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| Adenomera phonotriccus
Carvalho, Giaretta, Angulo, Haddad & Peloso, 2019
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ABSTRACT
Leptodactylid frogs are phenotypically diverse, widely distributed across the Neotropics, and are known to harbor high levels of cryptic species diversity. This is especially true in Adenomera, where several candidate species have been recognized in a genetics-based study. Here we describe a new Amazonian species of Adenomera, which corresponds to one of the lineages previously identified as a candidate species (“sp. F”). Adenomera phonotriccus, n. sp., differs from all 18 recognized congeners by its unique advertisement call. Moreover, this species can be distinguished from nearly all congeners (except A. cotuba and A. lutzi) in having antebrachial tubercles on the undersides of its forearms. The distribution of A. phonotriccus seems to be restricted to the Araguaia-Xingu interfluve, in the eastern portion of the Brazilian state of Pará. Additional sampling effort on the right margin of the Araguaia River and along the Xingu River drainage should clarify the distribution of A. phonotriccus and perhaps result in the discovery of additional undescribed species of Adenomera in a region with high biological diversity
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| FIG. 1. Live specimens (all adult males) of Adenomera phonotriccus from the type locality (Palestina do Pará, state of Pará, northern Brazil). A, Holotype (MPEG 41155). B, Paratopotype CFBH 43130. C‒D, Paratopotype CFBH 43131. |
SPECIES ACCOUNT
Leptodactylidae Werner, 1896
Adenomera Steindachner, 1867
Adenomera phonotriccus, n. sp.
Diagnosis: Adenomera phonotriccus is differentiated from its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) small size (adult male SVL 19.8–21.6 mm; table 1); (2) robust body shape; (3) toe tips unexpanded to slightly swollen (character states B, C; Heyer, 1973); (4) distal antebrachial tubercle on underside of forearm; (5) throat and belly cream colored, mottled white and gray in some parts; (6) two color morphotypes (presence/absence of dorsolateral stripes); (7) advertisement call consisting of a single type of pulsed note, emitted regularly, not in calling bouts; (8) advertisement notes composed of complete pulses (pulses with periods of silence in between); (9) long-lasting call duration (213‒433 ms).
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Etymology: The epithet phonotriccus is the combination of Greek phono- (from phoné, “sound, voice”) and triccus (a small bird whose species is not identifiable, though in modern times the name is applied to tyrant flycatchers; Jobling, 2010). This name is to be treated as a noun in apposition and is an allusion to the similarity between the vocalization of the new species and those of tody-tyrants. Tody-tyrants of the Neotropical genus Hemitriccus have peculiar vocalizations, which are reminiscent of the vocalization of Adenomera phonotriccus, especially the trilled song of H. cohnhafti (see Zimmer et al., 2013). Interestingly, several Hemitriccus species are morphologically very similar, and consequently best differentiated by their vocalizations, a pattern also observed in Adenomera.
Suggested vernacular name: Tody-tyrant-voiced nest-building frog.
Habitat and natural history: Adenomera phonotriccus is associated with forest habitats in Brazil’s eastern Amazonia in the state of Pará. The type locality is located on the west margin of the lower Araguaia River. This region is also occupied by savanna landscapes or ecotones between the Cerrado and Amazonian rainforest. The species was heard along an open area transect (by recent logging activity), especially at the forest edge, and inside the forest remnant. Males called while exposed or under leaf litter, and increased their calling activity during and shortly after rainfalls. The vocalization of Adenomera phonotriccus is very peculiar when heard in the field. Our first impression was that the calls might not be produced by a leptodactylid frog, or even an anuran species. Indeed, the vocalization is similar to that of some Neotropical suboscine birds (e.g., Rhynchocyclidae, Tyrannidae). There were two partially syntopic species of Adenomera also in calling activity at the study site: Adenomera sp. (A. heyeri clade) and A. aff. hylaedactyla. We heard the three species calling at the same period (late afternoon), even though A. phonotriccus and Adenomera sp. ceased most calling activity at dusk, whereas A. aff. hylaedactyla continued calling through the first hours of the night. The last species occupied open areas, e.g. pasture. In contrast, A. phonotriccus and Adenomera sp., are associated with forest habitats.
Distribution (fig. 5): Adenomera phonotriccus is known with certainty only from the type locality and Marabá. However, specimens from other regions in the state of Pará were also assigned to this lineage, referred as Adenomera sp. F, by Fouquet et al. (2014). Given the high levels of cryptic species diversity in Adenomera and complex genetic structure within the lineages identified by Fouquet et al. (2014), we conservatively restrict the species’ distribution to the type locality region until additional data, especially vocalizations, are obtained for the other populations assigned to Adenomera sp. F, a lineage widely distributed in central-east Pará, northern Brazil.
Thiago R. de Carvalho, Ariovaldo A. Giaretta, Ariadne Angulo, Célio F.B. Haddad and Pedro L.V. Peloso. 2019. A New Amazonian Species of Adenomera (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from the Brazilian state of Pará: A Tody-tyrant Voice in A Frog. American Museum Novitates. 3919(1); 1-21. DOI: 10.1206/3919.1
