Two new endangered species of Anomaloglossus (Anura: Aromobatidae) from Roraima State, northern Brazil

Abstract

We describe two new species of Anomaloglossus from Roraima State, Brazil, that are likely endemic to single mountains currently isolated among lowland forest and savanna ecosystems. The first species, Anomaloglossus tepequem sp. nov. was collected in 1986 and 1992 along a single stream at >500 m elevation on a tepui-like mountain named Tepequém, but was not detected during recent investigations. It is mainly diagnosed from other Anomaloglossus species by its well developed foot webbing, immaculate cream abdomen colouration and small body size (males: 18.2-20.1 mm, females: 21.7-24.5). The second species, Anomaloglossus apiau sp. nov. was found along several streams between 500 and 1400 m elevation on Serra do Apiaú, and is mainly diagnosed from congeners by its weakly webbed feet, males with swollen third finger and ventrolateral stripe formed by white dots, and its advertisement call; a long trill (up to almost 40 s) consisting of pairs of very short pulses. The discovery of these two apparently microendemic species suggests that additional Anomaloglossus species remain to be described in the Guiana Shield. Both species should be considered critically endangered given their seemingly reduced range size, association with highland habitat, and the anthropogenic pressure they currently face.

Integrative overview of the herpetofauna from Serra da Mocidade, a granitic mountain range in northern Brazil

“…13 ) are consistent with the description of A. apiau ( Fouquet et al 2015a ), a species previously known only from its type locality, at Serra do Apiaú, a mountain range distant ca. 80 km northeast of Serra da Mocidade.…”

“…The specimens’ morphologies were analysed according to original descriptions, taxonomic and phylogenetic revisions, dichotomous keys, field guides and results from similar expeditions from Guiana Shield highlands ( Boulenger 1900 , Boulenger 1911 , Roze 1958a , 1958b , 1961 , 1987 , Rivero 1961 , 1970 , Vial and Jimenez-Porras 1967 , Heyer 1970 , 1994 , Lutz 1973 , Duellman 1979 , 1999 , Hoogmoed 1979 , 1990 , Peters and Donoso-Barros 1986 , Rebouças-Spieker and Vanzolini 1990 , Donnelly and Myers 1991 , Gorzula 1992 , Dixon et al 1993 , O’Shea and Stimson 1993 , Ávila-Pires 1995 , Myers 1997 , Myers and Donnelly 1996 , 1997 , 2001 , 2008 , Gorzula and Señaris 1999 , Lescure and Marty 2000 , MacCulloch and Lathrop 2002 , 2009 , Hollowell and Reynolds 2005 , McDiarmid and Donnelly 2005 , Miralles et al 2005 , Señaris and Ayarzagüena 2005 , Barrio-Amorós and Molina 2006 , Bergmann and Russell 2007 , Fouquet et al 2007a , 2007b , 2014 , 2015a , 2015b , Hawkins et al 2007 , MacCulloch et al 2007 , Barrio-Amorós and Brewer-Carias 2008 , Guayasamin et al 2008 , 2009 , Harvey 2008 , Kok and Castroviejo-Fisher 2008 , Vogt 2008 , Lima and Prudente 2009 , Ávila-Pires et al 2010 , Kok 2010 , 2013a Miralles and C...…”

“…We also compile results of herpetofaunal inventories conducted in main nearby habitats to compare the species richness and composition and detect the faunistic affinities of the Serra da Mocidade diversity. These habitats include several mountain ranges part of Guiana Shield highlands, with over five known species (data compiled from Boulenger 1895a , 1895b , 1900 , Burt and Burt 1931 , Roze 1958a , 1958b , 1987 , Rivero 1961 , 1966 , Lancini 1968 , Ayarzagüena 1983 , Duellman and Hoogmoed 1984 , Zweifel 1986 , McDiarmid and Paolillo 1988 , Robinson 1989 Mägdefrau et al 1991 , Donnelly and Myers 1991 , Ayarzagüena et al 1992 , Donnelly et al 1992 , Gorzula 1992 , Ayarzagüena and Señaris 1993 , Señaris and Ayarzagüena 1993 , Myers et al 1993 , Señaris et al 1994 , Williams et al 1996 , Myers 1997 , Myers and Donnelly 1997 , 2001 , 2008 , Fuentes and Barrio-Amorós 2004 , McDiarmid and Donnelly 2005 , Ouboter et al 2007 , Watling and Ngadino 2007 , Barrio-Amorós and Brewer-Carias 2008 , Barrio-Amorós and Duellman 2009 , Carvalho et al 2010 , Castroviejo-Fisher et al 2011 , Ouboter and Jairam 2012 , Fouquet et al 2015a , Fraga et al 2017 , Rojas-Runjaic et al 2017 , INPA -H voucher specimens), as well as lowland forests and open habitats ( savana , campina and anthropized areas) in northern South America, with focus on the Brazilian territory (data compiled from O’Shea 1989 , 1998 , Martins 1998 , MacCulloch and Reynolds 2013 , IBAMA 2014 , ICMBio 2014 , Gordo et al 2014 , Señaris et al 2014 , ...…”

The complete mitochondrial genome of Anomaloglossus baeobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Aromobatidae)

“…This clade is the sister group of Dendrobatidae, which is in accordance with previous studies (Grant et al 2006). Given several species within this genus might face decline or might already have gone extinct (Courtois et al 2015;Fouquet et al 2015), resolving taxonomic uncertainties is crucial to assess conservation priorities. These data, which represent the first mitogenome for the genus and the second for Aromobatidae, will serve as a reference for further studies on the taxonomy and evolution of this group of amphibians.…”

A reassessment of the vocalization and distribution of Scinax exiguus (Duellman, 1986) (Anura: Hylidae) in the Amazonian savanna of Roraima, northern Brazil, with the description of its aggressive call

“…The current anthropogenic threats and lack of studies on the biodiversity and dynamics in the Guyanan savanna may have severe consequences for the conservation of endemics to this region, e.g. S. exiguus, Anomaloglossus apiau and A. tepequem [14], reinforcing the need for further research and conservation policies in this particular region in northern South America [13].…”