A new treefrog from Cordillera del Cóndor with comments on the biogeographic affinity between Cordillera del Cóndor and the Guianan Tepuis (Anura, Hylidae, Hyloscirtus)

Abstract

The Hyloscirtuslarinopygion group is a clade of 16 species of large hylids that inhabit cascading Andean streams. They have brown coloration that, in most species, contrasts with bright marks. Herein morphological and genetic evidence is used to describe a new species of the group from Cordillera del Cóndor, a sub-Andean mountain chain that has phytogeographic affinities with the Guianan Tepuis. The new species is characterized by dark-brown coloration with contrasting bright orange flecks and by the presence of an enlarged and curved prepollex protruding as a spine. The new species is closely related to H.tapichalaca and an undescribed species from the southern Andes of Ecuador. The genetic distance between H.hillisisp. n. and its closest relative, H.tapichalaca, is 2.9% (gene 16S mtDNA). Our phylogeny and a review of recently published phylogenies show that amphibians from Cordillera del Cóndor have close relationships with either Andean or Amazonian species. Amphibians do not show the Condor-Guianan Tepuis biogeographic link that has been documented in plants.

High-throughput DNA sequencing of museum specimens sheds light on the long-missing species of theBokermannohyla claresignatagroup (Anura: Hylidae: Cophomantini)

“…1; Appendix S4). Our results for Hyloscirtus are congruent with the recent hypothesis of Rojas-Runjaic et al (2018) and Ron et al (2018) in the recognition of four species groups (the H. armatus, H. bogotensis, H. jahni, and H. larinopygion groups). However, it differs from the first study and that of…”

Systematics of Pholidobolus lizards (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) from southern Ecuador, with descriptions of four new species

“…It is composed of marine and continental sediments ( Neill 2005 ). This area is presently threatened by mining activities, despite discovery of a significant number of new species in the last ten years ( Brito et al 2017 ; Huamantupa-Chuquimaco and Neill 2018 ; Mashburn et al 2020 ; Ron et al 2018 ; Torres-Carvajal et al 2009 ; Valencia et al 2017 ) suggesting that Cordillera del Cóndor is a diversity hotspot. Our discovery of P. samek and P. condor further supports this idea.…”

“… Pholidobolus condor is only known from Cordillera del Cóndor in southeastern Ecuador. This area is currently threatened by mining activities ( Ron et al 2018 ; Valencia et al 2017 ; Van Teijlingen 2016 ). Habitat destruction and fragmentation is evident at a distance of ~11 km from the collection sites ( Mazabanda et al 2018 ).…”

“…The specific epithet condor refers to Cordillera del Cóndor, where the new species was discovered. The Cordillera del Cóndor is an eastern outlier of the main Andean chain, where a significant number of species have been discovered in the last decade ( Brito et al 2017 ; Huamantupa-Chuquimaco and Neill 2018 ; Ron et al 2018 ; Torres-Carvajal et al 2009 ; Valencia et al 2017 ).…”

Nuevo registro, redescubrimiento y notas taxonómicas de Orchidaceae de Ecuador

“…El proyecto incluye estudios de plantas, hongos, vertebrados e invertebrados. Durante este proyecto se han recolectado alrededor de 13500 especímenes, entre los cuales se han encontrado nuevos registros para el país y varias especies nuevas para la ciencia [1,2,3]. Del total de colecciones, alrededor de 3500 corresponden a plantas, y una de las familias que más novedades ha aportado es Orchidaceae, sin lugar a dudas es la más diversa en el Ecuador con cerca de 4500 especies de las cuales alrededor de 1700 son endémicas [4,5].…”