Tuesday, August 27, 2019

[Herpetology • 2019] Noblella losamigos • A New Species of Terrestrial-Breeding Frog (Strabomantidae, Noblella) from the Upper Madre De Dios Watershed, Amazonian Andes and Lowlands of Southern Peru


Noblella losamigos 
Santa-Cruz, von May, Catenazzi, Whitcher, Tejeda & Rabosky, 2019


Abstract
 We describe and name a new species of Noblella Barbour, 1930 (Strabomantidae) from southern Peru. Key diagnostic characteristics of the new species include the presence of a short, oblique fold-like tubercle on the ventral part of the tarsal region, two phalanges on finger IV, and an evident tympanum. The elevational distribution of the new species spans 1250 m (240–1490 m) from lowland Amazon rainforest to montane forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes. 

Keywords: amphibians; ecomorphology; miniaturization; systematics; taxonomy


Figure 3. Photographs of live specimen of Noblella losamigos sp. n. (A–C) Adult male paratype MUSM 37355 (SVL 9.5 mm). Photographs by Rudolf von May

Noblella losamigos sp. n.  

Diagnosis: A new species of Noblella characterized by (1) skin on dorsum smooth to finely shagreen, skin on belly smooth, discoidal fold absent, dorsolateral folds absent; (2) tympanic annulus visible below skin, with the upper portion (1/4) covered by a supratympanic fold; tympanic membrane evident; columella present (Figure 6); (3) snout short, rounded in dorsal view and bluntly rounded to subtruncate in profile; (4) upper eyelid with minute tubercles, cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous process of vomers absent; (6) vocal slits present; nuptial pads absent; .... 


Etymology: The specific epithet is a toponym used in apposition and it refers to the type locality. Los Amigos Biological Station is located next to Los Amigos Conservation Concession, on the lower Los Amigos River watershed. Both the station and the conservation concession were established by the Amazon Conservation Association, which is a nonprofit organization that (along with its Peruvian counterpart, Conservación Amazónica—ACCA) promotes scientific research, education, and conservation in the western Amazon. 


Figure 4. Photographs of live specimens of Noblella losamigos sp. n. (A,B) Adult male paratype MUSM 37357 (SVL 10.3 mm). (C,D) Adult female paratype MUSM 37356 (SVL 9.7 mm).
Photographs by Roy Santa-Cruz.


Figure 8. Photographs of live specimens of Noblella losamigos sp. n. (A) Dorsal view and (B) ventral view of MUBI 17413, adult male paratype (SVL 9.6 mm); (C) dorsal view and (D) ventral view of CORBIDI 17520, adult male paratype (SVL 11.1 mm); (E) dorsal view and (F) ventral view of CORBIDI 17521, adult male paratype (SVL 9.6 mm).
Photographs by A. Catenazzi.


Figure 9. Photographs of live specimens of Noblella losamigos sp. n. (A) Dorsal view and (B) ventral view of MUSM 30427, adult female paratype (SVL 11.6 mm); (C) dorsal view and (D) ventral view of MVZ:Herp:292684, adult female paratype (SVL 13.2 mm); (E) dorsal view and (F) ventral view of CORBIDI 17522, adult female paratype (SVL 13.6 mm). Photographs by A. Catenazzi.


Roy Santa-Cruz, Rudolf von May, Alessandro Catenazzi, Courtney Whitcher, Evaristo López Tejeda and Daniel L. Rabosky. 2019.  A New Species of Terrestrial-Breeding Frog (Amphibia, Strabomantidae, Noblella) from the Upper Madre De Dios Watershed, Amazonian Andes and Lowlands of Southern Peru.  Diversity. 11; 0145. DOI: 10.3390/d11090145  
New species of minute leaf-litter frog from Peru - Catenazzi Lab  CatenazziLab.org/1/post/2019/08/new-species-of-minute-leaf-litter-frog-from-peru.html