Diasporus pequeno, Batista & Kohler & Mebert & Hertz & Vesely, 2016

Batista, Abel, Kohler, Gunther, Mebert, Konrad, Hertz, Andreas & Vesely, Milan, 2016, An integrative approach to reveal speciation and species richness in the genus Diasporus (Amphibia: Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) in eastern Panama, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 178 (2), pp. 267-311 : 285-287

DIASPORUS PEQUENO SP. NOV.

FIGS 12 , 14 E, F

Holotype

SMF 97663 (original field number AB 857 ), an adult female ( Fig. 12 ) collected by Abel Batista, Marcial Sabugara, and Amadiel Chaquı at Cerro Pechito Parado, at the Darien mountain range, Rıo Tuquesa , Bajo Peque no ~, Cemaco, Comarca Embera Wounaan, Darien, Panama, on 5 November 2012 at 22:35 h (8.47553 N, 77.54883 W; 472 m a.s.l.).

Paratypes

SMF 97333 – 34 , same locality as holotype ; MHCH 2828 – 31 , SMF 97635 – 38 , collected at Cerro Pechito Parado on 7 November 2012 at 19:00 – 00:30 h (8.47911 N, 77.52799 W; 718 m a.s.l.), with same collectors as for holotype ; MHCH 2826 – 27 collected at Cerro Pechito Parado, on 6 November 2012 at 19:00 – 01:30 h (8.47996 N, 77.51941 W; 858 m a.s.l.), with same collectors as for holotype .

Diagnosis

Diasporus pequeno sp. nov. is characterized by the following combination of characters (see Tables 4 – 6): (1) dorsal and ventral skin texture smooth, with small scattered tubercles, anal warts present; (2) tympanic annulus present, but with only the lower part clearly visible, tympanic membrane absent; (3) snout rounded in dorsal view and in profile; (4) rounded supraocular tubercle present, cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous processes of vomers with between four and six teeth each, straight in outline, near to the frontal border of the orbit; (6) vocal sac well developed ( Fig. 14E, F ), vocal slits present, situated under the centre of the orbit level, no nuptial pads; (7) finger II longer than finger I; disc pads even broadened; ungual flap expanded, lanceolate, more evident on finger III ( Fig. 7C ); (8) no fringes or webbing on fingers; (9) palmar tubercle rounded, flattened, and larger than thenar tubercle; thenar tubercle low and elongate; subarticular tubercles rounded and globular, first tubercle more evident; supernumerary tubercles barely evident, palmar accessory tubercles small and rounded; (10) heel smooth; (11) no fringes or webbing on toes, ungual flap expanded, lanceolate, more evident on toes II – V; (12) plantar tubercle indistinguishable, subarticular tubercles present (one on toes I and II, two on toes III and V, and three on toe IV), first tubercle more evident; small and rounded supernumerary tubercles; inner metatarsal tubercle elongated, outer metatarsal tubercles rounded and smaller than inner; tarsal ridge absent; (13) dorsal ground color in life brown, cream, with dark reticulations, venter translucent (Wolffian duct visible), with a dark speckle and sky-blue spots, vocal sac bright yellow ( Fig. 14E, F ); (14) SVL 19.3 ƚ 2.38 (16.9 – 24.8, N = 13), males 18.2 ƚ 1.09 (16.9 – 19.9, N = 10), females 22.9 ƚ 1.69 (21.5 – 24.8, N = 3); (15) advertisement call composed of a single, amplitude-modulated short note (0.09 – 0.15 s) with harmonic structure, and with most energy emitted with the first harmonic call (3.44 – 3.48 kHz).

Description of the holotype

An adult female (SVL 22.68) with a slender body; dorsal skin smooth with scattered tubercles, with a small supraciliary tubercle, ventral skin smooth, discoidal fold not evident; eye 1.70 times longer than snout; tympanum of moderate size, ratio TD/ EL 36%, tympanic annulus present, but only the lower part clearly visible, tympanic membrane absent; head as wide as long (HL/HW 0.95), greatest head width between angles of jaw 39% of SVL; snout rounded from above and in profile; nares situated near tip of snout and slightly dorsolaterally directed, visible in frontal view, also visible dorsally but not ventrally; canthus rostralis rounded; loreal region feebly concave; dentigerous processes in front of the orbit of eyes, perpendicular in direction to the centre of roof of mouth, in a straight outline, each with seven teeth; vocal slits absent; tongue long (18% of SVL) and broadening to the tip, first third attached to floor of mouth; hands moderate in size, 18% of SVL; relative lengths of adpressed fingers I <II <IV <III; finger II smaller than finger VI, finger II reaching the disc on finger IV when adpressed; finger III disc 2.16 times wider than distal end of adjacent phalanx; palmar tubercle rounded to ovoid, larger than thenar tubercle; thenar tubercle elongate; subarticular tubercles rounded and globular, first tubercle more evident; supernumerary tubercles rounded and small; palmar and plantar accessory tubercles small and rounded; no nuptial pads; no fringes on fingers; hindlimbs of moderate length, TL 43% of SVL; relative lengths of adpressed toes I <II <III <V <IV; when adpressed, tip of toe I reaches the last third of distal phalanx of toe II; disc of toe IV expanded, 1.73 times wider than distal end of adjacent phalanx; no fringes on toes; subarticular tubercles present (one each on toes I and II, two on toes III and V, and three on toe IV), first subarticular tubercles more evident than the rest; inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid; outer metatarsal tubercles rounded, slightly pointed, and smaller than inner; tarsal ridge absent; hands and feet without webbing; finger and toe discs even broadened; ungual flap expanded, fingers and toes III and IV lanceolated; pads globular in profile ( Fig. 7C ).

