Rediscovery of Hyalinobatrachium chirripoi (Anura: Centrolenidae) in southeastern Costa Rica

The Suretka glass frog, Hyalinobatrachium chirripoi, has been recently rediscovered in the southeastern region of Costa Rica. This species was last reported in Costa Rica in the 1950's. H. chirripoi is distinguished from H. colymbiphyllum, which appears to be its most closely Costa Rican related taxon, by having extensive webbing between fingers II-III.     

A new species of frog of the genus Hyalinobatrachium (Anura: Centrolenidae) of the Delta of the Orinoco River,Venezuela

A new species of Hyalinobatrachium of the fleischmanni group, H. mondolfii, is described from the Orinoco delta floodplains in Venezuela. This new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characters: parietal peritoneum clear, pericardium white, visceral and hepatic peritoneum white, color in life pale green with diminute yellow spots and, in preservative, cream with small dark melanophores (visible only under magnification), bones white in life, extense webbing, snout round in dorsal view and inclinate in lateral view, dorsal skin granulate and a advertisement call with a fundamental frequency greater than 5000 Hz.     

Cyanosis by methemoglobinemia in tadpoles of Cochranella granulosa (Anura: Centrolenidae)

Tadpoles inhabit generally well oxygenated rivers and streams, nevertheless they were found in areas with limited oxygen availability inside the rivers. To assess this feature, I examined factors that influence centrolenid tadpole behaviour using Cochranella granulosa. The tadpoles were reared in well-oxygenated and hypoxic environments and their development, survivorship and growth were compared. The tadpoles in oxygenated water acquired a pale color, while tadpoles in hypoxic water grew faster and were bright red and more active. In the oxygenated water, the ammonium, which had its origin in the tadpoles' urine and feces, was oxidized to nitrate. In contrast, in the hypoxic treatment, the nitrogen compounds remained mainly as ammonium. Presumably, the nitrate in oxygenated water was secondarily reduced to nitrite inside the long intestine coils, because all symptoms in the tadpoles point to methemoglobinemia, which can occur when the nitrite passes through the intestine wall into the bloodstream, transforming the hemoglobin into methemoglobin. This could be checked by a blood test where the percentage of methemoglobin was 2.3% in the blood of tadpoles reared in hypoxic condition, while there was a 19.3% level of methemoglobin in the blood of tadpoles reared in oxygenated water. Together with the elevated content of methemoglobin, the growth of the tadpoles was delayed in oxygenated water, which had high nitrate content. The study about quantitative food-uptake showed that the tadpoles benefit more from the food in hypoxic water, although they spent there more energy moving around than the tadpoles living in oxygenated but nitrate-charged water.     

Description of the previously unknown male of Argulus kosus Avenant-Oldewage, 1994 (Crustacea: Branchiura)

Argulus kosus Avenant-Oldewage, 1994 was described from two females collected in Kosi Bay, South Africa. Individuals of both sexes have now been found associated with freshwater, estuarine and marine fishes in Lake St Lucia on the coast of northern KwaZulu/Natal. The male is described, and A. smalei Avenant-Oldewage & Oldewage, 1995 is synonymised with A. kosus.     

Fine scale gene flow and individual movements among subpopulations of Centrolene prosoblepon (Anura: Centrolenidae)

Dispersal capabilities determine and maintain local gene flow, and this has implications for population persistence and/or recolonization following environmental perturbations (natural or anthropogenic), disease outbreaks, or other demographic collapses. To predict recolonization and understand dispersal capacity in a stream-breeding frog, we examined individual movement patterns and gene flow among four subpopulations of the Neotropical glassfrog, Centrolene prosoblepon, at a mid-elevation cloud forest site at El Copé, Panama. We measured male movement directly during a two year mark-recapture study, and indirectly with gene flow estimates from mitochondrial DNA sequences (mtDNA). Individuals of this species showed strong site fidelity: over two years, male frogs in all four headwater streams moved very little (mean = 2.33 m; mode = 0 m). Nine individuals changed streams within one or two years, moving 675-1,108 m. For those males moving more than 10 m, movement was biased upstream (p < 0.001). Using mtDNA ND1 gene sequences, we quantified gene flow within and among headwater streams at two spatial scales: among headwater streams within two adjacent watersheds (2.5 km2) and among streams within a longitudinal gradient covering 5.0 km2. We found high gene flow among headwater streams (phi(ST) = 0.007, p = 0.325) but gene flow was more limited across greater distances (phi(CT) = 0.322, p = 0.065), even within the same drainage network. Lowland populations of C. prosoblepon potentially act as an important source of colonists for upland populations in this watershed.     

