Pristimantis conservatio, Barrio-Amorós, César L., Heinicke, Matthew P. & Hedges, S. Blair, 2013

Barrio-Amorós, César L., Heinicke, Matthew P. & Hedges, S. Blair, 2013, A new tuberculated Pristimantis (Anura, Terrarana, Strabomantidae) from the Venezuelan Andes, redescription of Pristimantis pleurostriatus, and variation within Pristimantis vanadisae, Zootaxa 3647 (1), pp. 43-62 : 45-48

Pristimantis conservatio sp. nov.

Holotype: CVULA 7174, an adult female from a cloud forest immediately above the hamlet of Los Alcaravanes at Aguas Blancas, 1640 m, 856’43’’N, 7025’54’’W; Ramal de Calderas, Estado Barinas, Venezuela, taken on 8 of September 2008 by C. L. Barrio-Amorós.

Paratypes: An adult male of 21.7 mm SVL, CVULA 7175, with the same locality and collection data as the holotype.

Referred specimens: A juvenile specimen of 14.1 mm SVL, CVULA 7176, with the same collection data as the holotype.

Diagnosis: Pristimantis conservatio is a moderately sized (only adult male 21.7 mm, only female 33.8 mm) member of the unistrigatus species group sensu Lynch and Duellman (1997) and Hedges et al. (2008). It is diagnosed by (1) dorsal skin shagreen with a well defined middorsal raphe; no occipital ridges; ventral skin areolate; flanks with white speculate tubercles; (2) tympanum distinct, with well-defined tympanic annulus, 36%– 38.9% of the ED; (3) snout subacuminate in dorsal and lateral views; canthus rostralis rounded, not well defined; (4) upper eyelid smooth in preservative, with a few low tubercles, one usually larger and conical in life, on the posterior edge of the eyelid; (5) choanae small, round; dentigerous processes of the vomers inconspicuous, covered by palatal shelf; tongue large, longer than wide, cordiform, posterior half free; (6) males without vocal slits; no apparent nuptial pads; (7) finger I shorter than II; (8) fingers without lateral keels; (9) ulnar tubercles present; (10) tarsal tubercles and conical heel tubercles present; (11) two metatarsal tubercles, inner oval, large; outer conical, small; (12) toes with well-marked lateral keels; webbing absent; toes III, IV and V with broad discs, slightly smaller than those on fingers III and IV; (13) in life, color dorsally dark to pale brown with no evident pattern, black supratympanic stripe, lip bars, flank diagonal stripes, and hind limbs bars; ventrally reddish with a profusion of small brown to black spots and marks. Iris dark copper reticulated by fine black venation; iris periphery blue. In preserve, colors fade to dull gray; ventrally dirty white with darker marks.

Species comparison: This species is compared (characters of P. conservatio in parentheses) with the most similar tuberculated species P. vanadisae and P. pleurostriatus as well as other Pristimantis from the Venezuelan Andes and adjacent areas in Colombia. Nonetheless, the Venezuelan Andes (comprising the cordillera de Mérida but not the Perijá range) is isolated from the Cordillera oriental de Colombia by a low and dry valley (Depresión del Táchira) and only a few widespread amphibian species are known to share both cordilleras. The species has no flash marks on the groin and hidden surfaces of hind limbs (present on P. lentiginosus [Rivero 1984 1982”], P. melanoproctus [Rivero 1984 1982”], mondolfii [Rivero 1984 1982”], and P. vanadisae ), furthermore, none of these mentioned species have ulnar, tarsal or heel tubercles (present and conspicuous in P. conservatio ). The former tubernasus group of Rivero ( P. prolixodiscus [Lynch, 1978], P. tubernasus [Rivero 1984 1982”]) presents a pointed tubercle on the tip of snout (absent). Pristimantis ameliae Barrio-Amorós 2011 2012 has dorsolateral folds (absent), lacks ulnar, tarsal and heel tubercles (present), and vestigial webbing (absent). Pristimantis batrachites (Lynch 2003) from Cordillera oriental of Colombia has an acuminate dorsal and protruding in lateral views (subacuminate dorsally and laterally), canthus rostralis sharp (rounded, ill-defined), upper eyelid lacking tubercles (present), vocal slits present (absent), and is smaller, with females up to 21.7 mm (33.8 mm). The most similar species morphologically is Pristimantis vanadisae , which is a somewhat smaller frog, with males up to 19.8 mm, mean 18.60. 7 mm; n =9 (only male known 21.1), females up to 31.9 mm, mean 28.22. 1 mm; n =50 (only female known 33.8); well defined and angular canthus rostralis (round, ill defined), canthal stripe always present and well defined (present but ill-defined; never complete in three animals), yellow spots on the groin and posterior surface of thighs usually outlined with black (absent). Pristimantis pleurostriatus is a similar-sized frog, differing by having a round snout dorsally and laterally (subacuminate), a patterned flank with diagonal stripes (absent to illdefined); and a white/black marbled belly (reddish with a profusion of small brown to black spots and marks), and occurs on the opposite side of the Cordillera de Mérida, the eastern versant (western versant).

