fingers in order of decreasing length, 3––2–4–1, toes 3–2–4–5–1. Original tail round in cross-section, gradually tapering to its tip; rather short, never exceeding the standard length, TL/SL 50–80% in two juveniles. Number of teeth in juveniles: PT 1–2 (mean 1), MT 10–24 (mean 17), VT 12–19 (mean 16), DT 26–51 (mean 39).

Coloration in life. The color description is based on digital scans of color slides made by M. S. Hoogmoed. Dorsal surface dark gray with light brown blotches on the back, head, snout, nasolabial protuberances and flanks. Iris golden.

Color in preservative ( Figure 6 ). Back dark brown with some diffuse patches of lighter brown on trunk and limbs. Some individuals have triangular brown markings between the eyes, with apex extending posteriorly, following mid-dorsal line. Some specimens show gradation in color from back to belly (from dark brown to light brown) or have a dark brown dorso-lateral band. Ventral surface with uniformly distributed cream spots on light brown ground color. Cream blotches on snout and nasolabial protuberances.

Habitat and range. Species with largest geographic distribution among plethodont salamanders. Know from cis-Andean Bolivia, Colombia (occurring in lowlands on east flank of the Cordillera Oriental (Acosta-Galvis & Gutiérrez-Lamus 2012)), Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and extreme western Brazil ( Figure 11 ). The species occurs in primary terra firme forest, secondary forest, and floodplain forest. Individuals are usually found active at night at 0.4 to 1.8 m above ground eventually associated to the vegetation next to creeks on large leaves of tree-shrub vegetation, small shrubs, occasionally under roots of bushes, inside soil bromeliads or bamboo hollows. In Jardín Botánico de Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia, a population of B. altamazonica was studied and 880 individuals were collected in nine months. Within the study plot the population density was estimated to be 0.23 salamanders/m2. The number of captured salamanders fluctuated with the rainfall pattern, a peak in June ( Gutiérrez-Lamus et al. 2011) and common from July to December ( Acosta-Galvis & Gutiérrez-Lamus 2012), with. Specimens from Benjamin Constant were found during the day among leaf litter on the ground in primary terra firme forest.

Remarks. Myers & Carvalho (1945) analyzed specimens (not included in this study) collected in Benjamin Constant in 1942. Parra-Olea et al. (2004) resurrected the name B. paraensis and only because that was the oldest name available they considered all specimens of Bolitoglossa in Brazil as B. paraensis , including the material analyzed by Myers & Carvalho (1945).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Interdigital webbing shapes of right hands and feet of Brazilian Amazonia. Scale 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Species of Bolitoglossa from Brazilian Amazonia. A: Neotype of B. paraensis (MPEG 31682) in life (total length 72.4 mm). Photo M. J. Sturaro; B: Paratype of B. tapajonica sp. nov. (MPEG 31695) in life (total length 79.3 mm). Photo P. R. V. Peloso; C: Paratype of B. caldwellae sp. nov. (MPEG 12877) in life (standard length 38.7 mm): Municipality of Porto Walter, Acre state. Photo J. P. Caldwell; D: Specimen of B. altamazonica collected west of Benjamin Constant, Amazonas state. Photo M. S. Hoogmoed; E: Holotype of B. madeira sp. nov. (MPEG 18344) in life (total length 114.0 mm): Municipality of Porto Velho, Rondônia state. Photo W. Hödl.

FIGURE 6. Shape and coloration pattern (in alcohol) of Brazilian Amazonia Bolitoglossa, from top to bottom: B. paraensis (neotype MPEG 31682) dorsal surface (left) ventral surface (right); B. tapajonica sp. nov. (holotype MPEG 22176) dorsal surface (left) ventral surface (right) (a); B. caldwellae sp. nov. (holotype MPEG 12886) dorsal surface (left) ventral surface (right); B. madeira sp. nov. (holotype MPEG 18344) dorsal surface (left) ventral surface (right); B. altamazonica (specimen MPEG 5455) dorsal surface (left) ventral surface (right). Specimens rendered at similar size, but different scales. Scale bars all represent 1 cm. Photos M. J. Sturaro.

FIGURE 11. Bolitoglossa altamazonica distribution: type-locality (black star): Nauta, Peru (Cope 1874); distribution records from literature (open stars): Brame Jr. & Wake 1963; Wake & Brame Jr. 1966, Wake et al. 1982; Duellman & Salas 1991; Duellman & Mendelson III 1995; Morales & McDiarmid 1996; Icochea et al. 1999; De la Riva et al. 2000; Icochea et al. 2001; Reichle et al. 2001; Doan & Arizábal-Arriaga 2002; Cisneros-Heredia 2003; Schargel & Fuenmayor 2003; Barrio-Amorós 2004; Lynch 2006; Köhler et al. 2006; Souza & Rivera-Gonzales 2006; Lynch 2007; Von May et al. 2009; Acosta-Galvis et al. 2010; Gutiérrez-Lamus et al. 2011; material from Colombia, Acosta-Galvis, personal data, Acosta-Galvis & Gutiérrez-Lamus 2012 (asterisks); municipality of Benjamin Constant, Amazonas state, Brazil (black dot).