Glass frogs (Centrolenidae) of Yanayacu Biological Station, Ecuador, with the description of a new species and comments on centrolenid systematics

Abstract

We describe Centrolene bacatum , C. buckleyi , Cochranella posadae , and a new species of Cochranella from Yanayacu Biological Station on the Amazonian slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes. The new species differs from other species in Centrolenidae by a combination of characters, including reduced webbing between Fingers III and IV, and kidneys covered with white peritoneum. We summarize the current generic and infrageneric classification in Centrolenidae and discuss some of its problems. A phylogenetic analysis of morphological and behavioural data shows that the genera Centrolene and Cochranella might not be monophyletic; the genus Hyalinobatrachium and, in particular, the group H. fleischmanni seem to be monophyletic. However, an analysis with many more characters is needed to resolve the relationships of glass frogs.

Resurrection of Hyalinobatrachium orocostale and Notes on the Hyalinobatrachium orientale Species Complex (Anura: Centrolenidae)

“…We also include two sequences of H. fragile, the only species in the Cordillera de la Costa that also has a transparent pericardium. Monophyly of the H. fleischmanni Group, which includes these species, has been supported by Guayasamin et al (2006), Guayasamin et al (2008), Ruiz-Carranza and Lynch (1991;1998) and citations therein. We used H. anthistenesi Goin to root the phylogenetic trees.…”

“…Diagnostic characters were arranged according to Cisneros-Heredia and McDiarmid (2007). Terminology for webbing follows Savage and Heyer (1967) as modified by Guayasamin et al (2006). Institution abbreviations are those of Frost (2007), but with the addition of MCNC, Museo Ciencias Naturales Caracas, Venezuela.…”

A New Species of Glassfrog (Anura: Centrolenidae) from the Foothill Andean Forests of Ecuador and Peru

“…RECENT accounts on the centrolenid frogs from South America show that they are widely distributed along the Andean slopes of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia (Acosta-Galvis, 2000;Aguayo and Harvey, 2006;Cisneros-Heredia and McDiarmid, 2006a;Duellman and Schulte, 1993;Frost, 2007;Guayasamin et al, 2006;Rodrí-guez et al, 1993;Ruiz-Carranza and Lynch, 1997;Señ aris and Ayarzagü ena, 2005;TorresGastello et al, 2007). A notable gap in our knowledge of the diversity of glassfrogs occurs in southeastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru.…”

“…A notable gap in our knowledge of the diversity of glassfrogs occurs in southeastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru. Just eight described species have been reported from the southeastern Andean slopes of Ecuador, while at least 18 species occur in the northeastern region (Cisneros- Heredia, 2007; Cisneros- Heredia and McDiarmid, 2005, 2006a,b, 2007Cisneros-Heredia and Meza-Ramos, 2007;Guayasamin et al, 2006). The southeastern Andean slopes of Ecuador, as herein defined, are politically divided among the provinces of Morona-Santiago, Zamora-Chinchipe, and Loja.…”

A Second Species of the Family Allophrynidae (Amphibia: Anura)

“…Ontogenetic status was determined by examination of the development of gonads and presence of secondary sexual characteristics (e.g., vocal slits and sacs). Terminology for webbing is that described by Savage and Heyer (1967), as modified by Guayasamin et al (2006). The osteological description was based on X-rays of the holotype; osteological terminology is that of Duellman and Trueb (1986), Fabrezi (1992), and Trueb (1973.…”