ANARTIA, 23 (2011): 17 - 26

Depósito legal pp. 88-0384

ISSN: 1315-642X

AnewPristimantis Jiménez de la

Espada, 1870 (Anura: Strabomantidae)

from the cloud forest in the

Venezuelan Andes

César L. Barrio-Amorós

Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical, Apartado Postal 328-1260 Escazú,

Costa Rica. E-mail: cesarlba@yahoo.com

Abstract

A newspeciesof Pristimantis from the cloud forest near the city of

Merida in the Venezuelan Andes is described from two specimens in

the collection of the Universidad de Los Andes. The new species is dis-

tinguished from close relatives by having a subacuminate snout in dor-

sal view, dorsolateral folds, low tubercles on hands and feet, vestigial

webbing between toes II-III-IV-V, and uniform gray dorsum, white

venter with small black spots; and by lacking vocal slits, nuptial pads;

ulnar and tarsal tubercles, calcars; and fringes on the fingersandtoes.

Key words: Andes, cloud forest, Colombia, Pristimantis,Venezuela.

Un nuevo Pristimantis Jiménez de la

Espada, 1870 (Anura: Strabomantidae) de

bosque nublado en los Andes de Venezuela

Resumen

Se describe una nueva especie de Pristimantis de las selvas nubla-

das vecinas a la ciudad de Mérida en los Andes venezolanos, de dos

ejemplares depositados en la colección de la Universidad de Los An

des. La nueva especie se diferencia de sus presumibles parientes cer

canos por tener un perfil dorsal subacuminado, presentar pliegues

dorsolaterales, tubérculos bajos en pies y manos, membrana manual

vestigial entre dedos II-III -IV-V, dorso gris sin patrón, y vientre blan

co con manchas negras; y por faltarle aberturas vocales, almohadillas

nupciales, tubérculos ulnares, tarsales y calcares, y rebordes laterales

en los dedos de pies y manos.

Palabras clave: Andes, Colombia, Pristimantis, selva nublada, Ve

nezuela.

INTRODUCTION

The genus Pristimantis is a clade of New World direct-develop-

ing frogs with over 439 described species, 55 of which occur within

Venezuela (Frost, 2011), and 23 of these are recorded from the Vene-

zuelan Andes. A few years ago I examined two specimens of an un-

described species of Pristimantis deposited in the collection of verte-

brates of the Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida that was collected

recently from close the city of Merida. This fact is surprising because

the surroundings of the city of Mérida have been well collected for

many years. Because no additional specimens have been obtained,

and because high Andean amphibians are threatened by different

factors with several species having special conservation status

(Lampo et al., 2008). I decided to proceed with the description of this

species, hoping that in a near future the species can be further found

and more details on its taxonomy, natural history and ecology can be

obtained. With the description of the new species there are now 24

species of Pristimantis known from the Andes of Venezuela (Barrio-

Amorós, 2009).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All measurements were taken with a digital calliper to the near

est 0.1 mm. Morphological terms follow Lynch and Duellman

(1997). Comparisons were made with information published by La

Marca (1984, 2007), Rivero (1982) and with observation on pre

served material from CVULA (Colección de Vertebrados, Facultad

Barrio-Amorós

ANARTIA, 23 (2011): 17 - 26

de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela). Meas

urements of adult frogs follow Barrio-Amorós et al. (2010) and are:

SVL: straight length from tip of snout to vent; ShL: shank length

from outer edge of flexed knee to heel; HeL: head length from tip of

snout to the posterior border of skull (posterior edgeof prootic, noted

through the skin); HW: head width between angle of jaws; InD: in

ternarial distance between centers of nares; EN: distance of anterior

edge of eye to nostril; ED: horizontal eye diameter; TD: horizontal

tympanum diameter; ETS: distance between the anterior edge of the

eyeto the tip of snout; F3D: disc width of Finger III; T4D: disc width

of Toe IV; 1FiL: length of Finger I from inner edge of thenar tubercle

to tip of disc; 2FiL: length of Finger II from the junction of Finger I

and III to the tip of finger disc. Some traditional measurements like

IOD (interorbital distance) and UEW (upper eyelid width) are not

being used, as we consider them highly variable due to preservation

artifacts. Sex was determined by dissection.

RESULTS

Pristimantis ameliae sp. nov.

Holotype: CVULA 7118, an adult female from San Javier del

Valle, 08°56’43’’N, 70°25’54’’W, 2500 m, Estado Mérida, Vene-

zuela, taken on 18th of July, 2008 by Amelia Díaz de Pascual.

Paratype: An adult male of 23.4 mm SVL with enlarged testes,

CVULA 7117, with the same data as the holotype.

