A new species of Pristimantis Jimnez de la Espada, 1870 (Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Brejos de Altitude in Northeast Brazil.

Pristimantis is the most diverse Neotropical genus of terrestrial vertebrates and is distributed from Central America to Argentina. The last few years have seen the description of several new species of the genus, suggesting that its diversity is still underestimated. After decades of uncertainties about the taxonomic status of populations of Pristimantis from the Brejos de Altitude of the state of Cear, Northeast Brazil, we finally found morphological, acoustic and molecular evidence confirming their distinctiveness from other Atlantic Forest species. The new species is characterized by the following: shagreen dorsal skin with small-scattered tubercles, absence of dorsolateral fold, presence of tarsal fold, advertisement call composed of 18 pulsed notes, (25 pulses per note), and dominant frequency located in the second energy band, ranging from 36174220 Hz. Phylogenetic analysis placed the new species in the Pristimantis conspicillatus species group and the sister lineage of the Atlantic Forest clade comprising P. ramagii, P. paulodutrai and the P. vinhai species complex.

The advertisement call of Physalaemus caete Pombal amp; Madureira, 1997 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae), an endangered species endemic to Brazil's northern Atlantic Forest.

Foam-nesting frogs of the genus Physalaemus Fitzinger, 1826 have been long known for their diverse acoustic patterns (e.g., Barrio 1965; Bokermann 1966). Of the 49 species, the vocalizations of only three remain unknown to date (see Table 1 of Hepp Pombal 2020): P. caete Pombal Madureira, 1997, P. deimaticus Sazima Caramaschi, 1988, and P. insperatus Cruz, Cassini Caramaschi, 2008. Physalaemus caete is rare and narrowly distributed in Brazil's northern Atlantic Forest (Santos et al. 2016; Bernardo et al. 2017; Haddad et al. 2018), and an explosive breeder (EMS pers. obs.). For those reasons the species is classified in the endangered category of Brazil's red list of threatened species (ICMBio, 2018). Physalaemus caete was described in the late 1990s from the coastal region of the Brazilian state of Alagoas (Passo do Camaragibe) and reported for a second locality in Alagoas (Murici; Pombal Madureira 1997). Recently, the distribution was extended to a third locality (Paulista, state of Pernambuco; Santos et al. 2016). The distribution range of P. caete coincides with the "Pernambuco endemism center", a biogeographic subregion of coastal Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River (sensu Silva Casteli 2003). Here we describe the advertisement call of the Pernambuco population of P. caete and make comparisons with calls of congeners.

The advertisement call of Boana freicanecae (Carnaval amp; Peixoto, 2004) (Anura: Hylidae), an endemic and poorly known treefrog from northeastern Brazil.

Boana freicanecae is a medium-sized hylid (males SVL= 37.3-42.2 mm) belonging to the B. pulchella group (Carnaval Peixoto 2004). This species is associated with streams in Atlantic montane forests (450-750 m elevation) located from the Pernambuco Biogeographic Sub-Region (Silva Casteleti 2003), in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, northeastern Brazil (Carnaval Peixoto 2004; Cardoso et al. 2006). Currently, B. freicanecae is classified as 'Data Deficient' according to the Brazilian Red List of Threatened species (ICMBio 2018) and many aspects of its natural history (e.g., advertisement call) are poorly known. Here we describe the advertisement call of this treefrog based on calls obtained from two populations.

The vocalization of Gastrotheca fissipes (Boulenger, 1888) (Anura, Hemiphractidae) from the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil.

Gastrotheca Fitzinger, 1843 (Hemiphractidae) is composed of 70 species classified into four species groups, among which Gastrotheca fissipes (Boulenger, 1882) and G. microdiscus (Andersson, 1910) species groups are distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Castroviejo-Fisher et al. 2015; Duellman Venegas 2016). The Gastrotheca fissipes group comprises six species: G. fissipes, G. flamma Juncá Nunes, 2008, G. megacephala Izecksohn, Carvalho-e-Silva Peixoto, 2009, G. prasina Teixeira Jr. et al. 2012, G. pulchra Caramaschi Rodrigues, 2007, and G. recava Teixeira Jr. et al. 2012, and most of these species are distributed in the northern Atlantic Forest, the most threatened region of the Atlantic Forest Domain (Ribeiro et al. 2009).

On Rhinella gildae Vaz-Silva, Maciel, Bastos Pombal 2015 (Anura: Bufonidae): Phylogenetic relationship, morphological variation, advertisement and release calls and geographic distribution.

Anurans in the Rhinella margaritifera group have a long history of taxonomic confusion, mainly by morphological similarity between species and lack of acoustic and genetic data for many of the 19 described species. Herein, we presented data for Rhinella gildae based on recently collected specimens from its type locality. We provide patterns of morphological variation, measurements, advertisement and release calls and infer the phylogenetic position of R. gildae. The species geographical distribution was updated, occurring in two Amazonian localities in Maranhão state, and Cerrado areas in Maranhão and Tocantins states and also in a rainforest enclave inside Caatinga domain in Ceará state.

Frog Foam Nest Protein Diversity and Synthesis.

Some amphibian species have developed a breeding strategy in which they deposit their eggs in stable foam nests to protect their eggs and larvae. The frog foam nests are rich in proteins (ranaspumin), especially surfactant proteins, involved in the production of the foam nest. Despite the ecological importance of the foam nests for evolution and species conservation, the biochemical composition, the long-term stability and even the origin of the components are still not completely understood. Recently we showed that Lv-RSN-1, a 23.5-kDa surfactant protein isolated from the nest of the frog Leptodacylus vastus, presents a structural conformation distinct from any protein structures yet reported. So, in the current study we aimed to reveal the protein composition of the foam nest of L. vastus and further characterize the Lv-RSN-1. Proteomic analysis showed the foam nest contains more than 100 of proteins, and that Lv-RSN-1 comprises 45% of the total proteins, suggesting a key role in the nest construction and stability. We demonstrated by Western blotting that Lv-RSN-1 is mainly produced only by the female in the pars convoluta dilata, which highlights the importance of the female preservation for conservation of species that depend on the production of foam nests in the early stages of development. Overall, our results showed the foam nest of L. vastus is composed of a great diversity of proteins and that besides Lv-RSN-1, the main protein in the foam, other proteins must have a coadjuvant role in building and stability of the nest.

