An elusive giant: A new species of Vitreorana Guayasamin et al., 2009 (Anura: Centrolenidae) from the northern Atlantic Forest with an osteological description and comments on integumentary spicules.

We describe a new species of Vitreorana from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia state, in north-eastern Brazil. Vitreorana assuh sp. nov. is by far the largest species of the genus (snout-to-vent length [SVL] = 30.9 mm and 34.1 mm in one male and female, respectively; maximum SVL recorded for all other species = 28.0 mm). The new species is morphologically most similar to V. franciscana, from the Cerrado biome in Brazil. Besides its large size, the new species has, among other diagnostic characters, the presence of vomerine teeth and the occurrence of enameled iridophores in the pericardium, hepatic and urinary bladder peritonea. Furthermore, we describe and compare the complete mineralized skeleton of the new species and V. uranoscopa, and describe and discuss the variation of integumentary spicules in all species of the genus and their relevance to Vitreorana systematics.

A new species of Chiasmocleis Méhely, 1904 (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Peruvian Amazonia.

We describe a new species of Chiasmocleis from the Amazonian forest of Peru. The new species is characterized by its medium size (snout-to-vent length = 18.2-20.8 mm in females, and 16.5 mm in one male), hands and feet with slightly developed fridges in females (more developed in male), and presence of a femoral line in all individuals. We also infer its phylogenetic position using DNA sequences of fragments of the mitochondrial genes for 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI), and describe the mineralized skeleton through 3D models generated by computed tomography (CT-scan). Based on our results, we discuss the variation of some osteological characters traditionally used in the systematics of the genus.

Lista actualizada de los anfibios del departamento de Loreto / Updated checklist of the amphibians from Loreto Department

Resumen En este trabajo se presenta una lista actualizada de los anfibios distribuidos en el departamento de Loreto, Perú, incluyendo información sobre el estado de conservación a nivel internacional y nacional, el endemismo y zonas con vacíos de información. Se utilizó literatura herpetológica, bases de datos y especímenes de la colección del Departamento de Herpetología del Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos para la elaboración de esta lista. Se registraron un total de 232 especies, con los anuros (sapos y ranas) representando el 96% del total de anfibios en Loreto. Dieciocho especies son endémicas de Loreto mientras que la gran mayoría (208 especies) tienen una distribución altitudinal por debajo de los 500 m. Diez especies están en categorías de amenaza y cuatro son consideradas casi amenazadas según criterios internacionales, mientras que cuatro están consideradas como amenazadas y seis como casi amenazadas en el listado nacional. Se observa mayor vacío de información en áreas cercanas a las fronteras con Brasil y Colombia.

Abstract This paper presents an updated list of the amphibians occurring in the department of Loreto, Peru, including information on conservation status, endemic species and areas with information gaps. Herpetological literature, databases and the collection of the Department of Herpetology of the Natural History Museum of the National University of San Marcos were used to update the species list. A total of 232 species were recorded, with anurans (toads and frogs) representing 96% of amphibians in Loreto. eighteen species are endemic to Loreto while the vast majority (208 species) have an altitudinal distribution below 500 m. Ten species are in threatened categories and four are near threatened according to international criteria; while four are considered as threatened and six as near threatened according the national list. Mayor information gaps are observed in areas near the borders with Brazil and Colombia.

Initial Phylotranscriptomic Confirmation of Homoplastic Evolution of the Conspicuous Coloration and Bufoniform Morphology of Pumpkin-Toadlets in the Genus Brachycephalus.

The genus Brachycephalus is a fascinating group of miniaturized anurans from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, comprising the conspicuous, brightly colored pumpkin-toadlets and the cryptic flea-toads. Pumpkin-toadlets are known to contain tetrodotoxins and therefore, their bright colors may perform an aposematic function. Previous studies based on a limited number of mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded markers supported the existence of two clades containing species of pumpkin-toadlet phenotype, but deep nodes remained largely unresolved or conflicting between data sets. We use new RNAseq data of 17 individuals from nine Brachycephalus species to infer their evolutionary relationships from a phylogenomic perspective. Analyses of almost 5300 nuclear-encoded ortholog protein-coding genes and full mitochondrial genomes confirmed the existence of two separate pumpkin-toadlet clades, suggesting the convergent evolution (or multiple reversals) of the bufoniform morphology, conspicuous coloration, and probably toxicity. In addition, the study of the mitochondrial gene order revealed that three species (B. hermogenesi, B. pitanga, and B. rotenbergae) display translocations of different tRNAs (NCY and CYA) from the WANCY tRNA cluster to a position between the genes ATP6 and COIII, showing a new mitochondrial gene order arrangement for vertebrates. The newly clarified phylogeny suggests that Brachycephalus has the potential to become a promising model taxon to understand the evolution of coloration, body plan and toxicity. Given that toxicity information is available for only few species of Brachycephalus, without data for any flea-toad species, we also emphasize the need for a wider screening of toxicity across species, together with more in-depth functional and ecological study of their phenotypes.

The advertisement call of Chiasmocleis (Syncope) carvalhoi (Nelson, 1975) (Anura: Microhylidae), with taxonomic remarks based on new morphological observations of specimens from Peruvian Amazonia.

We quantitatively describe for the first time the advertisement call of Chiasmocleis (Syncope) carvalhoi using recordings  of five specimens from northern Peruvian Amazonia. The advertisement call is characterized by a single, short, tonal, and high-pitched note. Call duration ranges between 0.03-0.06 s and its dominant frequency between 7.12-7.92 kHz. The lack of pulses within notes distinguishes C. (Syncope) carvalhoi from all congeneric species except C. (Syncope) antenori, C. (Syncope) parkeri and C. (Chiasmocleis) mantiqueira, which can be distinguished by the shorter duration of their notes and silent intervals (in C. (Syncope) antenori and C. (Syncope) parkeri) and by the lower dominant frequency (in C. (Syncope) parkeri and C. (Chiasmocleis) mantiqueira). In addition, based on our collected specimens, we report on and discuss about the variation of some external morphological characters and natural history of C. (Syncope) carvalhoi, including the absence of vocal slits and sacs. Our study reveals a potential association between the absence of vocal slits and sacs, and tonal calls in Chiasmocleis, as well as conflicting morphological diagnostics characters in the literature.

Amphibians and reptiles of Parque Nacional da Serra das Lontras: an important center of endemism within the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, Brazil.

Information gaps about species distribution hamper the evaluation of conservation status and decisions on biodiversity conservation, affecting to a greater extent, areas with high species richness and endemism. In this context, biological inventories are an important tool to fill these gaps by providing data on the composition, richness, and abundance of species in each locality. The Parque Nacional da Serra das Lontras (PNSL) protects various mountain range just up 1000 m. in altitude, and, together with other conservation units, forms an ecological corridor in the southern part of the state of Bahia, within the Atlantic Forest hotspot. We conducted systematic samplings on transects, and opportunistic records in ponds and streams, in order to record amphibian and reptile species in the PNSL. We complement the sampling with the information available in the literature and in scientific collections. A total of 100 species (49 amphibians and 51 reptiles) was recorded, 53 of them endemic to the Atlantic Forest, 13 to the state of Bahia, and two known only from the PNSL. Hylidae was the most diverse family of amphibians (22 spp.) and Colubridae of reptiles (33 spp.). New information on the distribution and natural history of these species is provided, many of which have not yet been assessed by the IUCN while others have already been categorized as at risk of extinction at the regional level. Results confirm the high species richness and rates of endemism in southern Bahia and highlight the importance of protecting high altitude areas for the preservation of evolutionary and ecological processes within the Atlantic Forest.