Diagnosis: Pristimantis ameliae is a small species (only adult

male 23.4 mm, only female 26.3 mm). It is diagnosed by (1) dorsal

skin smooth without middorsal raphe; occipital ridges absent; dorso

lateral folds present; ventral skin smooth anteriorly, areolate posteri

orly; (2) tympanum distinct, with ill-defined tympanic annulus,

32.3%–33.3% of ED; (3) snout subacuminate in dorsal view, nearly

truncated, sloping in profile; canthus rostralis curved, well-defined,

loreal region concave; (4) upper eyelid smooth in preservative, with

out apparent tubercles; (5) choanae small, round; dentigerous pro

cesses of the vomers inconspicuous, covered by palatal shelf; tongue

large, rounded, posterior half free; (6) male without vocal slits nor vo

cal sac; no apparent nuptial pads; (7) Finger I shorter than II; (8) fin

gers without lateral keels; (9) ulnar tubercles absent; (10) tarsal tuber

A new Pristimantis from Venezuelan Andes 19

cles and calcars absent; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle oval, small, ill-

defined; outer indistinct; (12) toes with or without low, thick lateral

keels; webbing vestigial between toes II-III-IV-V; Toes III, IV and V

with expanded discs, slightly smaller than those on Fingers III and

IV; (13) color unknown in life; in preserved individualspalegray with

flanks becoming white inferiorly with moderately large black spots;

canthal and supratympanic stripes dark gray; venter dirty white with

small black spots on belly.

Species comparisons: this species is compared (characters of

P. ameliae in parentheses) with other Pristimantis from the Cordillera

de Mérida in Venezuela. The species has no apparent pale marks in

the groin and on the hidden surfaces of the hind limbs, so it is easily

distinguished from those species having them (P. lentiginosus, P.

melanoproctus, P. mondolfii); neither does P. ameliae have a pointed tu-

bercle on the tip of snout and for this reason it differs from the

former “tubernasus” group of Rivero (P. prolixodiscus, P. tubernasus)

dismantled by Lynch (2003). Pristimantis vanadisae has ulnar and

tarsal tubercles, pointed calcars, and tubercles on eyelids (lacking

all these tubercles). Pristimantis ameliae can be distinguished from

páramo species (P. anolirex, P. boconoensis, P. briceni, P. colostichos, P.

culatensis, P. flabellidiscus, P. ginesi, P. jabonensis, P. lancinii, P. para-

merus, P. telefericus, P. rhigophilus, P. thyellus), all of which are more

robust, and have fingerandtoe discs no more than weaklyexpanded

(moderately expanded), and all species have well-developed dorso-

lateral folds (almost indistinct), middorsal raphe (absent) and/or

large tubercles on the dorsum (dorsal skin smooth). Pristimantis yus

tizi is a larger frog, with females up to 50.8 mm (up to 26.3 mm);

males have vocal slits (absent) and large, prominent dentigerous

processes (indistinct). Pristimantis ameliae is unique among other

Pristimantis from Andean Venezuela in the following combination

of characters: snout subacuminate in dorsal view; vocal slits and

nuptial pads absent in males; subgular vocal sac absent; ulnar, tarsal

tubercles and calcar absent; dorsolateral folds present; all tubercles

on hands and feet low; fringes absent on fingers and toes (if present

low and thick); vestigial webbing between toes II-III-IV-V; dorsum

uniform gray, venter white with small black spots.

Description of the holotype: head longer than wide, head

length 38.7% of SVL, head width 36.5% of SVL. Snout subacumi

Barrio-Amorós

ANARTIA, 23 (2011): 17 - 26

nate in dorsal and ventral views (Fig.1A); nearly truncated in profile

(Fig. 1B); EN shorter than ED; nostrils barely protuberant, directed

laterally; canthus rostralis curved, angular, well-defined, loreal re

gion concave. Upper eyelid smooth, without tubercles; Cranial crests

and tubercles on head absent. Tympanum distinct, 32.3% of ED, its

posterodorsal part obscured by low supratympanic fold; tympanic

annulus indistinct on right side, more evident on left; two enlarged

postrictal tubercles. Choanae small, rounded, not concealed by pala

tal shelf of maxillary arch; vomerine dentigerous processes incon

spicuous, mostlyhiddenby palatal shelf, posterior and medial to cho

anae. Tongue round, posterior half free.

Dorsal skin smooth; occipital ridges and middorsal raphe ab

sent, dorsolateral folds barely evident; throat, chest, and anterior part

of belly smooth, ventral surfaces of thighs areolate; ulnar and tarsal

tubercles absent.