Functional anatomy of the internal gills of the tadpole of Litoria ewingii (Anura,Hylidae)

Summary (1) Scanning electron microscopy and vascular casting were used to study the morphology and vascular anatomy of the fully developed internal gills of Litoria ewingii tadpoles. — (2) The four pairs of gills were located in two branchial baskets on either side of the heart. Each gill consisted of a branchial arch with gill tufts projecting ventrally and gill filters running dorsally. The gills bore a variable number of gill tufts in which a complex three-dimensional array of capillary loops, of varying lengths and diameters, was trailed in the path of the ventilatory current. — (3) The evidence presented in this paper suggests that the gill tufts have greater potential as gas exchangers than either the gill filters or skin. — (4) The study revealed structural and functional evidence for the existence of branchial shunts between afferent and efferent branchial arteries.     

Morphology of the cranial skeleton and musculature in the obligate carnivorous tadpole of Lepidobatrachus laevis (Anura: Ceratophryidae)

Ziermann, J.M., Infante, C., Hanken, J. and Olsson, L. 2011. Morphology of the cranial skeleton and musculature in the obligate carnivorous tadpole of Lepidobatrachus laevis (Anura: Ceratophryidae). —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 00 :1–12. Lepidobatrachus laevis (Ceratophryidae: Ceratophryinae) is a bizarre frog endemic to the Chacoan desert of central South America. Its tadpole is an obligate carnivore that can catch and consume live prey nearly its own size. Morphological adaptations associated with this unique feeding mode, including the larval skull anatomy and associated cranial musculature, have only been partly described. We studied the head of Stages 26–27 larvae using gross dissection, immunohistochemistry, and standard histology. Derived features of this tadpole compared to the microphagous, herbivorous larvae of most other anurans include simplified chondrocranial cartilages and very robust jaw muscles. The mm. suspensorio‐ et quadratoangularis do not take their origin from the processus muscularis of the palatoquadrate, as in most other tadpoles, but instead originate from the corpus of the palatoquadrate caudal to this process. The jaw levators are unusually large. The tadpole of Ceratophrys, another member of the ceratophryine clade, also consumes large animal prey, but its morphology is very different. It probably has evolved independently from a generalized, mainly herbivorous tadpole similar to the larva of Chacophrys, the third ceratophryine genus. Most specialized features of the larval head of Lepidobatrachus laevis are adaptations for ‘megalophagy’—ingestion of whole, very large animal prey.     

New and previously unknown Eurytomidae (Hymenoptera) species from Yemen

Ten new species of the genera Eurytoma (8 species) and Tetramesa (2 species) from Yemen are described (Eurytoma lahji Zerova, E. thoraxica Zerova, E. cyrtophorae Zerova, E. longipes Zerova, E. yemeni Zerova, E. mabari Zerova, E. tibiaspinae Zerova, E. longitarsis Zerova, Tetramesa sanai Zerova, and T. rujumi Zerova). The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the collection of the Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev.     

Novel Data on the Ecology of Cochranella mache (Anura: Centrolenidae) and the Importance of Protected Areas for This Critically Endangered Glassfrog in the Neotropics

We studied a population of the endangered glassfrog, Cochranella mache, at Bilsa Biological Station, northwestern Ecuador, from 2008 and 2009. We present information on annual abundance patterns, behavioral ecology, habitat use and a species distribution model performed with MaxEnt. We evaluate the importance of the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP) in Colombia and Ecuador, under scenarios of climate change and habitat loss. We predicted a restricted environmental suitability area from 48,509 Km² to 65,147 Km² along western Ecuador and adjacent Colombia; ∼8% of the potential distribution occurs within SNAP. We examined four aspects of C. mache ecology: (1) ecological data suggests a strong correlation between relative abundance and rainfall, with a high probability to observe frogs through rainy months (February–May); (2) habitat use and the species distribution model suggest that this canopy dweller is restricted to small streams and rivulets in primary and old secondary forest in evergreen lowland and piedmont forest of western Ecuador, with predictions of suitability areas in adjacent southern Colombia; (3) the SNAP of Colombia and Ecuador harbor a minimum portion of the predicted model of distribution (<10%); and (4) synergetic effects of habitat loss and climate change reduces in about 95% the suitability areas for this endangered frog along its distributional range in Protected Areas. The resulting model allows the recognition of areas to undertake conservation efforts and plan future field surveys, as well as forecasting regions with high probability of C. mache occurrence in western Ecuador and southern Colombia. Further research is required to assess population tendencies, habitat fragmentation and target survey zones to accelerate the discovery of unknown populations in unexplored areas with high probability of suitability. We recommend that Cochranella mache must be re-categorized as “Critically Endangered” species in national and global status, according with criteria and sub-criteria A4, B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv),E.     

