scholarly journals The Glass Frogs (Centrolenidae) from the "Río Palenque" Science Center, western Ecuador, with the description of a new species

Author(s):  
Diego F Cisneros-Heredia ◽  
Roy W. McDiarmid

Ecuador has the biggest number of amphibian species per unit of area in the world (425 species in 276,840 km2). In the last decade, conservative estimates indicate that at least 26 species of Ecuadorian amphibians have declined or gone extinct. The reasons for this crisis are not clear but have been related to habitat destruction, climate change, and/or fungal disease such as the chytridiomycosis. The Río Palenque Science Center (RPSC) was among the last remnants of tropical rainforest in the western lowlands of Ecuador. Twenty years ago, investigations done by R. McDiarmid and others lead to the discovery of an amazing herpetofauna, including several undescribed species. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and transformation of the forest remnants into oil palm and banana plantations destroyed this site. Among the species identified from RPSC were five species of glass frogs (Family Centrolenidae): Centrolene prosoblepon, Cochranella spinosai, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni, Hyalinobatrachium valerioi, and an undescribed species of the genus Centrolene restricted to the RPSC. This research analyzed the morphological characters and natural history of the five glass frogs of RPSC in order to describe the new species of Centrolene from RPSC, which is critically endangered, if not extinct. The new species is characterized by combination of the following characters: 1) a distinctive coloration with yellow dorsolateral stripes; 2) the presence of an exposed prepollical spine; 3) a humeral spine in the males; and, 4) a unique nuptial pad between the fingers II and I.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F Cisneros-Heredia ◽  
Roy W. McDiarmid

Ecuador has the biggest number of amphibian species per unit of area in the world (425 species in 283,560 km2). In the last decade, conservative estimates indicate that at least 26 species of Ecuadorian amphibians have declined or gone extinct. The reasons for this crisis are not clear but have been related to habitat destruction, climate change, and/or diseases, such as chytridiomycosis. The Río Palenque Science Center (RPSC) was among the last remnants of tropical rainforest in the western lowlands of Ecuador. Twenty years ago, investigations done by R. McDiarmid, Ken Miyata and others lead to the discovery of an amazing herpetofauna, including several undescribed species. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and transformation of the forest remnants into oil palm and banana plantations destroyed this site. Among the species identified from RPSC were five species of glass frogs (family Centrolenidae): Centrolene prosoblepon, Cochranella spinosa, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni, Hyalinobatrachium sp. (cf. valerioi), and an undescribed species of the genus Centrolene. This research analyzed the morphological characters and natural history of the five glass frogs of RPSC in order to describe the new species of Centrolene from RPSC, which seems to be critically endangered, if not extinct. The new species is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) distinctive coloration in life with dark flecks and yellow dorsolateral stripes on a green dorsum; 2) parietal peritoneum white, covering about ½ of the venter, pericardium white, liver and stomach without guanophores, large intestine with guanophores; 3) presence of exposed prepollical spines; 4) humeral spines in males; 5) unique glandular nuptial pad between fingers I and II; and 5) reddish iris.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F Cisneros-Heredia ◽  
Roy W. McDiarmid

Ecuador has the biggest number of amphibian species per unit of area in the world (425 species in 283,560 km2). In the last decade, conservative estimates indicate that at least 26 species of Ecuadorian amphibians have declined or gone extinct. The reasons for this crisis are not clear but have been related to habitat destruction, climate change, and/or diseases, such as chytridiomycosis. The Río Palenque Science Center (RPSC) was among the last remnants of tropical rainforest in the western lowlands of Ecuador. Twenty years ago, investigations done by R. McDiarmid, Ken Miyata and others lead to the discovery of an amazing herpetofauna, including several undescribed species. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and transformation of the forest remnants into oil palm and banana plantations destroyed this site. Among the species identified from RPSC were five species of glass frogs (family Centrolenidae): Centrolene prosoblepon, Cochranella spinosa, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni, Hyalinobatrachium sp. (cf. valerioi), and an undescribed species of the genus Centrolene. This research analyzed the morphological characters and natural history of the five glass frogs of RPSC in order to describe the new species of Centrolene from RPSC, which seems to be critically endangered, if not extinct. The new species is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) distinctive coloration in life with dark flecks and yellow dorsolateral stripes on a green dorsum; 2) parietal peritoneum white, covering about ½ of the venter, pericardium white, liver and stomach without guanophores, large intestine with guanophores; 3) presence of exposed prepollical spines; 4) humeral spines in males; 5) unique glandular nuptial pad between fingers I and II; and 5) reddish iris.


