Victor G. D. Orrico

High levels of diversity uncovered in a widespread nominal taxon: continental phylogeography of the Neotropical tree frog Dendropsophus minutus

Species distributed across vast continental areas and across major biomes provide unique model systems for studies of biotic diversification, yet also constitute daunting financial, logistic and political challenges for data collection across such regions. The tree frog Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) is a nominal species, continentally distributed in South America, that may represent a complex of multiple species, each with a more limited distribution. To understand the spatial pattern of molecular diversity throughout the range of this species complex, we obtained DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the 16S rhibosomal gene (16S) for 407 samples of D. minutus and closely related species distributed across eleven countries, effectively comprising the entire range of the group. We performed phylogenetic and spatially explicit phylogeographic analyses to assess the genetic structure of lineages and infer ancestral areas. We found 43 statistically supported, deep mitochondrial lineages, several of which may represent currently unrecognized distinct species. One major clade, containing 25 divergent lineages, includes samples from the type locality of D. minutus. We defined that clade as the D. minutus complex. The remaining lineages together with the D. minutus complex constitute the D. minutus species group. Historical analyses support an Amazonian origin for the D. minutus species group with a subsequent dispersal to eastern Brazil where the D. minutus complex originated. According to our dataset, a total of eight mtDNA lineages have ranges >100,000 km2. One of them occupies an area of almost one million km2 encompassing multiple biomes. Our results, at a spatial scale and resolution unprecedented for a Neotropical vertebrate, confirm that widespread amphibian species occur in lowland South America, yet at the same time a large proportion of cryptic diversity still remains to be discovered.

From Amazonia to the Atlantic forest: molecular phylogeny of Phyzelaphryninae frogs reveals unexpected diversity and a striking biogeographic pattern emphasizing conservation challenges.

Documenting the Neotropical amphibian diversity has become a major challenge facing the threat of global climate change and the pace of environmental alteration. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that the actual number of species in South American tropical forests is largely underestimated, but also that many lineages are millions of years old. The genera Phyzelaphryne (1 sp.) and Adelophryne (6 spp.), which compose the subfamily Phyzelaphryninae, include poorly documented, secretive, and minute frogs with an unusual distribution pattern that encompasses the biotic disjunction between Amazonia and the Atlantic forest. We generated >5.8 kb sequence data from six markers for all seven nominal species of the subfamily as well as for newly discovered populations in order to (1) test the monophyly of Phyzelaphryninae, Adelophryne and Phyzelaphryne, (2) estimate species diversity within the subfamily, and (3) investigate their historical biogeography and diversification. Phylogenetic reconstruction confirmed the monophyly of each group and revealed deep subdivisions within Adelophryne and Phyzelaphryne, with three major clades in Adelophryne located in northern Amazonia, northern Atlantic forest and southern Atlantic forest. Our results suggest that the actual number of species in Phyzelaphryninae is, at least, twice the currently recognized species diversity, with almost every geographically isolated population representing an anciently divergent candidate species. Such results highlight the challenges for conservation, especially in the northern Atlantic forest where it is still degraded at a fast pace. Molecular dating revealed that Phyzelaphryninae originated in Amazonia and dispersed during early Miocene to the Atlantic forest. The two Atlantic forest clades of Adelophryne started to diversify some 7 Ma minimum, while the northern Amazonian Adelophryne diversified much earlier, some 13 Ma minimum. This striking biogeographic pattern coincides with major events that have shaped the face of the South American continent, as we know it today.

The Advertisement Call of Dendropsophus nahdereri (Anura, Hylidae, Dendropsophini)

ABSTRACT. The Dendropsophus marmoratus group is composed of eight species known for their explosive breeding habits and morphologically characterized by a bark-like dorsum, warty skin around the lower lips and an extremely large vocal sac. Within this group, D. nahdereri is the only species with distribution restricted to the southern region of Brazil. Apart from the original description and its tadpole, nothing else is known about this species. Using a mechanistic definition of note, we describe the advertisement call of D. nahdereri, which is similar to the advertisement calls of other species of the group and frequently has “final pulseclusters” as defined in the text.

A New Species of Allophryne (Anura: Allophrynidae) from the Atlantic Rain Forest Biome of Eastern Brazil

Abstract:  A new species of the genus Allophryne is described and, in contrast to its congeners that occur in the Amazon Basin, is based on specimens obtained in Uruçuca, State of Bahia, in the Atlantic Rain Forest of eastern Brazil. Allophryne relicta sp. nov. is characterized by a medium body size for the genus (snout–vent length range 19.9–21.9 mm in males); large head (head width about 35% of SVL); large, red-orange eyes, with a large black transversal stripe on iris; dorsum covered by few tubercles and many scattered black dots; dorsolateral surfaces cream with dark brown, elongate, anastomosed spots, and venter clear gray with scattered small white tubercles; presence of a line of tubercles on the ventrolateral surface of forearm; advertisement call formed by a multi-pulsed note of 0.509 ± 0.029 s in duration and emitted at intervals of 1.287 ± 0.500 s, with notes composed of 28.58 ± 1.84 pulses at a dominant frequency of 3828 ± 82.28 Hz; call-note emission rate of 34.46 notes/min and pulse emission rate of 56.13 ± 1.25 s. The molecular phylogeny supports the placement of A. relicta sp. nov. as sister taxon of a clade formed by A. resplendens + A. ruthveni.