Description of the holotype. Head longer than wide, head width 34.3% of SVL. Snout subacuminate in dorsal and lateral views; EN equal to ED; nostrils non-protuberant, directed dorsolaterally; canthus rostralis rounded and ill-defined, loreal region slightly concave. Upper eyelid with low tubercles, one conical, larger but also low on the posterior part of the eyelid; tubercles absent on head. Cranial crests absent. Tympanum distinct, 38.9% of ED, its posterio-dorsal part obscured by a supratympanic fold; one enlarged post-rictal tubercle. Choanae small, rounded, not concealed by palatal shelf of maxillary arch; vomerine dentigerous processes inconspicuous, not visible, only slightly apparent by touch under palatal shelf, posterior and medial to choanae; vocal slits absent, vocal sac absent. Tongue slightly cordiform, posterior half free.

Dorsal skin shagreen in preservative (tuberculate in life; Fig. 1 a) with only a few small conical tubercles or spicules dorsally posterior to the head, tubercles also widespread on the flanks; occipital ridges not visible; middorsal raphe present, well-marked; dorsolateral folds absent; throat, chest and inferior part of thighs smooth, venter areolate; ulnar and tarsal tubercles present, not prominent, conical heel tubercle low.

Relative length of appressed fingers III>IV>II>I; first finger reaching half of the disc on finger II when approached. Finger discs much broader than long, disc on finger III of right hand 3.1 times wider than adjacent phalanx; horizontally oval except on Finger II, which is rounded; disc on Finger I is unexpanded. Lateral fringes on fingers absent. Palmar and thenar tubercles distinct, the first deeply bifid, the last ovoid. Subarticular tubercles protuberant, single, round. Supernumerary tubercles protuberant, in rows under each finger.

Hind limbs relatively short; shank 47.3% of SVL. Heel just overlaps the eye when held to the sagittal plane. Relative lengths of appressed toes IV>V>III>II>I. IV toe disc slightly smaller than III finger disc. Toes with fine lateral fringes, no basal webbing. Discs horizontally oval, wider than long, except on toe I, which is round. Inner metatarsal tubercle large, protuberant, oval; outer distinct, conical; subarticular tubercles protuberant, single, round; supernumerary tubercles distinct, in rows under each toe.

Color in life: The female holotype in life ( Fig. 1 a) is dark brown dorsally, with a well defined blackish interorbital bar. The canthal stripes are not complete, broken in the middle, black; the supra tympanic stripe is dark brown dorsally surrounded by black, as are two ill-defined upper lip bars; the upper lip background is orange brown. The flanks are lighter than the dorsum, with ill-defined blackish diagonal stripes, and a profusion of small white spots, apparently coinciding with small conical tubercles. Arms are orange-brown with white small spots; forearms are dark brown. Thighs and shanks are dark brown cross-barred with black. Finger and toe pads are variable, from light orange-brown to dark brown. Ventrally ( Fig. 1 b) the background is pale reddish brown with dark brown to black irregular and indefinite marks; the posterior part of the belly is reddish, as is the hind limbs background, reticulated with white. Iris dark copper reticulated by fine black venation; pupil black; the iris periphery is pale blue.

