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. 2015 Jun 4:3:e1011.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1011. eCollection 2015.

Seven new microendemic species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from southern Brazil

Luiz F Ribeiro  1 , Marcos R Bornschein  2 , Ricardo Belmonte-Lopes  3 , Carina R Firkowski  3 , Sergio A A Morato  4 , Marcio R Pie  3
Affiliations

Seven new microendemic species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from southern Brazil

Luiz F Ribeiro et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) is a remarkable genus of miniaturized frogs of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Many of its species are highly endemic to cloud forests, being found only on one or a few mountaintops. Such level of microendemism might be caused by their climatic tolerance to a narrow set of environmental conditions found only in montane regions. This restriction severely limits the chance of discovery of new species, given the difficulty of exploring these inaccessible habitats. Following extensive fieldwork in montane areas of the southern portion of the Atlantic Rainforest, in this study we describe seven new species of Brachycephalus from the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. These species can be distinguished from one another based on coloration and the level of rugosity of the skin in different parts of their body. These discoveries increase considerably the number of described species of Brachycephalus in southern Brazil.

Keywords: Atlantic rainforest; Cloud forest; Saddle-back toads; Terrarana.

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Conflict of interest statement

Marcio R. Pie is an Academic Editor for PeerJ. Sergio A.A. Morato is an employee of STCP Engenharia de Projetos Ltda.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Holotype of Brachycephalus mariaeterezae (MHNCI 9811).
(A) dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of right hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Brachycephalus mariaeterezae in life.
The intensity of the light of the flash during photography led the light-blue coloration along their vertebral column to become less apparent.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Holotype of Brachycephalus olivaceus (MHNCI 9813).
(A) dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of left hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Brachycephalus olivaceus in life.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Holotype of Brachycephalus auroguttatus (DZUP 375).
(A) dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of right hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Brachycephalus auroguttatus in life.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Holotype of Brachycephalus verrucosus (MHNCI 9819).
(A) dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of left hand, (E) ventral view of left foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 8
Figure 8. Brachycephalus verrucosus in life.
Figure 9
Figure 9. Holotype of Brachycephalus fuscolineatus (DZUP 159).
(A) Dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of right hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 10
Figure 10. Brachycephalus fuscolineatus in life.
Figure 11
Figure 11. Holotype of Brachycephalus leopardus (DZUP 490).
(A) Dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of right hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 12
Figure 12. Brachycephalus leopardus in life.
Figure 13
Figure 13. Brachycephalus leopardus during amplexus.
Figure 14
Figure 14. Holotype of Brachycephalus boticario (DZUP 440).
(A) Dorsal view of the body, (B) ventral view of the body, (C) lateral view of the head, (D) ventral view of right hand, (E) ventral view of right foot. Horizontal scale bar = 5 mm; vertical scale bars = 2 mm.
Figure 15
Figure 15. Brachycephalus boticario in life.
Figure 16
Figure 16. Geographical distribution of Brachycephalus species of the pernix group.
Blue symbols represent occurrence records of previously described species, based on Pie et al. (2013), whereas black symbols indicate the new species described in the present study. Previously described species: A, B. tridactylus; B, B. brunneus; C, B. pernix; D, B. ferruginus; E, B. pombali; F, B. izecksohni. Species described herein: G, B. leopardus; H, B. auroguttatus; I, B. olivaceus; J, B.mariaeterezae; K, B. verrucosus; L, B. boticario; M, B. fuscolineatus. The black triangle on the inset with the map of Brazil indicates the position of the area in the larger map.
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