Species delimitation studies based on integrative taxonomic approaches have received considerable attention in the last few years, and have provided the strongest hypotheses of species boundaries. We used three lines of evidence (molecular, morphological, and niche envelopes) to test for species boundaries in Peruvian populations of the Liolaemus walkeri complex. Our results show that different lines of evidence and analyses are congruent in different combinations, for unambiguous delimitation of three lineages that were “hidden” within known species, and now deserve species status. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that L. walkeri, L. tacnae and the three new species are strongly separated from other species assigned to the alticolor-bibronii group. Few conventional morphological characters distinguish the new species from closely related taxa and this highlights the need to integrate other sources of data to erect strong hypothesis of species limits. A taxonomic key for known Peruvian species of the subgenus Lioalemus is provided.

We describe a new species of the bufonid toad genus Rhinella from transition montane forest of the buffer zones of the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park and the Pui Pui Protected Forest (eastern slopes of Andes, Selva Central, Peru). The new species belongs to the Rhinella margaritifera species group (confirmed by mtDNA data) and differs from all its members by the absence of tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. It is characterized by medium size (SVL 57.5–65.5 mm, n = 5), moderately developed cranial crests, absence of neural crest of vertebrae, absence of bone protrusion at angle of jaw, presence of lateral rows of enlarged tubercles, and absence of subgular vocal sac and vocal slits in males. In addition, based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses of selected Rhinella species we propose the monophylum containing R. chavin, R. festae, R. macrorhina, R. manu, R. nesiotes, R. rostrata, and R. yanachaga as a new species group under the name Rhinella festae species group.

We describe two new species of Phrynopus from a cloud forest of the Cordillera Yanachaga, Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park in Peru and describe and document the first clutch and case of parental care for a species of Phrynopus. One of the new species of Phrynopus is described based on two females (SVL 19.1–21.0 mm) which were found in leaf litter and moss layer in a cloud forest at 2900 m elevation. This new species is most similar to Phrynopus bracki. The second new species of Phrynopus was found in the transitional formation between cloud forest and wet puna at 3000 m elevation. Its description is based on a single female (SVL 20.7 mm) that was observed guarding nine eggs under moss. This new species is most similar to Phrynopus nicoleae. The eggs had a diameter of 5.7–5.8 mm (n = 3) and froglets when hatched a SVL of 6.2–6.5 mm (n = 3). Sympatric anurans include Gastrotheca sp., Pristimantis aniptopalmatus, Pristimantis bromeliaceus, Pristimantis sp., and Rhinella yanachaga.

We describe three new species of Pristimantis from the upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings (Región Junín, central Peru) and compare them morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. All three new species have the skin on dorsum shagreen with scattered tubercles, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, tuberculate flanks, and the skin on venter areolate. Pristimantis bounides sp. nov. is known from two localities outside the Pui Pui Protected Forest in upper montane forests between 3350 and 3463 m a.s.l. and is characterized by a snout–vent length of 18.2–21.0 mm in males (n = 3), and 21.6–24.4 mm in females (n = 4), by having a tympanum, males with vocal slits, and discs of digits slightly expanded with circumferential grooves. In life, dorsal and lateral ground coloration is pale grayish brown, orange brown, yellowish brown or reddish brown with dark grayish-brown marmorations, and a pale gray, pale greenish gray or creamish white venter with or without dark gray mottling. Pristimantis humboldti sp. nov. is known from one locality inside the Pui Pui Protected Forest, in upper montane forest at 3318 m a.s.l., and is characterized by a snout–vent length of 17.2–20.6 mm in males (n = 3), and 19.7–25.7 mm in females (n = 6), by having a tympanum, males with vocal slits, and discs of digits expanded with circumferential grooves. In life, dorsal and lateral ground coloration is orange brown with brownish-olive blotches, orange brown with grayish-brown blotches and flecks, reddish brown with grayish-brown blotches or grayish brown with orange brown blotches; throat, chest, belly, anterior and ventral surfaces of thighs, tibia, and axilla are dark gray and pale gray mottled with white and pale gray spots of different sizes and density. Pristimantis puipui sp. nov. is known from one locality inside the Pui Pui Protected Forest, in the puna at 3890 m a.s.l., and is characterized by a snout–vent length of 16.1–17.1 mm in males (n = 3), and 20.6–22.4 mm in females (n = 4), by lacking a tympanum, lacking males with vocal slits, and tips of digits narrow without circumferential grooves. In life, dorsal and lateral ground coloration is pale orange brown, reddish brown or grayish brown with or without grayish-brown mottling, and the venter is pale cream and pale gray mottled. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences inferred that the three new species belong to the Pristimantis danae species Group distributed in the montane forests and high Andean grasslands of central Peru, including P. albertus, P. aniptopalmatus, P. ornatus, and P. stictogaster. With the three new species, 133 species of Pristimantis are currently known from Peru, eight of which inhabit the puna.