Color preserved. Dorsal color is dull grayish brown, with no evident marks; the only darker areas are the supratympanic stripe and limb bars. The posterior parts of the thighs are dirty white with a suffusion of dark spots. Ventrally, throat, chest, belly and under surfaces of hind limbs are dirty white with dark brown profusion of spots and irregular marks.

Measurements of holotype (in mm): SVL: 33.8; ShL 16; HeL: 12.5; HW: 11.6; EN: 4; ED: 3.8; TD: 1.5; FD: 1.7; T4D: 1.6; 1FiL: 4.5; 2FiL: 5.1.

Variation: Only two other specimens are known; one male (with enlarged greyish testicles) of 21.7 mm SVL ( Fig. 1 c); and a juvenile of 14.1 mm. The male is consistent with all characters of the female holotype, including the coloration, just being a little paler, and the dark diagonal stripes on the flanks are better defined. The iris periphery is pale blue. Vocal slits and sac are absent.

A juvenile of 14.1 mm ( Fig. 1 d) is greenish laterally, with two orange dorsolateral stripes and a copper dorsum; the ulnar, tarsal and conical tubercles, as well as the enlarged tubercles on eyelids, are already well-developed; the flanks also bear the white small spiculated tubercles.

Natural history: All specimens were collected in cloud forest at ≈1600 masl, on upper leaves of bushes 0.30 m (juvenile) to 1.20 m (female) above ground. No calls were heard associated with the species. It appears to be a rare species, compared with relatively higher abundance of P. vanadisae in similar habitat. Congeners in the type locality include the sympatric P. prolixodiscus (Lynch, 1978) and the syntopic P. y u s t i z i (Barrio-Amorós & Chacón, 2004). Other anurans found in the type locality are Allobates humilis Rivero , Aromobates sp., Hyloscirtus platidactylus Boulenger , Dendropsophus minutus Peters , and Gastrotheca nicefori Gaige (Barrio-Amorós 2010) .

Distribution and natural history: Pristimantis conservatio is known from a small area of the southeastern slopes of Paramo El Volcán, known as Aguas Blancas ( Fig. 2 ). There is no reason why the species could be not more widespread along the eastern versant of the Cordillera de Merida, with distribution similar to P. y u s t i z i (Barrio-Amorós & Chacón 2004). All three specimens were on leaves from 30 to 100 cm above the ground, in cloud forest not far from a small stream.

Etymology: From the Latin conservatio (or conservationis), meaning conservation or preservation. We dedicate this new species to the efforts made by Conservation International (CI) to protect the Earth’s natural heritage, both by promoting investigation and conservation. The species was collected during a RAP funded by CI’s Venezuelan office. We use the name as a nominative in apposition. The common English name Conservation landfrog; and the common Spanish name “Ranita nublada de los conservacionistas are suggested. We use the English common name "landfrog" rather than "rainfrog" (as has been used by other authors) for terraranans because it is the English translation of "Terrarana." Also, terraranans are direct developers and breed on land, not using rain water, and often vocalize when there is no rain.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pristimantis conservatio in life. (a, b) Dorsal and ventral views of holotype CVULA 7174, (c) male paratype CVULA 7175, (d) juvenile referred specimen, CVULA 7176.

FIGURE 2. Distribution of tuberculated Pristimantis in the Cordillera de Mérida, northwestern Venezuela. Black square: 1: Black circle: Pristimantis conservatio sp. nov. 2: Pristimantis pleurostriatus (also locality for P. vanadisae). White circles: Pristimantis vanadisae. 3: La Mucuy. 4: San Javier. 5: Monte Zerpa. 6: La Macana.