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| Odontophrynus juquinha
Rocha, Sena, Pezzuti, Leite, Svartman, Rosset, Baldo & Garcia, 2017
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Abstract
The Odontophrynus americanus species group is a complex of diploid and tetraploid species hardly distinguished by morphological characters. It currently consists of three allopatric diploid species (i.e. O. cordobae, O. lavillai, and O. maisuma) and one widely distributed tetraploid species (i.e. O. americanus). We herein describe a new diploid allopatric species from campo rupestre, a typical phytophysiognomy of the Espinhaço Range, Brazil. The new species is distinguishable by the diploid complement of 2n = 2x = 22 chromosomes, small to medium-sized dorsal dark brown blotches with low contrast on a light brown background, light mid-dorsal stripe absent or greatly interrupted in most specimens with yellowish coloration as the background of both head and flanks of the body, advertisement call with dominant frequency of 840–1080 Hz, pulse rate of 90.5–106.7 pulses/s, and small tadpoles (TL = 24.30–35.69 mm).
Keywords: Amphibia, taxonomy, morphology, karyotype, vocalization, tadpole, endemism, Serra do Cipó, campo rupestre
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| FIGURE 1. Odontophrynus juquinha sp. nov. (paratype UFMG 13903; SVL = 46.2 mm); live adult male. Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó, Municipality of Santana do Riacho, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
Photo by F. Leal.
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Odontophrynus juquinha sp. nov.
Odontophrynus americanus; Eterovick & Sazima (2000): 443; Eterovick & Fernandes (2001): 687; Eterovick & Fernandes (2002): 34; Eterovick & Barros (2003): 443; Eterovick (2003): 222; Eterovick & Sazima (2004): 99; Nascimento et al. (2005): 146; Soma et al. (2006): 23; Leite et al. (2008): 171; Eterovick et al. (2010): 8; Pimenta & Camara (2015): 218.
Odontophrynus sp.; Rosset et al. (2006): 472.
Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and honors “Juquinha das Flores ”, a hermit whose simplicity and gentleness made him a folkloric figure at Serra do Cipó, type locality of the new species. According to the legend, Juquinha nursed from a wolf, ate scorpions, was bitten by over a hundred snakes and his age exceeded a hundred years. He used to collect flowers and roots and trade them for general items or food. His love for the mountains and the joy he provided to those who met him made him a very popular and loved figure.
Juquinha lived and died twice. The first time, he was found dead by his brother and woke up during his own funeral, strengthening the belief that he was immortal. In fact, he suffered from catalepsy, a rare disease that causes the heart to stop, as if the person had died. The second and actual death happened in 1983, at unknown age. In 1987, a homage statue to Juquinha was erected at the Serra do Cipó and became a tourist spot.
Pedro C. Rocha, Letícia M. F. De Sena, Tiago L. Pezzuti, Felipe S. F. Leite, Marta Svartman, Sergio D. Rosset, Diego Baldo and Paulo C. De A. Garcia. 2017. A New Diploid Species Belonging to the Odontophrynus americanus Species Group (Anura: Odontophrynidae) from the Espinhaço range, Brazil. Zootaxa. 4329(4); 327–350. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.2