A new semiarboreal species of the Rhinella festae group is described from montane forests of the Cordillera Azul National Park between 1245 and 1280 m a.s.l. in the Cordillera Oriental, San Martín region, northern Peru. The new species is morphologically and genetically compared with members of the Rhinella acrolopha group (former genus Rhamphophryne) and members of the R. festae group. The new species is characterized by its large size (female SVL 47.1–58.3 mm, n = 4), eight presacral vertebrae, fusion of the sacrum and coccyx, long protuberant snout, snout directed slightly anteroventral in lateral view, cranial crests moderately developed, absence of occipital crest, presence of tympanic membrane, dorsolateral rows of small conical tubercles extending from parotoid gland to groin, hands and feet with long digits, fingers basally webbed and toes moderately webbed. Phylogenetically it is a member of the R. festae group which is most closely related to R. chavin and R. yanachaga from Peru. Morphologically the new species shares similarities with R. tenrec and R. truebae, members of the R. acrolopha group from Colombia.

Abstract. We describe a new minute species of the genus Pristimantis, P. boucephalus sp. nov., from the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park, Región Pasco, Peru. The description is based on a freshly collected male specimen found at 2950 m a.s.l. in a cloud forest and four previously unidentified museum specimens consisting of two adult males, one subadult female and a juvenile from the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park. The new species is mainly characterized by a snout-vent length of 13.4-14.5 mm in adult males (n = 3), and 12.5 mm in the only known subadult female, and is compared morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by its small size, disproportionally large head with short snout, absence of a tympanic annulus and membrane, and reddish-copper iris. Phylogenetically it belongs to a speciose clade, an as yet unnamed species group, comprising both montane (Andes, Guiana Shield) and lowland (Amazon) taxa from the northern part of South America. The new species is genetically close to the sympatric P. cruciocularis. Species of Pristimantis occurring in the Cordillera Yanachaga region in the Andes of central Peru are members of six divergent phylogenetic lineages.

We describe a new species of Phrynopus from the upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands (puna) of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings (Región Junín, central Peru) and compare it morphologically and genetically with other species of Phrynopus. Phrynopus inti sp. n. is known from four localities outside and two localities inside the Pui Pui Protected Forest between 3350 and 3890 m a.s.l. Studied specimens of the new species are characterized by a snout-vent length of 27.2–35.2 mm in males (n = 6), and 40.4 mm in a single female, by having the skin on dorsum and flanks smooth with scattered tubercles, venter smooth, by lacking a tympanum, and males without vocal slits and nuptial pads. In life, the dorsum is pale grayish brown with or without dark brown blotches, or dorsum blackish brown with small yellow flecks, throat, chest and venter are pale grayish brown with salmon mottling, groin is pale grayish brown with salmon colored flecks, and the iris is golden orange with fine dark brown reticulations. The new species is morphologically most similar to Phrynopus kauneorum and P. juninensis. For the latter we describe the coloration in life for a specimen obtained at the type locality. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences inferred that the new species is most closely related to Phrynopus kauneorum, P. miroslawae, P. tautzorum, and an undescribed species distributed at high elevation in Región Pasco, central Peru.

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