2019 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-92
Author(s):  
Piero G. Delprete ◽  
Jomar G. Jardim

Background – Ongoing studies of Brazilian Rubiaceae revealed an undescribed species of Amaioua endemic to Atlantic Forest (Restinga and Semideciduous forest) of the state of Bahia, which is here described and illustrated, and its morphological characters are discussed and compared with those of similar species. Methods – This study is based on examinations of herbarium specimens, samples preserved in 60% ethanol, field observations, and digital images. Herbarium specimens of the CAY, CEPEC, HBR, IBGE, K, MBM, NY, RB, U, UB, UFG, and US herbaria were directly studied. Additional images of herbarium specimens were studied online. Results – Amaioua longipedicellata Delprete & J.G.Jardim is here described, illustrated and compared with the two most similar species, i.e., A. glomerulata (Lam. ex Poir.) Delprete & C.H.Perss. and A. intermedia Mart. A table comparing the morphological characters of these three species, and an appendix with selected specimens studied of A. glomerulata and A. intermedia are included.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Duellman

A new species of Osteocephalus (Anura: Hylidae) from Colombia, with comments on the morphological and behavioral diversity within the genus. A striking, undescribed species of Osteocephalus from the Amazonian slopes of the Andes in Departamento de Putumayo in southern Colombia is a member of the Osteocephalus buckleyi Group. Aside from minor morphological characters, the new species differs from all other members of the group by having a golden yellow iris with a median horizontal black stripe. The diversity in morphological and reproductive behavior reveals various features that are phylogenetically signifcant, but several species remain to be described.


2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Dabert

AbstractNeumannella skorackii, a new species of the feather mite family Dermoglyphidae (Acari, Astigmata) is described from the Red-winged Tinamou Rhynchotus rufescens (Temminck, 1815) (Aves, Tinamiformes) from Paraguay and a key to all known species of the genus is provided. The phylogenetic relationships (MP analysis of 25 morphological characters) between Neumannella species along with the evolutionary history of host-parasite associations revealed by Jungle reconciliation method are reconstructed. Relatively low cospeciation contribution to the recent host-parasite associations is discovered.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 344 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
JOEL CALVO ◽  
NÁDIA ROQUE

Recent collection activities carried out in southern Espírito Santo State (Brazil) lead us to describe a new species of Dendrophorbium. It has been overlooked and misidentified as D. bradei or D. fruticosum until now. Morphological characters are provided to easily distinguish each other, as well as detailed pictures of the new species. It occurs in Atlantic ombrophilous dense forest remnants.


Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3630 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH W. GOY ◽  
JOEL W. MARTIN

Microprosthema semilaeve, a fairly common spongicolid shrimp of reefal habitats in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean is redescribed and figured based on type material and an additional 78 specimens from the majority of its known zoogeographical range. It is distinguished from the Indo-Pacific species of M. validum and an undescribed species of Microprosthema with which it has been confused in the literature by a number of morphological characters. A new species of Microprosthema from deeper waters off the Dry Tortugas and closely related to M. inornatum Manning & Chace, 1990, is described and illustrated. Microprosthema jareckii Martin, 2002 is synonymized with M. manningi Goy & Felder, 1988. A key to the Western Atlantic species of Microprosthema is presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 67-85
Author(s):  
Austin J. Baker ◽  
John M. Heraty

The larval morphology and life history of the weevil parasitoid Eutrichosoma mirabile Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae) are described, and the phylogenetic placement of the subfamily Eutrichosomatinae within Chalcidoidea is determined using larval morphological characters. A description of Eutrichosoma burskisp. nov. and key to the species of Eutrichosoma are provided.


