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(A) Centrolene camposi sp. nov. (B) C. ericsmithi sp. nov. (C) C. heloderma, (E) C. lynchi, Cisneros-Heredia, Yánez-Muñoz, Sánchez-Nivicela & Ron, 2023 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15195 |
Abstract
We describe two new species of glassfrogs of the genus Centrolene living in syntopy at La Enramada, province of Azuay, southwestern Ecuador. They were found in a small creek in montane evergreen forests at 2,900 m elevation. The first new species is distinguished from all other members of the genus Centrolene by having the following combination of characters: dentigerous process of vomer absent; sloping snout in lateral view; thick, white labial stripe and a faint white line between the lip and anterior ¼ of body; humeral spine in adult males; parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores, visceral peritonea translucent (except pericardium); ulnar and tarsal ornamentation; dorsal skin shagreen with dispersed warts; uniform green dorsum with light yellowish green warts; and green bones. The new species is remarkable by being sister to a species from the opposite Andean versant, C. condor. The second new species is distinguished from all other Centrolene by having the following combination of characters: dentigerous process of vomer absent; round snout in lateral view; thin, yellowish labial stripe with a row of white tubercles between the lip and arm insertion, and a yellowish line between arm insertion and groin; uniform green dorsum; humeral spine in adult males; parietal peritoneum covered by iridophores, visceral peritonea translucent (except pericardium); dorsal skin shagreen with dispersed spicules; ulnar and tarsal ornamentation; and green bones. The second new species is sister to C. sabini and an undescribed species of Centrolene from southeastern Ecuador. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, we present a new phylogeny for Centrolene and comment on the phylogenetic relationships inside the genus.
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| Holotypes of the new species. (A) Centrolene camposi sp. nov. in life, male, DHMECN 11407; and (B) Centrolene ericsmithi sp. nov. male, DHMECN 11406. Photographs by Juan Carlos Sánchez-Nivicela. |
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| Comparison of the new species and their closely related lineages, in life in dorsolateral view. (A) Centrolene camposi sp. nov. male holotype, DHMECN 11407; (B) C. ericsmithi sp. nov., male holotype, DHMECN 11406; (C) C. heloderma, male, QCAZ 50722; (D) C. condor, male, QCAZ 72520; (E) C. lynchi, male, not collected; (F) C. buckleyi, male, QCAZ 40308. Photographs by Juan Carlos Sánchez-Nivicela (A, B), Santiago R. Ron (C–E), and Mario H. Yánez-Muñoz (E). |
Centrolene camposi sp. nov.
Centrolene heloderma Yánez-Muñoz (2015)
Centrolene sp. 2. Bejarano-Muñoz, Sánchez-Nivicela & Yánez-Muñoz (2019)
Proposed Spanish common name. Rana de Cristal de Campos
Proposed English common name: Campos’ Glassfrog
Etymology. The specific name of this new taxon is an eponym in honour of Felipe Campos-Yánez, a distinguished Ecuadorian zoologist, free thinker, and passionate conservationist. His biological collections are deposited in the country’s main museums, and he has left a legacy of contributions to biodiversity conservation throughout his 30 years of professional career.
Centrolene ericsmithi sp. nov.
Centrolene heloderma Yánez-Muñoz (2015)
Centrolene sp. 1. Bejarano-Muñoz, Sánchez-Nivicela & Yánez-Muñoz (2019)
Proposed Spanish common name: Rana de Cristal de Smith
Proposed English common name: Smith’s Glassfrog
Etymology. The specific name of this new taxon is an eponym in honour of Eric Nelson Smith, U.S. herpetologist and curator of the amphibian and reptile collections at The University of Texas at Arlington. Eric is a prodigious collector that has described more than 60 new species of amphibians and reptiles from the most remote corners of the planet for almost three decades. This is a small recognition of his extensive contributions.
Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia, Mario H. Yánez-Muñoz, Juan C. Sánchez-Nivicela and Santiago R. Ron. 2023. Two New Syntopic Species of Glassfrogs (Amphibia, Centrolenidae, Centrolene) from the southwestern Andes of Ecuador. PeerJ. 11:e15195. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15195
