Pleurodema alium, Maciel, Daniel Bastos & Nunes, Ivan, 2010

Maciel, Daniel Bastos & Nunes, Ivan, 2010, A new species of four-eyed frog genus Pleurodema Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Leiuperidae) from the rock meadows of Espinhaço range, Brazil, Zootaxa 2640, pp. 53-61 : 54-57

Pleurodema alium sp. nov.

( Figures 1 and 2 B)

Holotype. MCNAM 7169, adult male, from Grão Mogol (16º19'20''S, 47º13'10''W; 970m altitude), Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, collected on February 2006, by R.R. Carvalho Jr., M.F. Lopes, F.M. Carvalho, and T.P. Paula.

Paratopotypes. MNRJ 66167 (ex. MCNAM 6723), collected on November 2005, by R.R. Carvalho Jr., M.F. Lopes, L.B. Nascimento, and F.M. Carvalho; MNRJ 66168–69 (ex. MCNAM 6851–52, respectively), MCNAM 6853–55, 6861–63, collected on December 2005, by M.F. Lopes, L.B. Nascimento, and F.M. Carvalho; MCNAM 7170, collected with the holotype; CFBH 10201, collected between November 29 and December 2, 2005, by L.F. Toledo and O.G.S. Araújo.

Diagnosis. Species belonging to the genus Pleurodema , as revealed by the presence of vomerine teeths (see Lynch 1971, Duellman & Veloso 1977) and overall similarities, morphologically similar to P. diplolister , and diagnosed by the following combination of characters: medium size (males 32.3–36.1 mm SVL); lumbar gland absent; tarsal fold absent; presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel; inner metacarpal tubercle rounded and well developed in males; absence or vestigial presence of supranumerary tubercles on hand; absence or vestigial presence of fringes in fingers; annulus tympanicus distinct; and absence of flash coloration in the hidden portions of the thighs and groin.

Comparison with other species. Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. bibroni and P. kriegi by the absence of lumbar glands (present in P. bibroni and P. k r i e g i), distinct annulus tympanicus (concealed in P. bibroni and P. k r i e g i), prominent odontophores (not evident in P. bibroni and P. k r i e g i), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. bibroni and P. k r i e g i).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. differs from P. borellii and P. cinereum by the absence of lumbar glands (present in P. borellii and P. cinereum ), absence of tarsal fold (present in P. borellii and P. cinereum ), presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. borellii and P. cinereum ), and absence of flash coloration in the hidden portions of the thighs and groin (presence of yellow, pink, or orange flash coloration in P. borellii and P. c i n e re u m).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. brachyops by its inner metacarpal tubercle large and rounded in males (narrow and elliptical in P. brachyops ), absence of lumbar glands (present in P. brachyops ), presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. brachyops ), and absence of flash coloration in the hidden portions of the thighs and groin (presence of yellow, pink, or orange flash coloration in P. brachyops ).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. differs from P. bufoninum by the absence of lumbar glands (present in P. bufoninum ), absence of tarsal fold (present in P. bufoninum ), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. bufoninum ).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. differs from P. cordobae by the absence of lumbar glands (present in P. cordobae ), distinct annulus tympanicus (concealed in P. cordobae ), presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. cordobae ), and absence of flash coloration in the hidden portions of the thighs and groin (presence of orange flash coloration in P. cordobae ).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. diplolister , the morphologically most similar species, by its inner metacarpal tubercle large and rounded in males (narrow and elliptical in P. diplolister , see Fig. 2 A), absence or vestigial presence of supranumerary tubercles (presence of several bigger supranumerary tubercles in P. diplolister ; see Fig. 2 A), and by the absence or vestigial presence of finger fringes (very well developed in P. diplolister ; see Fig. 2 A).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. differs from P. fuscomaculatum by its distinct annulus tympanicus (concealed in P. fuscomaculatum ), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (present on the medial portion of tarsus in P. fuscomaculatum ).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. guayapae by its inner metacarpal tubercle large and rounded in males (narrow and elliptical in P. guayapae ), distinct annulus tympanicus (concealed in P. guayapae ), prominent odontophores (not evident in P. guayapae ), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. guayapae ).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. marmoratum and P. tucumanum by its prominent odontophores (not evident in P. marmoratum and P. t u c u m a n u m), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. marmoratum and P. t u c u m a n u m).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. differs from P. nebulosum by its its inner metacarpal tubercle large and rounded in males (narrow and elliptical in P. nebulosum ), prominent odontophores (not evident in P. nebulosum ), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. n e b u l o s u m).

Pleurodema alium sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. thaul by its the absence of lumbar glands (present in P. thaul ), distinct annulus tympanicus (concealed in P. t h a u l), absence of tarsal fold (present in P. t h a u l), and presence of a tarsal tubercle near the heel (absent in P. thaul ).