Hand large, its length 32.3% of SVL. Relative length of ad-

pressed fingers IIIIVIII; first finger reaching posterior part of disc on

Finger II. Finger discs broader than long, discs on Fingers III and IV

1.5 times wider than adjacent phalanx; horizontally oval; disc on

Finger II round; disc on Finger I not expanded. Lateral fringes absent

on fingers. Palmar tubercle distinct, bifid; thenar tubercle distinct,

ovoid. Subarticular tubercles large, low, round. Supernumerary tu-

bercles low, three under each fingers II, III, IV (Fig. 1C).

Hind limbs short; shank 42.9% of SVL; heel reaching poste-

rior edge of eye when adpressed to the body. Relative lengths of ad

pressed toes IVVIIIIII. Disc of Toe V reaching posterior edge of the

distal subarticular tubercle of Toe IV; disc of Toe III reaching mid

dle of penultimate subarticular tubercle of Toe IV. Disc on Toe IV

slightly smaller than disc on Finger III. Toes on left foot having no

appreciable fringes; toes on right foot having low and thick fringes;

basal webbing between toes II-III-IV-V. Discs barely expanded,

round to oval. Inner metatarsal tubercle small, low, oval; outer

metatarsal tubercle indistinct; subarticular tubercles slightly protu

berant, round; supernumerary tubercles barely distinct, in rows un

der each toe (Fig 1D).

Color preserved: dorsum color is uniform pale gray (Fig 2 A,B);

canthal and supratympanic stripes dark gray; a few small black spots on

A new Pristimantis from Venezuelan Andes 21

upper lip (otherwise white; Fig 1B), and large black spot on shoulder

anterior to each arm; two (left side) and one (right side) minute white

spots encircled by black on each side of sacral area, above the groin.

Dorsal surfaces of fingers and toes white; discs gray; dorsal surfaces

of flanks paler gray than body, becoming white inferiorly, with sev

eral small black spots, larger than those on belly. Anterior side of both

arms white with three black spots on each. Venter dirty white (white

with a profusion of melanophores) (Fig 2A’); throat devoided of

marks, chest white with fewspots, belly with many round black spots,

largest laterally, some suffused. Ventral surfaces of hind limbs dirty

white without spots. Palms and soles white, with black supernumer

ary tubercles (Fig 1 C, D). Color in life unknown.

Barrio-Amorós

ANARTIA, 23 (2011): 17 - 26

Figure 1. Holotype of Pristimantis ameliae, CVULA 7118. A, dorsolateral

view of the head; B, lateral view of the head; C, palmar view of the left hand;

D, plantar view of the right foot.

Measurements in mm of holotype and paratype (in parenthe-

sis): SVL: 26.3 (23.4); ShL 11.3 (10.0); FL: 12.9 (11.5); HeL: 10.2

(9.7); HW: 9.6 (9.1); EN: 2.3 (2.2); ED: 3.4 (3.0); TD: 1.1 (1.0); F3D:

1.5 (1.2); T4D: 1.3 (1.2); 1FiL: 3.5 (3.3); 2FiL: 4.6 (3.5).

Variation: the other individual (CVULA 7117) is an adult male

with large testes, but it is like the holotype, except being slightly darker

(Fig. 2B). It has smaller spots on belly (Fig. 2 B’) and a large black spot

at the dorsal conjunction of Fingers I and II Fringes on fingers and toes

are absent. The dorsolateral folds are somewhat better defined, and

curved anteriorly toward the paravertebral area, where they become

straight. Vocal slits, vocal sac, and nuptial pads are absent.

Natural history and habitat: both specimens of the type series

were collected in the leaf litter during the day. The habitat is cloud

forest at 2500 m on the eastern versant of the Sierra de la Culata, fac

ing the Río Mucujún valley.

A new Pristimantis from Venezuelan Andes 23

Figure 2. Dorsal view (A) of the holotype, CVULA 7118, and paratype (B),

CVULA 7117 of Pristimantis ameliae. Ventral view of the same specimens

(A’ holotype; B’ paratype).

Distribution: only known from the type locality, a cloud forest on

the Sierra de la Culata side of El Valle (Fig. 3); possibly it has a more

extensive distribution through similar habitats in the central Cordillera

de Mérida. However, it may be a rare species, inasmuch as the exten-

sive collections of the CVULA contain only these two specimens.

Remarks: San Javier del Valle is located in a small valley be-

tween the Sierra de la Culata and Páramo El Escorial, with lush and

protected cloud forest from 1700 to 2800 m. The area has been inves

tigated by herpetologists for a long time, and is the type locality of

some species—Bolitoglossa orestes, Pristimantis briceni, Aromobates du

ranti, Hyloscirtus jahni. Other species (Centrolene altitudinale, Hyalino

batrachium duranti, Hyloscirtus platydactylus, Pristimantis vanadisae) are

known to occur there. It is quite surprising to discover a new species

collected in 2008 precisely from the same general area. A sympatric

specimen of Pristimantis vanadisae (CVULA 7119) was collected

along with the two specimens of P. ameliae.

