Pristimantis calima, Ospina-Sarria & Duellman, 2019

Ospina-Sarria, Jhon Jairo, 2019, Two New Species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from Southwestern Colombia, Herpetologica 75 (1), pp. 85-95 : 85-89

Pristimantis calima sp. nov.

( Figs. 1A , 2A,E , 3A ; Table 1 )

Holotype. — KU 168849 , adult male from the Río Calima , 1.5 km (by road) west of Lago Calima, 1230-m elevation (3°53 ′ N, 76°34 ′ W; datum ¼ WGS84), Departamento del Valle del Cauca, Colombia, one of a series collected by William E. Duellman and Linda Trueb on 31 May and 1 June 1975.

Paratypes. — KU 168846–48 , 168851 , adult females collected with the holotype .

Diagnosis. — Pristimantis calima is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: (1) skin on dorsum smooth, becoming finely shagreen laterally and coarse on the flanks; ventral skin areolate; discoidal fold present, well anterior to groin; dorsolateral folds and ridges absent in scapula region; (2) tympanic membrane differentiated, round; its length 36.3% of eye length in one male and 26.4–38.6% in four females; tympanic annulus prominent, not covered by supratympanic fold, which extends from posterior corner of orbit along upper edge of temporal region toward insertion of arm; (3) snout moderately long, subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile, with papilla at tip; canthus rostralis straight; (4) upper eyelid bearing 3–6 tubercles small, narrower than IOD (53.5–73.3% IOD); small interocular tubercle present; cranial crests absent; (5) choanae small, ovoid; not concealed by palatal shelf of maxillary arch; dentigerous processes of vomers prominent, triangular in outline, separated medially by a distance equal to the width of the visible dentigerous process, located well behind posterior edges of choanae, each odontophore bearing 4–5 teeth; (6) male with vocal slits and subgular vocal sac evident externally; nuptial pads present on thumbs; (7) finger I shorter than finger II; discs and circumferential grooves present on all fingers; discs truncate, except on finger I, which is round; disc of finger I smaller than that of finger II and this in turn smaller than discs on fingers III and IV; (8) fingers with lateral fringes; palmar tubercle not divided; thenar tubercle oval, slightly smaller than palmar tubercle; supernumerary tubercles low, distributed on all fleshy parts of palm; subarticular tubercles round, two on thumb and second finger and three on third and fourth fingers, and larger than supernumerary tubercles; (9) two or three ulnar tubercles subconical, not coalesced ( Fig. 2A ); (10) heel and outer edge of tarsus lacking tubercles; inner tarsal tubercle indistinct; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle elongate, its length twice its width; low, conical outer metatarsal tubercle one-fourth size of inner metatarsal tubercle; subarticular tubercles round, two on toes I and II, three on toes III and V, and four on toe IV; supernumerary plantar tubercles low, rounded, on proximal segments of toes; (12) toes bearing prominent lateral fringes; basal webbing not encompassing basal subarticular tubercles, except on outer border of toe IV ( Fig. 2E ); toe III shorter than toe V; toe III extending to distal edge of the antepenultimate subarticular tubercle of toe IV; toe V reaching distal edge of penultimate subarticular tubercle of toe IV; discs and circumferential grooves present on all toes; discs of toes III – V equal to discs on fingers III – IV and larger than discs of toes I–II; (13) color in life: dorsum dull green, reddish brown, or olive brown; ventral surfaces of hind limbs pinkish lavender; groin and anterior surfaces of thighs cream brown; throat and belly surfaces yellow; iris pale creamy bronze with median red streak; (14) SVL in the only known adult male 24.0 mm; in adult females 37.7–40.0 mm (mean ± 1 SD ¼ 38.8 ± 0.90 mm; n ¼ 4) .

