A new frog in the genus Pristimantis is described from a cloud forest on the western flanks of the Cordillera del Cóndor and eastern Andean slopes in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, southeastern of Ecuador. We inferred its phylogenetic position using DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The new species is strongly supported as part of a clade that includes P. ardalonychus, P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthospilus, P. chalceus, P. minutulus, P. luteolateralis, P. parvillus, P. ockendeni, P. unistrigatus, and P. walkeri. It can be distinguished from all other species from Cordillera del Cóndor and congeneric species by the unique combination of the following characters: (1) iris light blue with black reticulations; (2) skin of dorsum finely shagreen with scattered pustular tubercles and absence of dorsal folds; (3) tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus visible; (4) snout rounded in dorsal and lateral view; (5) upper eyelid bearing two or three enlarged subconical tubercles; (6) cranial crest absent; (7) males lacking vocal sac and slits; and (8) venter uniformly bright red, light red, salmon or orange. The new species is most closely related to P. ardalonychus, P. cajamarcensis, P. ceuthospilus, P. ockendeni and P. unistrigatus. We consider the new species to be Endangered following IUCN criteria because it has been severely affected by large scale open-pit mining in some localities. Currently, the amphibian fauna of the Cordillera del Cóndor and nearby protected areas are threatened by large-scale copper and gold mining projects with devastating effects on ~20 species, including several undescribed ones.
A new frog of the genus Pristimantis is described from a montane cloud forest at 9 de Octubre (2°14’52” S, 78°16’37” W; 1778 m) province of Morona Santiago in the upper basin of the Upano River, southeastern Ecuador. The description of the new species is based on the examination of eleven adult males and three adult females. The new taxon can be readily distinguished from other congeneric species that inhabit the eastern Andes of Ecuador by the unique combination of the following characters: small body (adult males SVL 12.0–17.0 mm, adult females SVL 18.5–21.7 mm); skin of dorsum finely shagreen with two subconical scapular tubercles, weak and discontinuous dorsolateral folds in the middle of the back; large tympanum 70–93% of eye diameter; snout subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile; upper eyelid bearing four or five small and flat supraocular tubercles; males lacking vocal slits and nuptial pads; all discs on fingers and toes lanceolate. Additionally, we provide information on the advertisement call and natural history of the new species.
En este reporte presentamos la descripción de dos nidos con diferentes estadíos de los pichones del Gallinazo Negro Coragyps atratus a cada lado de los Andes. Mostramos el comportamiento defensivo de las crías ante la presencia humana. Finalmente, realizamos un análisis bioacústico y representación gráfica del llamado obtenido a partir de dos pichones de la especie al oeste de los Andes. En general, nuestras observaciones respaldan los reportes previos sobre la biología estacional de C. atratus en Sudamérica.
Presentamos la actualización de la distribución geográfica de la serpiente índigo Drymarchon corais en la Amazonía ecuatoriana. Los datos presentados fueron obtenidos de la revisión de registros históricos, colección de especímenes en campo, revisión de especímenes en colecciones zoológicas, información de investigadores de campo y revisión de bases de datos de libre acceso. Nuestro estudio evidencia la presencia de la especie en localidades y en rangos altitudinales que anteriormente eran desconocidos. Además, presentamos datos de historia natural que permiten ampliar el conocimiento de la ecología de especie.
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