Coloration of holotype in life

Holotype (SMF 97663; Fig. 12 ) recorded as follows: iris geranium (66) with fine sepia (286) reticulations; dorsal ground color walnut brown (27), with sepia (286) blotches, and small sky-blue (192) dots; a flesh ocher (57) interorbital band, bordered posteriorly by a sepia (286) band; groin Pratt’s ruby (68); axilla and venter walnut brown (27) mottled with pale pinkish buff (3), throat suffused with buff (5); fingers and toes with a pale buff (1) band just before the disc cover.

Coloration in preservative

Dorsal ground color drab (19), with a pair of dorsolateral lines light orange yellow (7); groin and

ventral areas light buff (2), with small points sepia (279); ungual flaps cinnamon – drab (50).

Measurements of holotype (mm)

SVL 22.68; HL 8.43; HW 8.89; IOD 2.52; EL 3.33; TD 1.20; FL 8.12; TL 9.75; HAL 4.49; 3FW 0.50; 3FD 1.08; 3TW 0.51; 3TD 0.91; 4TW 0.52; 4TD 0.90; BW 7.81 (see Table 4).

Vocalization

Through call amplification of a recording containing several species (4 – dB amplified; for an explanation, see Material and methods), we were able to extract the calls of three species: Pristimantis sp. (DF 2.76 kHz), D. diastema (DF 2.99 kHz), and D. pequeno sp. nov. (environmental temperature 24 °C; 8 October 2012, 18:17 h). Eleven calls were analysed (because the similarity of the call intervals indicates a single individual), consisting of single, short, monophasic notes that are reminiscent of a ‘tink’ ( Fig. 6 ). Note duration is 0.09 – 0.15 s, with an interval between calls of 3.51 – 6.85 s and a call rate of 11.61 call/min; the low frequency was 3.20 – 3.23 kHz, the high frequency was 3.63 – 3.67 kHz, and the fundamental frequency is also the dominant frequency at 3.44 – 3.48 kHz.

Natural history

This species is found in the eastern Panamanian montane forest ( Fund & Hogan, 2012) of the Darien mountain range ( Fig. 1 ). Most specimens were found at 0.2 – 1.0 m above ground, over green leaves, between branches with dry leaves or in bromeliads. At the first location (472 m a.s.l.) the understory was open. The predominant vegetation were palms, vines, and small trees; at the second location above 700 m a.s.l. bromeliads were predominant; D. aff. pequeno sp. nov. was found to be sympatric with D. diastema and D. quidditus , and all species were actively calling.

Etymology

The species name pequeno is derived from the name Bajo Peque no ~ (or Bajo Chiquito), the last village at Rıo Tuquesa, where this species was found.

Figures

Figure 1. Map of the Darien region, eastern Panama, showing the distribution of the species of Diasporus described herein.

Figure 6. Spectrograms (only the harmonic containing the dominant frequency is shown) and oscillograms (below) of the advertisement calls of Diasporus species from eastern Panama (EP): a, Diasporus majeensis sp. nov. (SMF 97658); b, Diasporus aff. diastema MM (MHCH 2809); c, Diasporus diastema from Colon, Panama (SMF 97287, 9.26020 °N, 79.93540 °W, 36 m a.s.l.; ~9 km south-west from type locality); d, Diasporus pequeno sp. nov. (Bajo Peque~ no, Cerro Pechito Parado, not collected); e, Diasporus tinker (SMF 97315); f, Diasporus darienensis sp. nov. (SMF 97313); g, Diasporus vocator (not collected; from Celmira, Bugaba, Panama, 8.55348 °N, 82.81525 °W, 242 m a.s.l.; ~60 km east from type locality); h, Diasporus aff. quidditus (SMF 97292).

Figure 7. Drawings of ventral view of right hand and left foot of the new Diasporus species described here; h, hand; f, foot. Arrows indicate two examples of ungual flap shape. A, Diasporus darienensis sp. nov. (MHCH 2852). B, Diasporus majeensis sp. nov. (MHCH 2835). C, Diasporus pequeno sp. nov. (MHCH 2826). D, Diasporus sapo sp. nov. (SMF 97331). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 12. Holotype of Diasporus pequeno sp. nov.: A, B, frontal and lateral view, respectively; C, ventral view; D, flanks.

Figure 14. Color variation of the new Diasporus species: A, B, Diasporus darienensis sp. nov. (SMF 97305); C, D, Diasporus majeensis sp. nov. (SMF 97658); E, F, Diasporus pequeno sp. nov. (MHCH 2830); G, H, Diasporus sapo sp. nov. (G, not collected; H, MHCH 2854).