Description of holotype. Body robust; head wider than long; snout rounded in dorsal outline and in profile; nostrils antero-lateral, elliptical, closer to the tip of snout than to eye, with small dorsal elevation; canthus rostralis not marked, rounded; loreal region almost vertical, nearly concave; eyes slightly protuberant; tympanum medium-sized, distinct; supratympanic fold poorly distinct, straight from the posterior corner of the eye to near the shoulder; vocal sac subgular, well-developed, expanded laterally, extending to the edge between chest and belly; vocal slits present; choanae large, rounded; tongue cordiform, free on approximately one third of its length; vomerine teeth present; maxillary teeth present. Arms short, robust; forearms more robust than upper arms, both approximately of the same length; fingers slender, short, with vestigial fringes; thumbs with extensive brown nuptial asperities, which cover half of the inner metacarpal tubercle; subarticular tubercles single, large, protruding, conical; outer metacarpal tubercle very large, rounded, covering almost the entire carpal region; inner metacarpal tubercle large, rounded, nearly two thirds of the outer metacarpal tubercle; presence of two small supernumerary tubercles on hand, almost vestigial; finger tips pointed; finger lengths IV<II<I<III. Legs moderately robust; thigh slightly longer than tibia, the sum of their lengths slightly smaller than snout-vent length; inner tarsal fold absent; toes slender, long, weakly fringed; subarticular tubercles distinct, single, protruding, conical; inner metatarsal tubercle distinct, spadelike; outer metatarsal tubercle distinct, protruding, spade-like, approximately of the same size of the inner metatarsal tubercle; presence of one supernumerary tubercle; toe tips pointed; toe lengths I<II<V<III<IV. Dorsal surfaces smooth. Undersurfaces smooth, with exception of posterior surfaces of thighs and cloacal region, which are covered by granules. Presence of a tarsal tubercle closer to the heel.

Color in preservative of the holotype. The dorsal ground color is gray. Presence of several dark-gray blotches bordering white ocellus scattered on dorsum, which gives the appearance of a marbled pattern. The dorsal surface of thigh and tibia has fragmented transversal stripes.

Color in life. Description based on the unvouchered photo of the Figure 3 . The dorsal ground color is gray, with presence of several green blotches bordering white ocellus scattered on dorsum, which gives the appearance of a marbled pattern. In the lumbar region, these blotches have dark gray color. The dorsal surface of thigh and tibia has fragmented transversal stripes.

Measurements of the holotype (in mm). SVL 36.1, HL 12.5, HW 12.0, ED 4.1, TD 1.8, UEW 3.6, IOD 2.3, IND 3.0, END 3.0, SND 1.6, FAL 6.5, HAL 9.6, THL 15.5, TL 14.8, FL 23.5.

Variation in the type-series. The type series is quite morphologically homogeneous. Externally, there is some variation in the shape of the snout in dorsal view, usually semicircular and short, but it can also be rounded and long (MNRJ 66168). The specimen MNRJ 66168 has a supratympanic fold more noticeable than the others. The metacarpal tubercle of females is slightly less developed, but still large and rounded. Color in preservative follows the holotype. See males morphometric variation in Table 1.

Geographic distribution and habitat. Known from the type-locality, Municipality of Grão Mogol, Minas Gerais State (present study), and Municipality of Caetité, Bahia State, Brazil (M. Solé unpublished data) ( Fig. 4 ). Both areas are embedded in the Espinhaço mountain range, with a peculiar vegetation type of the rock meadows of highlands called “Campos Rupestres” ( Fig. 5 ; for the description of Brazilian Campos Rupestres, see Heyer 1999). The geographic record of the Municipality of Caetité, Bahia State, is based on the analysis of unpublished specimens by IN.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin “ alius ” (English “other”) in allusion to the unexpected finding of this new species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pleurodema alium sp. nov. (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of holotype, MCNAM 7169, adult male, SVL 36.1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Detail of the palmar morphology of (A) Pleurodema diplolister (MNRJ 12002; topotype, adult male) and (B) Pleurodema alium sp. nov. (MCNAM 7169; holotype, adult male).

FIGURE 3. Adult female of Pleurodema alium sp. nov. photographed in life (unvouchered photo; Photograph by L. B. Nascimento).

FIGURE 4. Map with known geographic distribution of Pleurodema diplolister (circles) and Pleurodema alium sp. nov (star = type-locality; square = record from M. Solé unpublished data).

FIGURE 5. Pond at “ Campos Rupestres ” (rocky meadows), the habitat of Pleurodema alium sp. nov. at the type locality, Municipality of Grão Mogol, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Photograph by L. B. Nascimento.