Description of a New Species of Amolops (Anura:Ranidae) from Tibet,China

A new species,Amolops pallasitatus sp.nov.is described based on specimens collected from Chentang Town,Dinggyê County,southern Tibet,China.The new species can be distinguished from other known congeners by mitochondrial divergence and morphological characteristics including:(1)medium body size,SVL 70.6–72.3 mm in adult females;(2)skin smooth over the entire body;(3)absence of dorsolateral fold;(4)tympanum small,edge indistinct,less than half of eye diameter;(5)vomerine teeth in two short oblique;(6)circummarginal and transverse grooves absent on disk of the first finger;(7)presence of inner metacarpal tubercle;(8)toes fully webbed,webbing formula Ⅰ0-0~-Ⅱ0-1/2Ⅲ0-1~+Ⅳ1~+-0Ⅴ;(9)absence of outer metatarsal tubercle and tarsal glands;(10)tibiotarsal articulation of the hind limb reaches posterior corners of the eye;(11)dorsum yellow-green,with irregular dark brown blotches without margins;(12)blotches concentrated on the dorsum,less on the flanks.In morphology,Amolops pallasitatus sp.nov.is similar to A.himalayanus and A.formosus,the difference between them is length of hind limbs,web of toe and dorsal colour pattern.The systematic placement of the new species within the genus is unresolved and it is not assigned to any recognized species group,for the lack of convictive evidences.     

The tadpole of Scinax skuki (Anura: Hylidae) from the type locality,with a description of its larval skeleton

Herein, we provide external and internal morphological data of Scinax skuki tadpoles from its type locality. The benthic tadpole of S. skuki has eyes and nostrils positioned dorsally, vent tube dextral and reaching the free margin of the ventral fin, oral disk ventral with posterior margin concave when partially closed, labial tooth row formula 2/3, and the presence of nonpigmented spurs behind the lower jaw. These characters, together with the absence of a tectum parietale, and the shapes of the pars articularis quadrati and suprarostral, are useful for species identification and may be informative for systematic purposes.     

Resurrection of the Genus Leptomantis,with Description of a New Genus to the Family Rhacophoridae(Amphibia:Anura)

Genus Rhacophorus Kuhl and Van Hasselt, 1 822 is one of the most diverse genera of the family Rhacophoridae, and its taxonomy of genus Rhacophorus faces major challenges because of rapidly described new species and complex interspecies relations. In this study, we investigate the generic taxonomy within the genus Rhacophorus based on 1 972 bp of mitochondrial genes(12S rRNA, tRNA-val and 16S rRNA), containing 102 sequences from 58 species. The results reveal three well-supported and highly diverged matrilines that correspond with morphological characteristics and geographic distribution. Accordingly, we consider these three lineages as distinct genera: Rhacophorus sensu stricto, resurrected genus Leptomantis Peters, 1867, and the genus Zhangixalus gen. nov.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of tadpole assemblages (Amphibia,Anura) in a seasonal dry tropical forest of southeastern Brazil

We determined spatial and temporal distribution of tadpoles in 11 breeding habitats from Morro do Diabo State Park (MDSP), southeastern Brazil. Breeding habitats occupancy by tadpoles was tested to be different from a null model of random placement of species. We also tested whether tadpole occupancy in a given breeding habitat is organized according to different ecomorphological guilds, and we analyzed spatial partitioning of tadpoles among breeding habitats through similarity analysis. For temporal analysis we analyzed temporal partitioning of tadpole monthly occurrence also using similarity analysis, and assessed what climatic variable better predicts tadpole temporal occurrence in the MDSP, through regression analysis. Among tadpoles from 19 anuran species, distribution was different from a null model, but co-occurrence patterns among the breeding habitats did not differ among different guilds. However, breeding habitats with similar hydroperiods had similar species composition, which may be related to the reproduction patterns of species. Among the three climatic variables analyzed (rainfall, temperature, and photoperiod), temporal occurrence of monthly tadpole richness and abundance was correlated with temperature and rainfall. Most species were found only during the rainy season months, and overlap occurred within three groups of species. Thus, temporal distribution does not seem to be an important mechanism in species segregation at the MDSP, where the dry season is pronounced. In this case, spatial partitioning tends to be more important for species coexistence.     

Phylogeography of Iberian Discoglossus (Anura: Discoglossidae)

The genus Discoglossus (Anura, Discoglossidae) comprises five morphologically similar species. Molecular analyses have found high values of genetic differentiation among these cryptic taxa and confirmed the existence of two Iberian endemic lineages ( Discoglossus galganoi and D. jeanneae ) and a distinct lineage of uncertain origin representing a third species in NE Spain. In order to analyse the pattern of geographical distribution of haplotype diversity within Iberian Discoglossus and test the hypothesis of an Algerian origin for populations in NE Spain sequence data has been resolved from 35 populations of D. galganoi and D. jeanneae on the Iberian Peninsula and samples from NE Spain and north Africa. I analysed 959 bp corresponding to partial sequences of cytochrome b and nad 4 and found extremely low values of sequence divergence among populations of D. jeanneae . Three clades can be recognized within D. galganoi , however, and a statistically significant association with geography can be explained as a result of past fragmentation. Sequence data strongly support an Algerian origin for populations of Discoglossus from NE Spain. Finally, the taxonomic status of Discoglossus in Morocco is discussed and its elevation to species status as Discoglossus scovazzi Camerano, 1878 is suggested.