A new six-pored Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of northeast Brazil.

We describe a new Amphisbaena from the Brazilian coastal zone at the municipalities of Guamaré and Macau, state of Rio Grande do Norte. The new species, Amphisbaena littoralis sp. nov., is characterized by six precloacal pores, 252-264 body annuli, 30-34 tail annuli with autotomy on the 6th tail annuli, 20-22 dorsal and 21-24 ventral segments to the midbody annulus.

Amphibians of the state of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil: a preliminary assessment / Anfíbios do estado do Piauí, Nordeste do Brasil: um ensaio preliminar

The state of Piauí is located between the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes in Northeastern Brazil, having a rich heterogeneity of habitats. However, publications regarding the amphibians of this state are scarce. We compiled literature data and complemented it with amphibian inventories in some municipalities of Piauí and present a list of 55 species (54 anurans and one caecilian). Ten of them are endemic to the Cerrado biome (Rhinella veredas, R. cerradensis, R. mirandaribeiroi, R. rubescens, Dendropsophus rubicundulus, Phyllomeduza azurea, Leptodactylus pustulatus, Eupemphix nattereri, Physalaemus centralis, and Proceratophrys goyana) and two endemic to the Caatinga (Rhinella jimi and Ceratophrys joazeirensis). We also present data about species richness of 18 sampled municipalities, species distribution patterns, and conservation status.

O estado do Piauí está inserido nos Biomas Caatinga e Cerrado no nordeste do Brasil, ocasionando em uma rica heterogeneidade ambiental ao longo do seu território. Entretanto, estudos publicados sobre os anfíbios desse estado são escassos. Nós realizamos uma compilação de dados na literatura e complementamos com inventários faunísticos em algumas localidades do Piauí, e apresentamos uma lista de 55 espécies de anfíbios (54 anuros e uma cecília). Destas, dez espécies são endêmicas do Cerrado (Rhinella veredas, R. cerradensis, R. mirandaribeiroi, R. rubescens, Dendropsophus rubicundulus, Phyllomeduza azurea, Leptodactylus pustulatus, Eupemphix nattereri, Physalaemus centralis e Proceratophrys goyana) e duas endêmicas da Caatinga (Rhinella jimi e Ceratophrys joazeirensis). Apresentamos dados sobre a riqueza de anfíbios de 18 municípios amostrados do Estado e fazemos considerações sobre os padrões de distribuição das espécies e seu estado de conservação.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola (Anura, Leiuperidae) from western Piauí State, Northeast Brazil.

A new species of Pseudopaludicola from western Piauf State, Brazil, in the Cerrado domain is described. Pseudopaludicola parnaiba sp. nov. is a member of the genus Pseudopaludicola, on the basis of the presence of one hypertrophied antebrachial tubercle, posterolateral process of the hyoid outlined and epicoracoid cartilages slightly overlapped. The new species is characterized by an advertisement call composed of 6-46 non-pulsed notes per call and dominant frequency of 4794 ± 296 Hz, which supports an independent lineage. Additionally, the small size, body slender, toe tips knobbed with central groove, abdominal fold complete, tibio-tarsal articulation reaching the posterior border of the eye, and prepollex and prehallux composed of base and one element are character states that distinguish P. parnaiba from all the members of Pseudopaludicola. We provide its formal description with regard to external morphology, osteological characters and advertisement call.

From Amazonia to the Atlantic forest: molecular phylogeny of Phyzelaphryninae frogs reveals unexpected diversity and a striking biogeographic pattern emphasizing conservation challenges.

Documenting the Neotropical amphibian diversity has become a major challenge facing the threat of global climate change and the pace of environmental alteration. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that the actual number of species in South American tropical forests is largely underestimated, but also that many lineages are millions of years old. The genera Phyzelaphryne (1 sp.) and Adelophryne (6 spp.), which compose the subfamily Phyzelaphryninae, include poorly documented, secretive, and minute frogs with an unusual distribution pattern that encompasses the biotic disjunction between Amazonia and the Atlantic forest. We generated >5.8 kb sequence data from six markers for all seven nominal species of the subfamily as well as for newly discovered populations in order to (1) test the monophyly of Phyzelaphryninae, Adelophryne and Phyzelaphryne, (2) estimate species diversity within the subfamily, and (3) investigate their historical biogeography and diversification. Phylogenetic reconstruction confirmed the monophyly of each group and revealed deep subdivisions within Adelophryne and Phyzelaphryne, with three major clades in Adelophryne located in northern Amazonia, northern Atlantic forest and southern Atlantic forest. Our results suggest that the actual number of species in Phyzelaphryninae is, at least, twice the currently recognized species diversity, with almost every geographically isolated population representing an anciently divergent candidate species. Such results highlight the challenges for conservation, especially in the northern Atlantic forest where it is still degraded at a fast pace. Molecular dating revealed that Phyzelaphryninae originated in Amazonia and dispersed during early Miocene to the Atlantic forest. The two Atlantic forest clades of Adelophryne started to diversify some 7 Ma minimum, while the northern Amazonian Adelophryne diversified much earlier, some 13 Ma minimum. This striking biogeographic pattern coincides with major events that have shaped the face of the South American continent, as we know it today.