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| Eleutherodactylus geitonos
Díaz, Incháustegui, Marte, Köhler, Cádiz & Rodríguez, 2018
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ABSTRACT
A new species of frog, Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov., is described from the southeastern slope of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. The new frog is closely related to E. haitianus and both species share a small size. They differ in some morphological proportions and other external features, coloration, advertisement calls and DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA gene. Morphological and bioacoustic comparisons with other species in the E. abbotti species group are also provided. Our preliminary genetic data suggest that the taxonomic status of E. neodreptus (a synonym of E. audanti) and E. melatrigonum need to be re-evaluated.
Keywords: Amphibia, taxonomy, West Indies, Dominican Republic, subgenus Eleutherodactylus, Terrarana.
Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A small species (maximum SVL in males 12.8 mm, in females 15.8 mm) of the Eleutherodactylus abbotti species group of the E. auriculatus species series (sensu Hedges et al., 2008; confirmed by Padial et al., 2014) as supported by morphological and genetic data (Figs. 1-3). It requires the closest comparison with E. haitianus but also with E. audanti and related species (E. melatrigonum, E. notidodes, and E. parabates; see Discussion).
From those species, E. geitonos sp. nov. differs in lacking a pectoral fold and by having a small vocal sac that is not distinctively folded when deflated. Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov. and E. haitianus are both very small frogs and the former, on average, has an even smaller size than the latter (see Table I). The new species has more distinctive digital discs than E. haitianus(third finger disc 3.1–4.0% of SVL, x̅=3.4%, vs. 1.8–2.9%, x̅=2.4%, in E. haitianus); a relatively longer snout (15–17% of SVL, vs. 12–15% in E. haitianus), and a pair of incomplete dorsolateral folds (vs. dorsolateral rows of tubercles in E. haitianus, with very prominent ones at the suprascapular level). Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov. lacks the pattern of dark spots that E. haitianus typically has on belly and throat, and yellow coloration is more extended to ventral surfaces of males than in the latter species (Fig. 2). Advertisement calls of E. geitonos sp. nov.are long trains of notes like in E. haitianus (Fig. 6), but in the latter species’ call, the introductory note is long, somewhat frequency modulated, while a distinctive call introductory note is not present in E. geitonos sp. nov. From E. audanti and closely related taxa, the new species also differs in being much smaller (see Table I); in E. audanti toe V is longer than toe III, but in the new species these toes are of similar size or III>V. Eleutherodactylus parabates is also a larger species (up to 24 mm SVL; Schwartz and Henderson, 1991) with stocky body and advertisement calls consisting of long whistles.
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| Figure 1. Related frogs of the Eleutherodactylus abbotti species group. Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov. (A-C) pattern variation in paratypes MNHNSD 23.3456 (A), 23.3440 (B), and 23.3444 (C). Eleutherodactylus haitianus (D-F), pattern variation in MNHNSD 23.3474 (D), 23.3473 (E), 23.3465 (F), surroundings of La Pirámide, Valle Nuevo, La Vega, Cordillera Central. Eleutherodactylus audanti (G-L), pattern variation in MNHNSD 23.2579 (G) and 23.2577 (H), Loma del Toro, Sierra de Bahoruco; MNHNSD 23.2515 (I), MNHNSD 23.2496 (J), MNHNSD 23.2512 (K) and 23.2511 (L), Zapoten, Sierra de Bahoruco. Eleutherodactylus melatrigonum (M), MNHNSD 23.3459, ~6 km S of Constanza (old road), La Vega, Cordillera Central. Eleutherodactylus notidodes (N), road to Pinos del Edén, Sierra de Neiba. Eleutherodactylus audanti (neodreptus?), MNHNSD 23.2568, Cachote, Bahoruco. Photos: Luis M. Díaz. |
Distribution. The new species is only known from the type locality (Fig. 7). However, frogs with similar call patterns and habitats have been recorded at Rancho Arriba (Sierra de Ocoa; San José de Ocoa Province), El Valle de Dios (Parque Nacional Loma La Humeadora; San Cristobal Province), and Los Guayuyos (near Parque Nacional Luis Quin; Peravia Province). Additional surveys will confirm the geographic distribution of the new species in those potential localities and nearby areas.
Etymology. The specific epithet is from the ancient Greek γείτων, geitȏn, meaning a neighbor, in allusion to the proximity of the type locality to the city of Santo Domingo.
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| Figure 2. Ventral views of Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov. (A-B), paratopotypes MNHNSD 23.3454 (A) and MNHNSD 23.3453 (B); E. haitianus (C-E), MNHNSD 23.3474 (C), 23.3473 (D), and 23.3465 (E), surroundings of La Pirámide, Valle Nuevo, La Vega; E. melatrigonum (F), MNHNSD 23.3459, ~6 km S of Constanza (old road), La Vega, Cordillera Central.
Photos: Luis M. Díaz.
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Luis M. Díaz, Sixto J. Incháustegui, Cristian Marte, Gunther Köhler,Antonio Cádiz and Marcos Rodríguez. 2018. A New Frog of the Eleutherodactylus abbotti Species Group (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) from Hispaniola, with Bioacoustic and Taxonomic Comments on Other Species [Nueva rana del grupo de especies Eleutherodactylus abbotti (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) de la Hispaniola, con comentarios bioacústicos y taxonómicos de otras especies]. NOVITATES CARIBAEA. 12: 25-42.
Resumen: Se describe una especie nueva de rana, Eleutherodactylus geitonos sp. nov., de la ladera sureste de la Cordillera Central, República Dominicana. Esta especie está cercanamente emparentada con E. haitianus, con la cual comparte una talla pequeña. Ambas especies se diferencian en algunas características y proporciones morfológicas, llamadas de anuncio, coloración y las secuencias del gen 16S ARNr. Son abordadas las comparaciones morfológicas y bioacústicas con otras especies del grupo E. abbotti. La filogenia obtenida a partir de datos genéticos preliminares sugieren que el estatus taxonómico de E. neodreptus (sinónimo de E. audanti) y E. melatrigonum requiere ser reevaluado.