A new Dendropsophus Fitzinger, 1843 (Anura: Hylidae) of the parviceps group from the lowlands of the Guiana Shield.

Many Amazonian frog species that are considered widely distributed may actually represent polyspecific complexes.. A minute tree frog from the Guiana Shield originally assigned to the allegedly widely distributed Dendropsophus brevifrons proved to be a yet undescribed species within the D. parviceps group. We herein describe this new species and present a phylogeny for the D. parviceps group. The new species is diagnosed from other Dendropsophus of the parviceps group by its small body size (19.6-21.7 mm in males, 22.1-24.5 mm in females), thighs dorsally dark grey with cream blotches without bright yellow patch, absence of dorsolateral and canthal stripe, and an advertisement call comprising trills (length 0.30-0.35 s) composed of notes emitted at a rate of 131-144 notes/s, generally followed by click series of 2-3 notes. Its tadpole is also singular by having fused lateral marginal papillae and absence of both labial teeth and submarginal papillae. Genetic distances (p-distance) are >5.3% on the 12S and >9.3% on the 16S from D. brevifrons, its closest relative. This species occurs from the Brazilian state of Amapá, across French Guiana and Suriname to central Guyana and is likely to also occur in adjacent Brazilian states and eastern Venezuela. This species is not rare but is difficult to collect because of its arboreal habits and seasonal activity peaks.

A New Species of Clown Tree Frog, Dendropsophus leucophyllatus Species Group, from Amazonia (Anura, Hylidae)

Abstract. We describe a new species of Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae: Dendropsophini) from the Amazon river (= Rio Amazonas) basin, state of Amazonas, northern Brazil. The new taxon is included in the D. leucophyllatus group based on its phylogenetic position and on the presence of a pair of pectoral glands (a likely synapomorphy of the group). The species is distinguished from other species in the group by its color pattern and the morphology of hand and feet tubercles. In order to assess the phylogenetic relationships of the new taxon, we compiled a dataset including mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data for all but one species in the D. leucophyllatus group, plus a series of hylid outgroups. A tree-alignment (direct optimization) parsimony analysis firmly support the new species as the sister taxon of D. sarayacuensis. The monophyly of the D. leucophyllatus species group is not recovered in our analysis and the issue is discussed further.

Another new species of Phyllodytes (Anura: Hylidae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

A new species of the genus Phyllodytes is described from the State of Bahia, in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Northeastern Brazil. Phyllodytes praeceptor sp. nov. can be differentiated from other species of Phyllodytes by its medium size (SVL 20.7-25.8 mm in males); odontoids moderately developed; vocal sac externally visible; eyes large and prominent; dorsum homogenously cream, except for a few scattered spots and blotches; venter areolate with two parallel, paramedial lines of larger tubercles; few tubercles in the ventral surface of thighs, the largest being the medial one; a large tubercle on the skin around the tibio-tarsal articulation; nuptial pad rounded and moderately expanded.

The Taxonomic Status of Dendropsophus allenorum and Dendropsophus timbeba (Anura: Hylidae)

Abstract Careful examination of morphological characters, color patterns, and advertisement calls strongly supports the placement of Dendropsophus allenorum (Duellman and Trueb, 1989) (Cuzco Reserve Frog) into the synonymy of Dendropsophus timbeba (Martins and Cardoso, 1987) (Cardosos Treefrog). Resumo Um exame cuidadoso dos caracteres morfológicos, dos padrões de coloração e dos cantos de anúncio suportam fortemente que Dendropsophus allenorum (Duellman e Trueb, 1989) deva ser considerado um sinônimo júnior de Dendropsophus timbeba (Martins e Cardoso, 1987).

The 100th: An appealing new species of Dendropsophus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from northeastern Brazil

We describe a new species of the Dendropsophus leucophyllatus Group from the Atlantic Forest of the southern region of State of Bahia, Brazil. It can be distinguished from all species of the D. leucophyllatus Group on the basis of morphological characters (especially its unique dorsal pattern and snout in dorsal view), advertisement calls and divergence in mitochondrial DNA gene sequences. The inclusion of D. anceps on the group remains controversial but our phylogenetic analyses do not recover the new species as sister to syntopic species of the D. leucophyllatus Group (with or without D. anceps). These results also highlight the palimpsest that is past relation between the Atlantic and Amazon forests.

Phenotypic variation of Leptodactylus cupreus Caramaschi, Sao-Pedro and Feio, 2008 (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

This study describes for the first time the female of Leptodactylus cupreus and provides new information concerning its geographical distribution, males morphology and bioacustics. Leptodactylus cupreus, a poorly known species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, was originally allocated in the L. mystaceus complex of the L. fuscus species group. Based on morphological observations, we infer that L. cupreus should be in fact related to L. mystacinus, a species that, although assigned to the L. fuscus species group, is not assigned to the L. mystaceus complex. Therefore, we comment the phylogenetic relationships concerning L. cupreus, L. mystaceus and L. mystacinus.