Submission Type
Event
Expected Graduation Date
2013
Location
Atrium, Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-20-2013 9:00 AM
End Date
4-20-2013 10:00 AM
Disciplines
Biology
Abstract
Frogs of the genus Pristimantis are found throughout northern South America in various habitats ranging from lowland rainforest, cloud forest and up to 4000 m in the puna. Members of the family Strabomantidae breed terrestrially without a free swimming tadpole; instead froglets hatch from terrestrially deposited eggs. Of the 455 known species of Pristimantis 123 are known from Peru. Here we describe a new species from the Cordillera Central in the Andes of southern Peru. The new species is known from only one female specimen. It is readily distinguished from all other members of the genus by a combination of a dark brown dorsum with large white blotches, absence of tympanic membrane and annulus, bright orange-red color in the groin and concealed surfaces of hind legs, and a distinct iris with intersecting vertical and horizontal streaks forming a cross. The new species is most similar with Pristimantis cruciocularis from the Andes of central Peru, but differs in several morphological characteristics such as size: Specimens of P. cruciocularis have a snout-vent length of 11.4–21.8 mm (n = 14) compared to 23.5 mm (n = 1) in the new species.
Included in
A new species of frog of the genus Pristimantis (Strabomantidae) from a cloud forest in southern Peru
Atrium, Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Frogs of the genus Pristimantis are found throughout northern South America in various habitats ranging from lowland rainforest, cloud forest and up to 4000 m in the puna. Members of the family Strabomantidae breed terrestrially without a free swimming tadpole; instead froglets hatch from terrestrially deposited eggs. Of the 455 known species of Pristimantis 123 are known from Peru. Here we describe a new species from the Cordillera Central in the Andes of southern Peru. The new species is known from only one female specimen. It is readily distinguished from all other members of the genus by a combination of a dark brown dorsum with large white blotches, absence of tympanic membrane and annulus, bright orange-red color in the groin and concealed surfaces of hind legs, and a distinct iris with intersecting vertical and horizontal streaks forming a cross. The new species is most similar with Pristimantis cruciocularis from the Andes of central Peru, but differs in several morphological characteristics such as size: Specimens of P. cruciocularis have a snout-vent length of 11.4–21.8 mm (n = 14) compared to 23.5 mm (n = 1) in the new species.