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Comparisons. — Pristimantis calima differs from the other species in the genus by having basal webbing on outer edge of toe IV, subarticular tubercles beneath the joint between distal phalanges, papilla at the tip of snout, and uniform cream-brown coloration on the anterior surfaces of thighs and in the groin. It is most similar to three Ecuadorian species— P. eugeniae , P. nŋctophŋlax , and P. subsigillatus ( Fig. 1 ) by having subarticular tubercles beneath the joint between distal phalanges, dorsal skin smooth, ventral skin areolate, discoidal fold well anterior to groin, snout subacuminate in dorsal view and rounded in profile, papilla at tip of snout, vocal slits and nuptial pads present, dentigerous processes of vomers prominent, tympanic membrane differentiated, tympanic annulus not covered by supratympanic fold, and by lacking of tubercles on medial surface of tarsus. However, P. calima has more webbing on outer edge of toe IV that encompasses the basal subarticular tubercle (not encompassing basal subarticular tubercle in those species; Fig. 2E–H ). Furthermore, females of P. calima are larger (SVL 37.7–40.0 mm) than those of P. eugeniae (SVL 30.5–37.6 mm; Lynch and Duellman 1997) and P. subsigillatus (SVL 30.0– 33.4 mm; Lynch and Duellman 1997). Also, P. calima differs from P. eugeniae by having a row of three or four subconical tubercles on the postaxial surface of the forearm (only the antebrachial tubercle is present in P. eugeniae ; Fig. 2A,B ). Furthermore, P. calima differs from P. nŋctophŋlax and P. subsigillatus by having uniform cream-brown coloration on anterior surfaces of thighs and groin area (black bars or gray reticulations of the anterior surfaces of the thighs and groin in P. nŋctophŋlax and P. subsigillatus ; Fig. 3 ). Finally, P. calima could be considered similar in appearance to P. mindo Arteaga et al. (2013) ; however, P. calima has basal webbing on the outer edge of toe IV, papilla at the tip of snout, nuptial pads present on thumbs, and females having uniform creambrown coloration on the anterior surfaces of thighs and in the groin (instead of flash marks on the thighs and groin in P. mindo ).

Among species of Pristimantis in western Colombia, few have webbing between toes; these are P. albericoi ( Lynch and Ruiz-Carranza 1996) , P. bernali ( Lynch 1986) , P. diaphonus ( Lynch 1986) , P. diogenes (Lynch and RuizCarranza 1996), P. hŋbotragus ( Lynch 1992) , P. jaimei ( Lynch 1992) , and P. loustes ( Lynch 1979) . In comparison with P. calima , P. albericoi is smaller, with a SVL of 20.6– 20.7 mm in adult males and 25.0– 29.3 mm in adult females ( Lynch and Ruiz-Carranza 1996) and has low postocular folds (SVL 24.0 mm in adult males and 37.7–40.0 mm of SVL in adult females, and postocular folds absent in P. calima ). Likewise, P. bernali lacks vocal slits, nuptial pads on thumb, and papilla on the tip of the snout (characters present in P. calima ), whereas P. diaphonus and P. loustes differ by having toes half webbed and no tympanic membrane (basal webbing not encompassing basal subarticular tubercles except on outer border of toe IV and tympanic membrane evident in P. calima ). Webbing encloses the basal subarticular tubercles on the toes and an inner tarsal fold characterizes P. diogenes and P. jaimei (basal webbing not encompassing basal subarticular tubercles except on outer border of toe IV and tarsal fold absent in P. calima ). Finally, P. hŋbotragus is distinguished by having a flaplike inner tarsal fold (inner tarsal fold absent in P. calima ).

Description of the holotype. —An adult male with head wider than body; head width 42.5% of SVL; head length 37.5% of SVL; snout moderately long, subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile; snout having one papilla at its tip; eye–nostril distance 69.6% of diameter of eye; nostrils not protuberant, directly lateral at level of lower jaw. Canthus rostralis straight, not elevated; loreal region concave lacking tubercles; lips rounded; internarial region slightly depressed; top of head flat with small conical tubercle between upper eyelids; upper eyelid with three small tubercles; its width 66.6% of IOD; supratympanic fold slightly curved downward just posterior to orbit; tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus present, not covered by the supratympanic fold; two enlarged postrictal tubercles present. Choanae small, nearly round, not obscured by palatal shelf; dentigerous processes of vomers prominent, each process bearing four teeth; tongue as long as wide, its posterior border not notched, posterior third not adherent to floor of mouth; paired vocal slits present, longitudinal, lateral to base of tongue; median subgular vocal sac present.

Skin on dorsum smooth, becoming finely shagreen on the flanks; skin on belly, throat, and ventral surfaces of the thighs areolate; discoidal fold present well anterior to groin; dorsolateral folds absent; cloacal sheath short; no tubercles in cloacal region. Three ulnar tubercles forming a row along the ventrolateral edge of the forearm; palmar tubercle not divided; thenar tubercle oval, slightly smaller than palmar tubercle; subarticular tubercles round, prominent, two on thumb and second finger and three on third and fourth fingers, and larger than supernumerary tubercles; supernumerary tubercles low, on all fleshy parts of palm; fingers having lateral fringes; relative lengths of fingers I <II <IV <III, all fingers having terminal ventral pads well defined by circumferential grooves; disc on thumb narrow, that on finger II slightly smaller than tympanic annulus; discs on fingers III and IV as wide as tympanic annulus; white, nonspinous nuptial pads are present on the dorsomedial surface of the base of the thumb. Hind limbs moderately robust; when hind limbs flexed perpendicular to axis of body, heels overlap; tibia length 50.4% of SVL; foot length 46.2% of SVL; heel and outer edge of tarsus lacking of tubercles; inner tarsal tubercle indistinct; inner metatarsal tubercle elongate, its length twice its width; oval outer metatarsal tubercle one-fourth size of inner; toes bearing lateral fringes and discs (about as wide as long) on expanded pads; basal webbing not encompassing basal subarticular tubercles, except on outer border of toe IV; relative lengths of toes I <II <III <V <IV; toe III much shorter than toe V; toe III extending to distal edge of the antepenultimate subarticular tubercle of toe IV; toe V reaching distal edge of penultimate subarticular tubercle of toe IV; all toes having terminal ventral pads well defined by circumferential grooves; discs of toes III–V equal to discs on fingers III–IV and larger than discs of toes I–II; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded, two on toes I and II, three on toes III and V, and four on toe IV; supernumerary tubercles low, rounded, numerous on proximal segments of digits.

