Global conservation prioritization areas in three dimensions of crocodilian diversity.

Crocodilians are a taxonomic group of large predators with important ecological and evolutionary benefits for ecosystem functioning in the face of global change. Anthropogenic actions affect negatively crocodilians' survival and more than half of the species are threatened with extinction worldwide. Here, we map and explore three dimensions of crocodilian diversity on a global scale. To highlight the ecological importance of crocodilians, we correlate the spatial distribution of species with the ecosystem services of nutrient retention in the world. We calculate the effectiveness of global protected networks in safeguarding crocodilian species and provide three prioritization models for conservation planning. Our results show the main hotspots of ecological and evolutionary values are in southern North, Central and South America, west-central Africa, northeastern India, and southeastern Asia. African species have the highest correlation to nutrient retention patterns. Twenty-five percent of the world's crocodilian species are not significantly represented in the existing protected area networks. The most alarming cases are reported in northeastern India, eastern China, and west-central Africa, which include threatened species with low or non-significant representation in the protected area networks. Our highest conservation prioritization model targets southern North America, east-central Central America, northern South America, west-central Africa, northeastern India, eastern China, southern Laos, Cambodia, and some points in southeastern Asia. Our research provides a global prioritization scheme to protect multiple dimensions of crocodilian diversity for achieving effective conservation outcomes.

Morphological variation and genealogical discordance in Caatinga sand lizards Calyptommatus Rodrigues 1991 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) with the description of a new species.

In the last decades, a remarkable fauna of psammophilous and fossorial squamates was discovered in sandy habitats of the semiarid Caatinga of northeast Brazil. Despite the increasing accumulation of genetic data from this unique fauna, an incomplete knowledge of its diversity still hampers a better understanding of its origins and diversification. The fossorial lizard genus Calyptommatus (Gymnophthalmidae) is endemic to sandy habitats of the Caatinga, being currently represented by four allopatric species. In this study, we used morphological and molecular data to assess population-level variation in Calyptommatus. We found a new morphotype of Calyptommatus from the state of Bahia, Brazil, readily distinguished from congeners by the presence of a frontal scale. Morphological, nuDNA and geographic data support the recognition of a new species herein described as Calyptommatus frontalis sp. nov. Nevertheless, genetic data revealed mito-nuclear+morphology discordance, with populations with frontal scales distributed in three distantly related mtDNA clades, suggesting either potential historical and/or current introgressions or incomplete lineage sorting. Further data are needed to clarify the status of the two other mtDNA clades displaying a frontal scale.

New species of flea-toad, genus Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Esprito Santo, Brazil.

We describe a new species of dull-colored flea-toad, genus Brachycephalus, from the Atlantic Forest of Capara mountains in southeastern Brazil. The new species is characterized by its diminutive size, leptodactyliform body, brownish color with an inverted V-shaped dark mark on dorsum, skin smooth, hyperossification and dorsal shield absent, linea masculinea absent, Fingers I and IV vestigial, Toe I externally absent, Toe II reduced but functional, Toes III and IV with pointed tips, Toe V vestigial, and ventral color uniformly brown. It is a leaf litter dweller, known only from type locality in the humid forests on the eastern slopes of Parque Nacional do Capara mountains, a protected area in the states of Esprito Santo and Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. It is the third flea-toad occurring in the state of Esprito Santo recovered as sister to all other Brachycephalus distributed from the state of So Paulo northward in the Atlantic Forest.

A new species of Ischnocnema (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the mountainous region of Atlantic Forest, southeastern Brazil, with a new phylogeny and diagnose for Ischnocnema parva series.

We describe a new species of Rain Frog from Brazils Atlantic Forest, which harbors high richness, endemism and threatened species of anurans. Ischnocnema crassa sp. nov. is a leaf litter breeder from the montane rainforest of Santa Teresa, state of Esprito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Remarkably, the new species is so far unique amongst Ischnocnema for having moderate hand webbing between fingers. Ischnocnema crassa sp. nov. is the third species belonging to I. parva series and we present a new phylogeny based on molecular data and propose a new diagnosis for the series. We provide field and laboratory observations regarding amplexus, antipredator mechanisms, microhabitat preferences and conservation remarks. Although Santa Teresa is one of the most sampled areas in Brazil, new species are often discovered. Santa Teresa is a priority for amphibian conservation because it harbors 109 species of anurans (9% of Brazils species).

Amphibians of Santa Teresa, Brazil: the hotspot further evaluated.