Etymology: I am pleased to dedicate this new species to Amelia

Díaz de Pascual, curator at the CVULA, colleague and collaborator

for many years in Mérida, Venezuela. The name is used in feminine

genitive.

Barrio-Amorós

ANARTIA, 23 (2011): 17 - 26

Figure 3. Geographic distribution of Pristimantis ameliae in the Venezuelan

Andes.

Conservation: as it is an apparently rare species, and the general

area has been well collected for more than 40 years, I believe this spe

cies is extremely rare, or its major habitat has not been discovered;

possibly it lives in high bromeliads, but the two known specimens

were found on the forest floor. I recommend that local investigators

continue searching for the species. Even though the general habitat is

protected within the Parque Nacional Sierra de la Culata, it may have

disappeared as have many other high-Andean species (e.g., Atelopus

oxyrhynchus, Aromobates duranti). Therefore, Pristimantis ameliae

should be considered under the UICN categories as VU D2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I thank Amelia Diaz de Pascual for her support at all times dur

ing my research in the Venezuelan Andes. Gilson Rivas invited me to

publish in Anartia.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barrio-Amorós. C.L. 2009. Riqueza y endemismo. pp. 25–39. In:C.Mo-

lina, J.C. Señaris, M. Lampo y A. Rial (eds.). Anfibios de Venezuela: es-

tado del conocimiento y recomendaciones para su conservación. Ediciones

Grupo TEI, Caracas.

Barrio-Amorós, C.L., F. Rojas-Runjaic and T.R. Barros. 2010. Two new

Pristimantis (Anura: Terrarana: Strabomantidae) from the Sierra de

Perijá, Venezuela. Zootaxa 2329: 1–21.

Frost, D.R. 2011. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference.

Version 5.5 (31 January, 2011). Electronic Database accessible at

http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/American

Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.

La Marca, E. 1984. Eleutherodactylus vanadise sp. nov. (Anura: Leptodactyli

dae): first cloud forest Eleutherodactylus from the Venezuelan Andes.

Herpetologica 40: 31–37.

La Marca, E. 2007. Sinopsis taxonómica de dos géneros nuevos de anfibios

(Anura: Leptodactylidae) de los Andes de Venezuela. Herpetotropicos

3: 67–87.

Lampo, M., D. Sánchez, A. Nicolas, M. Marquez, F. Nava-González, C.Z.

García, M. Rinaldi, A. Rodriguez-Contreras, F. León, B.A. Han and

A. Chacon-Ortiz. 2008. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Venezuela.

Herpetological Review 39: 449–454.

A new Pristimantis from Venezuelan Andes 25

Lynch, J.D. and W.E. Duellman. 1997. Frogs of the genus Eleutherodactylus

(Leptodactylidae) in Western Ecuador: systematics, ecology and biogeogra

phy. The University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Special Publication

23: 1–236.

Rivero, J.A. 1982. Los Eleutherodactylus (Amphibia, Leptodactylidae) de los

Andes Venezolanos II. Especies subparameras. Memoria de la Sociedad

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Appendix (specimens examined)

All from Venezuela.

Pristimantis boconoensis: CVULA 8371-72, Páramo de Boconó,

Estado Trujillo. Pristimantis briceni: CVULA 2752-56, Páramo La

Culata, CVULA 8364-65, trail from Monterrey to Cabaña del Cura,

2600 m, Sierra de la Culata, Cordillera de Mérida, Estado Merida.

Pristimantis ginesi: CVULA 1567, Páramo de Mucubaji; 5950-59, La-

guna Santo Cristo, Sierra nevada, Estado Mérida. Pristimantis lanc-

inii. CVULA 5578-79, La Corcovada; 2622, 5822, Páramo de Mucu-

bají. Pristimantis paramerus: CVULA 766-67, 990-93, 1003-05, 1859-

60, 1994, 5828-34, 5836, 5838-48, 5850-54. Pristimantis rhigophilus:

CVULA 6854, Páramo de Guaramacal, Estado Trujillo. Pristimantis

vanadisae: CVULA 3107: Vía El Morro, Estado Mérida. CVULA

0186, 0285, 1116–24, 1163–67, 1234–35, 1642–55, 1681–90, 2014,

2317, 2016–23, 2156–57, 2208–09, 2354–62, 2605: Monte Zerpa,

NW of the city of Mérida Estado Mérida. CVULA 0745–47,

3108–21, 3123–27: La Mucuy Alta, Tabay, Estado Mérida.

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