Callimedusa, Duellman, William E., Marion, Angela B. & Hedges, Blair, 2016

Duellman, William E., Marion, Angela B. & Hedges, Blair, 2016, Phylogenetics, classification, and biogeography of the treefrogs (Amphibia: Anura: Arboranae), Zootaxa 4104 (1), pp. 1-109 : 33

Callimedusa new genus

Callimedusa . Type species: Phyllomedusa perinesos Duellman, 1973 .

Definition. Small to medium-sized species (SVL of 44 mm in Callimedusa atelopoides to 62 mm in C. tomopterna ); Toe I slightly longer than Toe II, not opposable; vomerine teeth present (except in C. atelopoides ); flash colors on flanks and hidden surfaces of thighs purple or black; palpebral membrane reticulated or not; tadpoles having moderately small oral discs directed anteroventrally.

Content. Six species: Callimedusa atelopoides (Duellman, Cadle & Cannatella) , baltea (Duellman & Toft) , duellmani (Cannatella) , ecuatoriana (Cannatella) , perinesos (Duellman) , and tomopterna (Cope) ; all new combinations.

Distribution. Amazonian slopes of the Andes from Ecuador to central Peru; upper Amazon Basin from Colombia to Bolivia; Guianan Region.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Greek kalos meaning beautiful and the Greek Medousa. The name alludes to the beautiful coloration of the flanks of members of this genus. The gender is feminine.

Remarks. The monophyly of this genus is rather well supported (78%), but that of the “ Phyllomedusa perinesos Group” of Cannatella (1982) within Callimedusa is only moderately supported (66%). The four species having allopatric ranges on the Amazon slopes of the Andes in Ecuador and Peru ( C. baltea , duellmani , ecuatoriana , and perinesos ) closely resemble one another ( Figs. 14 A and B). In our analysis, the sister species is C. atelopoides ( Fig. 14 D), an inhabitant of the upper Amazon Basin. This species differs from all other phyllomedusids by being small, brown, terrestrial; furthermore, it is unlike other Callimedusa in lacking vomerine teeth and clavicles in the pectoral girdle ( Duellman et al. 1988). The analysis places C. tomopterna as the sister species to the remaining members of the genus ( Fig. 14 C). This colorful frog that ranges throughout much of the Amazon Basin is widely allopatric to the Andean species.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Species of Callimedusa A. C. perinesos, KU 164450, Río Salado, 1 km upstream from Río Coca, 1410 m, Napo, Ecuador. B. C. duellmani, KU 181813, 8 km north-northeast Balzapata, 1860 m, Amazonas, Peru. C. C. tomopterna, KU 220332, Río Sucusari, Loreto, 210 m, Peru. D. C. atelopoides, KU 204764, Cusco Amazónico, 15 km east Puerto Maldonado, 200 m, Madre de Dios, Peru. All by W. E. Duellman.