Wednesday, February 14, 2024

[Herpetology • 2023] Pristimantis paulogabrieli • A New Species of Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae) from the State of Acre, Brazil


Pristimantis paulogabrieli
Melo-Sampaio, 2023

 
Abstract
Pristimantis is the amphibian genus with the largest number of described species yet harbouring many species still to be named, notably in Amazonia. Here, I describe a member of the P. diadematus species complex from southwestern Amazonia in Brazil based on external morphology. The species is most similar to P. divnae, a species from southern Peru, but diagnosable from it by the combination of the following characters: presence of nuptial pads and tympanum, smaller body size (SVL 19.5-23.5 mm in males, 27.8-30.6 mm in females), and absence of yellow marks in both the inguinal region and shanks. The new species occupies the same habitats as the syntopic P. altamazonicus, another member of the P. diadematus species complex. Based on an extensive literature review, a new composition of the P. diadematus species complex is proposed and discussed.


Pristimantis paulogabrieli sp. nov. in life.
Daytime photos (A-D) male paratype UFAC-RB 9668 (field series UFAC-RB 4423) (A), female holotype UFAC-RB 9669 (field series UFAC-RB 4424) (B-D).
Night colouration: female paratype UFAC-RB 5737 (E) and unvouchered (F).
Red arrows indicate tympanum and yellow arrow indicates discoidal fold.

Pristimantis paulogabrieli sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: The new species, P. paulogabrieli, is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: 1) skin on dorsum shagreen with scattered minute tubercles; dorsolateral fold absent; skin on venter areolate; discoidal fold present; 2) tympanic annulus visible, tympanic membrane present; 3) snout subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in lateral view; 4) upper eyelid with minute tubercles, upper eyelid smaller than IOD, cranial crests absent; 5) dentigerous processes of vomers oblique low; 6) males with nuptial pads, but lacking vocal sac and vocal slits; 7) postrictal tubercles present; 8) finger I shorter than finger II, discs on fingers III and IV broad, rounded; 9) fingers with narrow lateral fringes; 10) ulnar tubercles present; 11) outer surfaces of tarsus without tubercles; 12) heel without minute tubercle; 13) short, inner tarsal fold present; 14) inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid, four and half times the size of ovoid outer metatarsal tubercle; 15) few supernumerary plantar tubercles present; 16) toes with narrow lateral fringes; 17) basal toe webbing present between toes III and IV; 18) toe V much longer than toe III, toe discs broad, rounded, slightly smaller than discs on fingers; 19) in ethanol, dorsum brown with dark brown W-shaped mark on scapula and a dark brown chevron; 20) chest and belly cream with dark brown blotches, throat cream with few dark brown blotches and many minute dark brown spots; 21) SVL in adult males 19.5-23.5 mm (n = 8), females 27.8-30.6 mm (n = 2).

Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronymic name for my beloved son, Paulo Gabriel Silva Melo Sampaio.


Paulo R. Melo-Sampaio. 2023. A New Species of Pristimantis (Anura, Strabomantidae) from the State of Acre, Brazil. J. of Vertebrate Biology. 72(23044): 1-19.DOI: 10.25225/jvb.23044