Cryptic diversity and ancient diversification in the northern Atlantic Forest Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae).

The Neotropical region is known both for its megadiverse fauna and for the significant deficiency of our knowledge on species limits. The Amazon and Atlantic Forest are the two most diverse and large rainforests in South America, and they harbor many groups of sister species and sister genera. The frog genus Pristimantis is the most speciose genus of terrestrial vertebrates with 546 species, but only three of them occur in the Atlantic forest. Herein, we investigate the diversification history and phylogenetic relationship among the Atlantic Forest Pristimantis lineages in a spatial-temporal framework, using mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Our results reveal a remarkable hidden diversity, with nine highly structure lineages that may correspond to undescribed species, with many cases of sympatry among these divergent lineages. Atlantic forest Pristimantis form a monophyletic group that started to diversify over 40 million years ago. This ancient group shows diversification events that remount the early bursts of the Atlantic Forest diversification history, as well as lineage diversification likely resulting from recent Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Future work must concentrate in comparing these lineages under an integrative framework including morphology, advertisement calls and other ecology traits to confidently delimit species of Pristimantis in the Atlantic Forest.

Phenotypic variation of Leptodactylus cupreus Caramaschi, São-Pedro and Feio, 2008 (Anura, Leptodactylidae).

This study describes for the first time the female of Leptodactylus cupreus and provides new information concerning its geographical distribution, male's morphology and bioacustics. Leptodactylus cupreus, a poorly known species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, was originally allocated in the L. mystaceus complex of the L. fuscus species group. Based on morphological observations, we infer that L. cupreus should be in fact related to L. mystacinus, a species that, although assigned to the L. fuscus species group, is not assigned to the L. mystaceus complex. Therefore, we comment the phylogenetic relationships concerning L. cupreus, L. mystaceus and L. mystacinus.

Another new species (and its not over yet) of Phyllodytes Wagler, 1930 (Anura, Hylidae) from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, northeastern Brazil.

The genus Phyllodytes, endemic to the Atlantic Forest, stands out for its life cycle being closely associated with bromeliads. Since the 2000s, the number of species in the group has more than doubled and the number is still increasing, a fact proven here with the description of Phyllodytes iuna sp. nov. This species, herein described using morphological and molecular evidence, is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, in the northern portion of the Atlantic Forest Central Corridor. Phyllodytes iuna differs from both its sister species and most of its congeners by the color pattern on the dorsum and by the presence of a single tubercle in the tibiotarsal region. The genetic distance for a fragment of the 16S gene ranged from 4.4% to 5.0% between Phyllodytes iuna and its sister species (P. brevirostris and P. edelmoi), and from 5.8% to 14.2% with its congeners. The description of a new species of Phyllodytes serves as a reminder that our understanding of the groups diversity is far from complete. Despite the alarming rates of deforestation, the Atlantic Forest continues to hold significant untapped potential for unexplored biodiversity.

The advertisement call of the rare casque-headed frog Nyctimantis galeata (Anura: Hylidae) from its type locality, Morro do Chapéu, Bahia, Brazil.

Nyctimantis Boulenger, 1882 was considered a monotypic genus for over a century. In a recent phylogenetic analysis of the Lophyohylini tribe with more than 96% of its representatives, Nyctimantis was redefined with the well-supported inclusion of some species from the genus Aparasphenodon, Argenteohyla and Corythomantis (Blotto et al. 2020). Therefore, the genus Nyctimantis currently consists of seven described species: N. arapapa (Pimenta, Napoli Haddad, 2009); N. bokermanni (Pombal, 1993); N. brunoi (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920); N. galeata (Pombal, Menezes, Fontes, Nunes, Rocha Van Sluys, 2012); N. pomba (Assis, Santana, Silva, Quintela Feio, 2013); N. rugiceps Boulenger (1882) and N. siemersi (Mertens, 1937).

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.

Amphibians of the Reserva Ecológica Michelin: a high diversity site in the lowland Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil.

An inventory of the amphibians of the Reserva Ecológica Michelin - REM in southern Bahia, Brazil is presented. Sixty-nine species were recorded during a ten-year sampling period. Amphibians were distributed in two orders (Gymnophiona and Anura), belonging to twelve families [Aromobatidae (1), Bufonidae (3), Centrolenidae (1), Craugastoridae (5), Eleutherodactylidae (3), Hemiphractidae (2), Hylidae (34), Phyllomedusidae (5) Leptodactylidae (7), Microhylidae (4), Odontophrynidae (3) and Caeciliidae (1)]. Fifty per cent of the reproductive modes known for Atlantic forest anurans were recorded. While no threatened species were found at REM, six species are classified as data deficient (DD) by the Brazilian Red List of threatened species and deserve additional attention. Phasmahyla timbo and Vitreorana eurygnatha are listed as endangered in Bahia according to the list of threatened species of the state. Despite a higher diversity of amphibians in the Atlantic forest having been reported for mountainous regions, our results revealed that amphibian richness for lowland forests is also high.

