Saturday, July 21, 2018

[Herpetology • 2018] Boana icamiaba • Phylogeny of Map Tree Frogs, Boana semilineata Species Group (Anura: Hylidae), with A New Amazonian Species


Boana icamiaba
Peloso, Oliveira, Sturaro, Rodrigues, Lima-Filho, Bitar, Wheeler & Aleixo, 2018


Abstract.
Gladiator Frogs (Boana) is a Neotropical group comprised of 92 species sorted into seven species groups. Herein, we present a phylogeny of the Boana semilineata species group, including all valid nominal species currently or suspected to be assigned to it— many sequenced for the first time. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of two genes (16S and COI) did not support the monophyly of the B. semilineata group as currently defined. To remedy this, B. secedens, currently assigned to the B. puchella species group, is transferred to the B. semilineata group. On the other hand, our analyses corroborate the inclusion of B. hutchinsi, B. pombali and B. wavrini in the B. semilineata group. The reinterpretation of the morphology of the lower palpebral membrane in B. pombali (previously described as absent, but actually present) corroborates that the reticulated membrane is a synapomorphy of this species group (albeit homoplastic—present in a few species not assigned to this group). A recent paper suggested (based on the analyses of 16S alone) that at least six unnamed taxa (candidate species) are hidden behind the names B. geographica and B. semilineata. Our analyses resulted in the discovery of additional unnamed lineages, one of which is described and named herein. This new species is diagnosed, among other characters, by having the flanks, anterior and posterior surfaces of thigh with dark brown or blackish stripes, and by the presence of a prepollex forming a projecting spine.

Keywords: Amazonia, Biodiversity, Cophomantinae, Hyla geographica, Taxonomy


  Boana icamiaba sp. nov. in life, paratype (MNRJ 90998) from Altamira, Pará, Brazil.

Photograph by Renan Oliveira.

Boana icamiaba sp. nov.

Etymology: A noun in apposition, given as homage in memory of the legendary Amazonian female warriors, the Icamiabas. These warriors, first described by friar Gaspar de Carvajal (a member of the Francisco Orellana expedition; Medina, 1894), were members of isolated tribes composed of women only. So far as we are aware this is the second taxon to honor to the icamiabas, the other one being a hooded tickspider, Cryptocellus icamiabas Tourinho and Azevedo, 2007.



Pedro L.V. Peloso, Renan M. De Oliveira, Marcelo J. Sturaro, Miguel T. Rodrigues, Geraldo R. Lima-Filho, Youszef O.C. Bitar, Ward C. Wheeler and Alexandre Aleixo. 2018. Phylogeny of Map Tree Frogs, Boana semilineata Species Group, with a New Amazonian Species (Anura: Hylidae). South American Journal of Herpetology. 13(2); 150-169. DOI:  10.2994/SAJH-D-17-00037.1

New Frog Species Named After Fabled Female Warriors 
 on.NatGeo.com/2muqL1k via @NatGeo