In life, dorsum dull green, reddish brown, or olive brown ( Fig. 1A ). Ventral surfaces of hind limbs pinkish lavender, throat and belly surfaces yellow. Iris pale creamy bronze with medial red streak (WED, field catalog, 31 May 1974).

Measurements of holotype (mm). —SVL 24.0, tibia length 12.1, foot length 11.1, HL 9.0, head width 10.2, IOD 3.0, internarial distance 2.0, width of upper eyelid 2.0, diameter of eye 3.3, eye–nostril distance 2.3, diameter of tympanum 1.2.

Distribution and ecology. — Pristimantis calima is known only from the type locality in lower montane rain forest in a deep valley with small, cascading streams ( Fig. 4 ). The frogs were found on leaves, on the ground, and on tree trunks 2–3 m above the ground at night. During the 2 d and nights spent at the type locality on 31 May and 1 June 1975, temperature varied from 14 to 25°C. The observed daily rainfall was 19 mm and 4 mm, respectively.

Etymology. —The specific name is a noun in apposition. It is the name of the type locality, the Río Calima. This locality is recognized as one of the most important archaeological reserves in Colombia because it contains the prints of an ancient Colombian civilization that was identified as ‘‘Calima.’’

Remarks. —The humid Pacific slopes of the Cordillera Occidental and adjacent Chocoan lowlands harbor a great diversity of amphibians, especially centrolenid, dendrobatid, and strabomantid frogs. WED (with L. Trueb and J.E. Simmons) spent 3 d at the Río Calima site in September 1974 and 2 d there in May and June 1975. During these 5 d and nights they found five new species: Nŋmphargus prasinus ( Duellman 1981), Gastrotheca dendronastes Duellman 1983 , Hŋloscirtus simmonsi ( Duellman 1989), Pristimantis calima , and P. diaphonus ( Lynch 1986) . Other sympatric species found were: P. achatinus ( Boulenger 1898) , P. erŋthropleura ( Boulenger 1896) , P. orpacobates ( Lynch et al. 1994) , N. grandisonae ( Cochran and Goin 1970), and N. griffithsi ( Goin 1961).

Figures

FIG. 1.—Living specimens of Pristimantis calima (A; paratype, KU 168847, adult female, snout–vent length [SVL] 40 mm), P. eugeniae (B; holotype, KU 165899, adult female, SVL 30.5 mm), P. nŋctophŋlax (C; paratype, KU 110899, subadult female, SVL 31.2 mm), and P. subsigillatus (D; KU 165587, subadult female, SVL 31 mm).

FIG. 2.—Ventral views of the postaxial surface of the forearm showing ulnar tubercles, and plantar views of feet showing basal webbing on outer border of toe IV in Pristimantis calima (A, E; paratype, KU 168846, adult female, snout–vent length [SVL] 38.4 mm), P. eugeniae (B, F; paratype, KU 165900, adult female, SVL 32 mm), P. nŋctophŋlax (C, G; paratype, KU 110930, adult female, SVL 40.5 mm), and P. subsigillatus (D, H; KU 165587, subadult female, SVL 31 mm). Scale bar ¼ 5 mm. A color version of this figure is available online.

FIG. 3.—Variation of the patterns of coloration on anterior surfaces of thighs and groin area in Pristimantis calima (A; holotype, KU 168849, adult male, snout–vent length [SVL] 24.0 mm), P. nŋctophŋlax (B; holotype, KU 110909, adult male, SVL 29.3 mm), and P. subsigillatus (C; KU 131569, subadult male, SVL 20 mm). A color version of this figure is available online.

FIG. 4.—Map of southwestern Colombia (inset) showing the type localities of Pristimantis calima (star) and P. sneiderni (triangle). Lines indicate boundaries of the two departments within which the new species are known to occur.