Fifty years after: A taxonomic revision of the amphibian species from the Ecuadorian biodiversity hotspot Abra de Zamora, with description of two new Pristimantis species

PLoS One. 2020 Sep 10;15(9):e0238306. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238306. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Abra de Zamora is an important biodiversity hotspot in southern Ecuador. Between 1938 and 2010, eleven species of frogs were described from here: Lynchius flavomaculatus, Gastrotheca psychrophila, Pristimantis balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. cryptomelas, P. percultus, P. versicolor, P. vidua, Telmatobius cirrhacelis, P. andinognomus, and Atelopus podocarpus. Unfortunately, many of these species were not re-encountered after their original description, and for the majority DNA samples were not available, making their phylogenetic position unknown. In this study, we assess the current state of the amphibians from Abra de Zamora, by: i. redescribing the species which were first reported from the area, by contributing genetic delimitation (for L. flavomaculatus, P. balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. percultus, and P. vidua), release call (L. flavomaculatus) and advertisement call descriptions (for P. balionotus, P. vidua and P. versicolor); ii. presenting an updated amphibian species list of Abra de Zamora, with the description of two additional Pristimantis species; iii. updating the distribution of these species, including data collected in similar montane habitats from surrounding areas; and iv. amending recommendations regarding their conservation status.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Distribution*
  • Animals
  • Anura / anatomy & histology*
  • Anura / classification*
  • Anura / genetics
  • Biodiversity*
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / analysis
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Ecuador
  • Female
  • Male
  • Phylogeny*

Substances

  • DNA, Mitochondrial

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), grant CEPF-108984, through the “Amphibian Conservation in the Abra de Zamora Key Biodiversity Area of Ecuador” project. Fieldwork and research of marsupial frogs was supported by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, through project 172515484 "Conservation of the Ridge Marsupial Frog (Gastrotheca psychrophila) in southern Ecuador". DS benefited from a research grant from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Convocatoria Estancias Cortas de Investigación 2019).