A checklist of the amphibians of Santa Teresa municipality, in southeastern Brazil is presented based on fieldwork, examination of specimens in collections, and a literature review. This new amphibian list of Santa Teresa includes 108 species, of which 106 (~98%) belong to Anura and two (~2%) to Gymnophiona. Hylidae was the most represented family with 47 species (43%). Compared to the previous amphibian lists for Santa Teresa, 14 species were added, 17 previously reported species were removed, and 13 species were re-identified based on recent taxonomic rearrangements. Of the 14 species added, 11 (79%) were first recorded during our fieldwork and specimen examination. It is also the first list of caecilians for Santa Teresa. This list suggests that Santa Teresa has 0.16 species per km2 (i.e., 108 species/683 km2), one of the highest densities of amphibian species in the world at a regional scale. This richness represents 78% of the 136 anurans from Espírito Santo state and 10% of the 1,080 amphibians from Brazil. We highlight the need for long-term monitoring to understand population trends and develop effective conservation plans to safeguard this remarkable amphibian richness.

On the taxonomy and natural history of the secretive Ischnocnema lactea Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923) (Anura: Brachycephaloidea: Brachycephalidae).

The original description of Ischnocnema lactea (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923) was based on  two specimens and an inaccurate type locality. These circumstances have obscured the identity of this name. Moreover, the I. lactea species  has had a complex taxonomic history and, in general, specimens of species in this group are poorly represented in amphibian collections. The diagnosis of the series is confusing, with many non-exclusive and variable characters barely useful. An accurate diagnosis for the series requires a precise characterization of I. lactea, its type species. Recently discovered populations, museum data, and new information on the collector of the type specimen allowed the elucidation of important issues related to this species. Here we provide the redescription of Ischnocnema lactea based on the lectotype, and intraspecific variation based on newly collected specimens. Ischnocnema lactea  is characterized by its large body size (adult 19.6-26.7 mm SVL; females 27.6-34.3 mm SVL); dorsum and flanks rugose, venter granular; vocal sac single and subgular, externally expanded; finger disks expanded, T-shaped, indented and truncate in fingers II-IV; toes relative length I<II<III<V<IV; black blotch on cloacal region, tarsus, and feet; moderate calcar tubercle present. Its advertisement call consists on a single short pulsed note ranging from 634 to 1060 milliseconds, with dominant frequency ranging from 2239.5 to 2756.2 Hz. Males call perched on vegetation mostly during daytime, starting early in the morning, and reproduction is explosive, associated to cold front rains. Ischnocnema lactea is a secretive and endemic inhabitant of the Serra do Mar in Southeastern Brazil. The type locality is redefined to the Municipality of Caraguatatuba.

Anfíbios anuros da RPPN Campo Escoteiro Geraldo Hugo Nunes, Município de Guapimirim, Rio de Janeiro, Sudeste do Brasil / Anuran Amphibians from RPPN Campo Escoteiro Geraldo Hugo Nunes, Guapimirim Municipality, Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

Os anfíbios anuros da RPPN Campo Escoteiro Geraldo Hugo Nunes, localizado no Município de Guapimirim, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, foram inventariados e estudados. A região é um remanescente de Mata Atlântica de Baixada que ocupa 45,2 ha e está situada sobre um solo hidromórfico que favorece a ocorrência de áreas alagadas permanentes e temporárias. Para o inventário, realizamos excursões para coleta e registro de anfíbios desde a década de 80, estando este material tombado na coleção zoológica do Instituto de Biologia da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Um total de 40 espécies de anfíbios da ordem Anura foi encontrado na região, distribuídas em 10 famílias: Hylidae (N = 23), Bufonidae (4), Leptodactylidae (4), Cycloramphidae (2), Microhylidae (2), Brachycephalidae, Craugastoridae, Hemiphractidae, Leiuperidae e Strabomantidae com uma espécie cada.

We studied the anuran amphibians from RPPN Campo Escoteiro Geraldo Hugo Nunes. The region is located in the Municipality of Guapimirim, State of Rio de Janeiro, in Southeastern Brazil and represents a lowland Atlantic Rainforest remaining, which has 45.2 ha. The hydromorphic soil is conducive to the occurrence of permanent and temporary wetlands. For the study, we carried out field expeditions since the 1980's, being the collected specimens housed at the zoological collection of the Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. A total of 40 amphibian species of the order Anura have been found at the study site. The species are distributed in 10 families: Hylidae (N = 23), Bufonidae (4), Leptodactylidae (4), Cycloramphidae (2), Microhylidae (2), and Brachycephalidae, Craugastoridae, Hemiphractidae, Leiuperidae and Strabomantidae with one species each. Data on local reproductive environments of the recorded species are provided.