Unraveling the species diversity and relationships in the Leptodactylus mystaceus complex (Anura: Leptodactylidae), with the description of three new Brazilian species

Abstract

Members of the Leptodactylus mystaceus species complex are widely distributed in forests and open formations of South America east of the Andes. Species of the complex are morphologically similar or indistinguishable among each other, but acoustic data have been the cornerstone for species discrimination across their geographic ranges. In this paper, we re-examine the monophyly, species diversity, and relationships in the L. mystaceus complex on the basis of morphology, coloration, acoustics, and DNA sequences. Morphological and color patterns originally used to the allocation of species to the L. mystaceus complex are also reassessed. Our results revealed three new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, which are named and described herein, based mainly on acoustic and molecular data. Populations assigned to the lineage widely distributed across the South American Dry Diagonal (DD), reported in this study as L. cf. mystaceus, is likely paraphyletic with respect to the nominal species (Amazonian lineage), but additional data are still needed to address the taxonomic status of the DD lineage.

Anurans of Sete Cidades National Park, Piauí state, northeastern Brazil

“…Furthermore, despite the wide distribution of Leptodactylus cf. mystaceus along Brazilian physiognomies (see Andreani et al 2017, Silva et al 2020), we present its first record for northern Piauí. This new record increases the geographical distribution of L. cf.…”

“…In addition, an important revision about the species diversity and relationships in the Leptodactylus mystaceus complex reveled as candidate new species L. cf. mystaceus from localities near to SCNP (Silva et al 2020). Therefore, we encourage taxonomic studies addressing these taxa in order to elucidate these questions about possible new anuran species in this protected area.…”

New Species of Leaf-litter Toad of the Rhinella margaritifera Species Group (Anura: Bufonidae) from Amazonia

“…Nevertheless, morphological characters show that these taxa unambiguously represent distinct species. Such disparity between morphological and molecular data is not uncommon in Neotropical frogs (e.g., Jungfer et al, 2013;Silva et al, 2020), and is also observed between R. martyi and R. gildae. It demonstrates that low genetic divergence should not be used without further data (e.g., morphology, behavior) to decide whether populations within the R. margaritifera species group are conspecific.…”

Systematics and cryptic diversification of Leptodactylus frogs in the Brazilian campo rupestre

“…In the Brazilian campo rupestre, an interesting case is that of Leptodactylus frogs inhabiting the mountain ranges of south‐eastern, central and north‐eastern Brazil. Of the 34 species in the Leptodactylus fuscus group (Silva et al., 2020), four are endemic to the campo rupestre, with three of them restricted to single mountain ranges (Carvalho et al., 2013): Leptodactylus camaquara (EMR), Leptodactylus oreomantis (Chapada Diamantina) and Leptodactylus tapiti (Veadeiros Plateau). The fourth species ( Leptodactylus cunicularius ) is in the EMR (Pirani et al., 2013; São‐Pedro & Feio, 2011; Sazima & Bokermann, 1978) as well as the Mantiqueira Mountain Range (reported hereinafter as Mantiqueira Range), including Poços de Caldas and Canastra plateaus, and surroundings (Cardoso & Haddad, 1992; Cruz et al., 2009; Giaretta et al., 2008; Haddad et al., 1988).…”