Latest Articles from Evolutionary Systematics Latest 2 Articles from Evolutionary Systematics https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 04:16:47 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Evolutionary Systematics https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/ A third species of glassfrog in the genus Chimerella (Anura, Centrolenidae) from central Peru, discovered by an integrative taxonomic approach https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/article/102950/ Evolutionary Systematics 7(2): 195-209

DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.7.102950

Authors: Jörn Köhler, Pablo J. Venegas, Ernesto Castillo-Urbina, Frank Glaw, César Aguilar-Puntriano, Miguel Vences

Abstract: We studied the taxonomic status of glassfrogs collected in Departamento Huánuco, central Peru, which in the field were tentatively allocated to Chimerella, one of the twelve genera currently recognized in the family Centrolenidae. Detailed analyses of their morphology, bioacoustics, and molecular genetics supported their generic allocation and provided evidence for them representing a divergent and unnamed evolutionary lineage within Chimerella. We herein describe this lineage as a new species, being mainly distinguished from the two other known congeners, C. corleone and C. mariaelenae, by details of colouration in life and preservative, substantial differences in advertisement call, and differentiation in mitochondrial markers (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, cytochrome b) and a nuclear-encoded marker (Rag-1). The new species is the southernmost distributed species in the genus and was found in a swampy habitat at the bank of the Río Patay Rondos, a tributary of the Río Monzon, in rainforest at the Andean-Amazon foothills at 798 m above sea level. Aspects of species delimitation within Chimerella and related future research are briefly addressed and discussed.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Tue, 16 May 2023 19:01:14 +0300
Discovery of frogs of the Stumpffia hara species group (Microhylidae, Cophylinae) on Montagne d’Ambre in northern Madagascar, with description of a new species https://evolsyst.pensoft.net/article/76382/ Evolutionary Systematics 6(1): 21-33

DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.6.76382

Authors: Andolalao Rakotoarison, Frank Glaw, Safidy M. Rasolonjatovo, Jary H. Razafindraibe, Miguel Vences, Mark D. Scherz

Abstract: The stump-toed frogs of the Madagascar-endemic genus Stumpffia are mostly diminutive in size, but there is one group of comparatively large frogs within the genus, which we herein refer to as the Stumpffia hara species group. Each of the four known members of this species group is endemic to a single location of deciduous dry forest with exposed karstic limestone rock. Here, we report on the discovery of members of this species group on Montagne d’Ambre, a rainforest-covered extinct volcano in the North of Madagascar that has a rich Stumpffia fauna but has been thought to lack members of the S. hara species group until now. We found two members of the species group, one at the peak, and one in transitional and dry deciduous forest on the west and northern slopes of the mountain. The high-elevation species is new to science, and we here describe it as Stumpffia bishopi sp. nov. It occupies a highly distinct position in the phylogeny of these frogs, characterized by ≥ 9.8% uncorrected pairwise distance from all other nominal Stumpffia in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. It is also the smallest of the members of the S. hara species group. Our genetic results show that the low-elevation species is Stumpffia megsoni, constituting a range expansion of that species and considerably expanding our understanding of its morphology and ecology. We report its advertisement call for the first time. Our results highlight the importance of continued surveys of even well-sampled localities, with special attention on the high elevation sites of northern massifs and collection of voucher specimens, and how much there still remains to understand about even the largest of Madagascar’s small frogs.

HTML

XML

PDF

]]>
Research Article Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:12:11 +0200