2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1713-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A Esselstyn ◽  
Anang S Achmadi ◽  
Heru Handika ◽  
Thomas C Giarla ◽  
Kevin C Rowe

Abstract We describe a new species of Crocidura (Soricidae) from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, documenting its novelty with both genetic and morphological characters. The new species is widespread on the island, with vouchered records from nine general localities distributed among five of the island’s areas of endemism. Morphologically, the new species is readily distinguished from all other described Sulawesi Crocidura by its intermediate body size, gray pelage, and long, hairy tail. The new species was mainly captured in pitfalls placed in the ground, but we also obtained evidence that it readily climbs trees and may be scansorial in its locomotor habits. Populations of the new species sampled from across the island are closely related, separated by < 0.02 uncorrected mitochondrial p-distances. The new species is one member of an endemic radiation of shrews on Sulawesi now known to contain six valid species and several undescribed species, all within the genus Crocidura. Resolution of species limits and phylogenetic relationships in this radiation is hindered by habitat loss at type localities, historical designation of new species using very small sample sizes, and a lack of genetic data from type specimens. Kami mendeskripsikan spesies baru Crocidura (Soricidae) dari Pulau Sulawesi, Indonesia, sekaligus mendokumentasikan keunikan karakter secara genetik maupun morfologi dari spesies tersebut. Spesies baru ini tersebar luas di Pulau Sulawesi, diketahui berdasarkan spesimen yang berasal dari sembilan lokasi umum yang tersebar di lima kawasan endemik di pulau tersebut. Secara morfologi, spesies baru ini dapat dibedakan dari spesies Crocidura lainnya dari Sulawesi berdasarkan ukuran tubuh yang sedang, rambut tubuh berwarna abu-abu, dan ekor yang panjang dan berambut. Spesies baru ini sebagian besar diperoleh dari perangkap sumuran yang ditanam didalam tanah, selain itu kami juga mendapatkan bukti bahwa spesies ini mampu memanjat pohon dan kemungkinan memiliki perilaku sebagai pemanjat. Beberapa populasi spesies yang dikoleksi dari Sulawesi ini mempunyai kekerabatan yang dekat, hanya dipisahkan oleh jarak proporsi DNA mitokondria (tidak terkoreksi) sebesar < 0.02. Spesies baru ini merupakan salah satu anggota dari suatu kelompok radiasi endemik cecurut di Sulawesi yang sampai saat ini diketahui terdiri atas enam spesies yang valid, dan beberapa spesies yang belum dideskripsikan, semuanya termasuk didalam genus Crocidura. Kepastian dalam menetapkan batasan jarak antar spesies dan hubungan kekerabatan genetik dari radiasi kelompok cecurut di Sulawesi terkendala oleh kerusakan habitat pada lokasi spesimen tipe, sejarah penamaan spesies yang hanya berdasarkan sampel yang sedikit, dan keterbatasan data molekuler dari spesimen tipe.


Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2087 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-36
Author(s):  
HAO HUANG ◽  
CHANG-CHIN CHEN

A checklist of the genus Platycerus Geoffroy is updated. A method for the observation of endophallus is introduced and used for the study of four species of Platycerus from China. The morphology of Chinese species of Platycerus is reviewed, and all the useful morphological characters are clarified. A character matrix is made to accumulate all the current information on morphology of Chinese species. Platycerus yingqii sp. nov. is described from the northern slope of Mount Taibaishan, southern Shaanxi, China. This new species is similar to Platycerus rugosus, but can be distinguished by male with a browner dorsal surface, remarkably shorter tarsi, lighter and redder ventrites, shorter gap between incisor teeth and mola, male genitalia with different endophallus, female with shorter metatarsi, and female genitalia with the inner apex of hemisternite not protruding beyond the outer apex. The morphological characters of the other three species from China are also studied. A key to the geographical species groups of Platycerus is presented. Keys to the Chinese species are provided for both males and females. Finally some natural history notes are given for some species of Platycerus from China.


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