Anomaloglossus meansi sp. n., a new Pantepui species of the Anomaloglossus beebei group (Anura, Aromobatidae)

Abstract

Recent extinctions and drastic population declines have been documented in the Guiana Shield endemic frog genus Anomaloglossus, hence the importance to resolve its alpha-taxonomy. Based on molecular phylogenies, the literature has long reported the occurrence of an undescribed species in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana in the Pantepui region. We here describe this new taxon and demonstrate that in addition to divergence at the molecular level the new species differs from congeners by a unique combination of morphological characters, notably a small size (maximum SVL in males 18.86 mm, maximum SVL in females 21.26 mm), Finger I = Finger II when fingers adpressed, Finger III swollen in breeding males, fringes on fingers absent, toes basally webbed but lacking fringes, in life presence of a thin dorsolateral stripe from tip of snout to tip of urostyle, and a black throat in preserved males (immaculate cream in females). Virtually nothing is known about the ecology of the new species. We suggest the new species to be considered as Data Deficient according to IUCN standards.

A new species of Anomaloglossus (Anura: Aromobatidae) of the stepheni group with the redescription of A. baeobatrachus (Boistel and de Massary, 1999), and an amended definition of A. leopardus Ouboter and Jairam, 2012

“…The only other species group co-occurring with the Anomaloglossus stepheni group is the A. degranvillei group, currently represented by A. blanci Fouquet, Vacher, Courtois, Villette, Reizine, Gaucher, Jairam, Ouboter & Kok, 2018, A. degranvillei Lescure, 1975, A. dewynteri Fouquet, Vacher, Courtois, Villette, Reizine, Gaucher, Jairam, Ouboter & Kok, 2018, and A. surinamensis Ouboter & Jairam, 2012, which are readily distinguishable by their moderate webbing (basal in A. baeobatrachus) and well-developed fringes on all toes (smaller and more developed on Toe II, III, IV) and the absence of a dorsolateral stripe (present). Outside these two groups all the other described Anomaloglossus species exclusively occur in Pantepui (i.e., the Guiana Shield highlands, see Kok et al 2018) and have moderate to extensive toe webbing except A. meansi Kok, Nicolaï, Lathrop & MacCulloch, 2018, A. kaiei (Kok, Sambhu, Roopsind, Lenglet & Bourne, 2006, A. rufulus (Gorzula, 1990) and A. roraima (La Marca, 1997). However, unlike A. baeobatrachus, these last four species lack developed fringes on toes.…”

“…The only other species group co-occurring with the Anomaloglossus stepheni group is the A. degranvillei group, represented by A. blanci, A. degranvillei, A. dewynteri and A. surinamensis, which are readily distinguishable by their moderate webbing (basal in A. mitaraka) and well-developed fringes on all toes (smaller and more developed on Toe II, III, IV) and the absence of a dorsolateral stripe (present). Outside these two groups all the other described Anomaloglossus species exclusively occur in Pantepui (i.e., the Guiana Shield highlands, see Kok et al 2018) and have moderate to extensive toe webbing except A. meansi Kok, Nicolaï, Lathrop & MacCulloch, 2018, A. kaiei (Kok, Sambhu, Roopsind, Lenglet & Bourne, 2006, A. rufulus (Gorzula, 1990) and A. roraima (La Marca, 1997). However, unlike A. mitaraka, A. meansi lacks a conspicuous dorsolateral stripe, Finger III in males of A. kaei is not distinctly swollen, A. rufulus has as an extensively spotted ventral face, and A. roraima lacks well-developed fringes.…”

Two new species of Anomaloglossus (Anura: Aromobatidae) of the stepheni group from Suriname

“…nov. can be distinguished from species of the A. degranvillei group by its basal webbing (moderate in species of the A. degranvillei group), smaller fringes that are more developed on toes II-IV (well-developed fringes on all toes ) and the presence of a solid oblique lateral stripe (absence) and from all the other described Anomaloglossus species by the presence of an oblique lateral stripe. besides these two groups, all the other described Anomaloglossus species exclusively occur in Pantepui (i.e., the Guiana Shield highlands, see Kok et al 2018) and have moderate to extensive toe webbing (barrio-Amorós 2006;barrio-Amorós & brewer-Carías 2008;barrio-Amorós et al 2004barrio-Amorós et al , 2010Fouquet et al 2015;Kok et al 2010;la Marca 1997;Meinhardt & Parmalee 1996;Noble 1923;Rivero 1961) Kok, Nicola, lathrop & MacCulloch, 2018, A. kaiei (Kok, Sambhu, Roopsind, lenglet & bourne, 2006, A. rufulus (Gorzula, 1990) and A . roraima (la Marca, 1997).…”

Exceptional diversity of Pristimantis Landfrogs (Anura: Terraranae) on the Wokomung Massif, Guyana, with descriptions of three new species

“…A poorly explored biodiversity hotspot, the Pakaraima Mountains of west-central Guyana (Fig. 1a) has already yielded more than 25 species of frogs new to science in the first two decades of the 21 st century (Noonan & Harvey 2000, Smith & Noonan 2000, MacCulloch & Lathrop 2002, 2005, Noonan & Bonett 2003, Señaris et al 2005, Kok 2006, 2009, Kok et al 2006, 2010, 2011, 2018a, Lathrop & MacCulloch 2007, Means & Savage 2007, MacCulloch et al 2008) including an entirely new family of frogs (Heinicke et al 2009). Aligned in a southeast to northwest direction along the borders of Guyana, Brazil, and Venezuela, the Pakaraima Mountains are a line of flat-topped table mountains called tepuis.…”