A new species of Phyllodytes (Anura: Hylidae) from the Atlantic Rainforest of southern Bahia, Brazil.

We describe Phyllodytes amadoi sp. nov., a species of treefrog from the Atlantic Rainforest of southern Bahia, Brazil. The new species can be diagnosed by its small body size (SVL 15.6-23.0 mm) and advertisement call with high dominant frequency (3.789-4.306 Hz). It is known from one locality in the Private Reserve of Natural Heritage Ararauna, in the municipality of Una (15° 18' 38.3" S, 39° 9' 55.9" W, 96 m a.s.l.).

The advertisement call and comments on the distribution of Eleutherodactylus bilineatus Bokermann, 1975, an endemic frog of Bahia State, Brazil (Amphibia, Anura).

Advertisement calls can be used to aid solving taxonomic problems and understanding the evolution of certain groups. In this study, the advertisement call of Eleutherodactylus bilineatus is described. It is composed by two different notes with a total duration of 0.529-4.241 seconds and dominant frequency of 1.72-3.45 kHz. Additionally, new data is provided on the geographical distribution of Eleutherodactylus bilineatus and the most inland record for this species.

The 100th: An appealing new species of Dendropsophus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from northeastern Brazil.

We describe a new species of the Dendropsophus leucophyllatus Group from the Atlantic Forest of the southern region of State of Bahia, Brazil. It can be distinguished from all species of the D. leucophyllatus Group on the basis of morphological characters (especially its unique dorsal pattern and snout in dorsal view), advertisement calls and divergence in mitochondrial DNA gene sequences. The inclusion of D. anceps on the group remains controversial but our phylogenetic analyses do not recover the new species as sister to syntopic species of the D. leucophyllatus Group (with or without D. anceps). These results also highlight the palimpsest that is past relation between the Atlantic and Amazon forests.

Amphibians of Serra Bonita, southern Bahia: a new hotpoint within Brazil's Atlantic Forest hotspot.

We studied the amphibian community of the Private Reserve of Natural Heritage (RPPN) Serra Bonita, an area of 20 km(2) with steep altitudinal gradients (200-950 m a.s.l.) located in the municipalities of Camacan and Pau-Brasil, southern Bahia State, Brazil. Data were obtained at 38 sampling sites (including ponds and transects within the forest and in streams), through active and visual and acoustic searches, pitfall traps, and opportunistic encounters. We recorded 80 amphibian species distributed in 15 families: Aromobatidae (1), Brachycephalidae (3), Bufonidae (4), Centrolenidae (2), Ceratophryidae (1), Craugastoridae (7), Eleutherodactylidae (2), Hemiphractidae (2), Hylidae (42), Hylodidae (1), Leptodactylidae (7), Microhylidae (3), Siphonopidae (1), Odontophrynidae (3) and Pipidae (1). Species richness was positively correlated with monthly rainfall. Near 36% of the species were found in strictly forest environments, 15% are endemic to Bahia State and 77.2% are endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome. The large species diversity of this small area, the high degree of endemism and the taxonomic and biogeographic significance turn the Serra Bonita mountain into a hotpoint for amphibians within Brazil's Atlantic Forest hotspot.

ResumoNeste trabalho, estudamos a comunidade de anfíbios da Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Serra Bonita que possui área de 20 km² com gradientes altitudinais abruptos (200­950 m acima do nível do mar), localizada nos municípios de Camacan e Pau Brasil, sul do Estado da Bahia, Brasil. Os dados foram obtidos em 38 diferentes sítios amostrais (incluindo poças, transectos no interior da floresta e em riachos) através de procura ativa visual e acústica, armadilhas de interceptação e queda e por encontros oportunísticos. Foram registradas 80 espécies de anfíbios distribuídas em 15 famílias: Aromobatidae (1), Brachycephalidae (3), Bufonidae (4), Centrolenidae (2), Ceratophryidae (1), Craugastoridae (7), Eleutherodactylidae (2), Hemiphractidae (2), Hylidae (42), Hylodidae (1), Leptodactylidae (7), Microhylidae (3), Siphonopidae (1), Odontophrynidae (3) e Pipidae (1). A riqueza foi positivamente correlacionada com a precipitação mensal. Aproximadamente 36% das espécies foram encontradas em ambientes estritamente florestais, 15% são endêmicas do Estado da Bahia e 77.2% são endêmicas do bioma Mata Atlântica. A alta diversidade de espécies desta pequena área, o elevado endemismo e a relevância taxonômica e biogeográfica tornam a Serra Bonita um 'hotpoint' para anfíbios no 'hotspot' da Mata Atlântica.