Phylogenetic relationships of the Boana pulchella Group (Anura: Hylidae).

In this paper we present a phylogenetic analysis of the treefrogs of the Boana pulchella Group with the goals of (1) providing a rigorous test of its monophyly; (2) providing a test of relationships supported in previous studies; and (3) exploring the relationships of the several species not included in previous analyses. The analyses included>300 specimens of 37 of the 38 species currently included in the group, plus 36 outgroups, exemplars of the diversity of Boana and the other genera of the hylid tribe Cophomantini. The dataset included eight mitochondrial genes (12S, 16S, CytB, COI, ND1, tRNAIle, tRNALeu, and tRNAVal) and five nuclear genes (RHO, TYR, RAG-1, CXCR4, SIAH1). The phylogenetic analyses recover the monophyly of the B. pulchella Group with lower support than previous studies, as a result of the inclusion of the B. claresignata Group, which is recovered as its sister taxon. Within the B. pulchella Group, the inclusion of almost all species of the group had little impact on previous notions of its phylogeny, except for the rejection of the hypothesized B. polytaenia Clade (B. goiana and B. phaeopleura are nested in the clade here called the B. prasina Clade), which is redefined. Phylogenetic support is strong for five major clades, which collectively include all but three of the species sampled: the B. balzani Clade (B. aguilari, B. balzani, B. gladiator, B. melanopleura, B. palaestes), the redefined B. polytaenia Clade (B. botumirim, B. buriti, B. cipoensis, B. jaguariaivensis, B. leptolineata, B. polytaenia, B. stenocephala, and two undescribed species), the B. prasina Clade (B. bischoffi, B. caingua, B. cordobae, B. goiana, B. guentheri, B. marginata, B. phaeopleura, B. prasina, B. pulchella, and one undescribed species), the B. riojana Clade (B. callipleura, B. marianitae, B. riojana), and the B. semiguttata Clade (B. caipora, B. curupi, B. joaquini, B. poaju, B. semiguttata, B. stellae, and two undescribed species). The monophyly of the B. prasina + B. riojana Clades, and that of the B. polytaenia + B. semiguttata Clades are well-supported. The relationships among these two clades, the B. balzani Clade, B. ericae + B. freicanecae, and B. cambui (representing the deepest phylogenetic splits within the B. pulchella Group) are recovered with weak support. We discuss the phenotypic evidence supporting the monophyly of the B. pulchella Group, and the taxonomy of several species, identifying three new synonyms of Boana polytaenia, one new synonym of Boana goiana, and one new synonym of B. riojana.

A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae) from the Pui Pui Protected Forest (central Peru), with comments on Pristimantis albertus Duellman & Hedges, 2007.

We describe a new Pristimantis species from the eastern Andes, Región Junín, Peru following an integrative taxonomic approach. The description is based on three adult males (snout-vent length 25.7-28.8 mm) collected in two montane forests between 1615 and 1800 m a.s.l. in the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings. The new species is mainly characterised by absence of tympanum, presence of inner tarsal fold, broad horizontal red band across iris, ventre mottled black and cream and ventral surfaces of thighs salmon and grey mottled. Amongst the Amazonian and montane forest Pristimantis that have the ventre and groin contrastingly black and cream mottled, P. sinschi sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to P. lindae and P. ventrimarmoratus. However, DNA barcoding revealed a clear distinction between these three species and placed P. sinschi sp. nov. as sister taxon of P. lindae. We designate a lectotype for P. ventrimarmoratus and restrict the type locality of this species to "El Topo, R. Pastaza, [Provincia Tungurahua,] E. Ecuador, 4200 feet". Pristimantis albertus and P. sagittulus are recorded for the first time in the Región Junín. Additional data on morphology and systematics are provided for P. albertus.

Systematics of Neotropical microteiid lizards (Gymnophthalmidae, Cercosaurinae), with the description of a new genus and species from the Andean montane forests.

Cercosaurine lizards (subfamily Cercosaurinae of the family Gymnophthalmidae) represent a substantial component of the reptile fauna in the Neotropics. Several attempts have been made to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships within this group, but most studies focused on particular genera or regions and did not cover the subfamily as a whole. In this study, material from the montane forests of Peru was newly sequenced. In combination with all cercosaurine sequences available on GenBank, an updated phylogeny of Cercosaurinae is provided. Monophyly was not supported for three of the currently recognised genera (Echinosaura, Oreosaurus, and Proctoporus). The genus Proctoporus is formed by five monophyletic groups, which should be used in future taxonomic revisions as feasible entities. Recognition of two previously identified undescribed clades (Unnamed clades 2 and 3) was supported and yet another undescribed clade (termed here Unnamed clade 4), which deserves recognition as an independent genus, was identified herein. Selvasaura brava, a new genus and new species of arboreal gymnophthalmid lizard is described from the montane forests of the Pui Pui Protected Forest, Provincia de Chanchamayo, Región Junín, Peru. The new species is characterised by its small size (SVL 42.1-45.9 mm), slender body, smooth head shields, presence of paired prefrontal shields, fused anteriormost supraocular and anteriormost superciliary shields, transparent not divided lower palpebral disc, slightly rugose subimbricate rectangular dorsal scales in adults (slightly keeled in juveniles), distinctly smaller but non-granular lateral scales, smooth squared to rectangular ventral scales, and hemipenial lobes large, distinct from the hemipenial body. Phylogenetic affinities of the new genus to the other cercosaurine genera, as well as basal phylogenetic relationships between the other cercosaurine genera remain unresolved.

Pristimantis antisuyu sp. n. and Pristimantis erythroinguinis sp. n., two new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs (Anura, Strabomantidae) from the eastern slopes of the Andes in Manu National Park, Peru.

We describe two new species of Pristimantis from the Kosñipata valley in the eastern slopes of the Andes near Manu National Park, Peru. The two new species are closely related but do not overlap elevationally: P. antisuyu sp. n. occurs from 1485-1823 m a.s.l., whereas P. erythroinguinis sp. n. occurs from 930-1255 m a.s.l. Both species are readily distinguished from all other species of Pristimantis but P. cruciocularis and P. flavobracatus by possessing an iris with a cruciform pattern, no tympanum, and red bright or yellow coloration on groin. We used a Maximum Likelihood approach to infer a molecular phylogeny on a dataset composed of 27 terminals and 903 bp of the concatenated 16S rRNA and COI mitochondrial fragments. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that, despite differing in groin coloration from red to yellow, individuals of P. cruciocularis and P. flavobracatus form a single clade, and some specimens have identical 16S sequences. Therefore, we synonymize P. flavobracatus with P. cruciocularis. The two unnamed species are closely related to P. cruciocularis. Pristimantis antisuyu sp. n. differs from P. cruciocularis and P. erythroinguinis sp. n. by having smaller yellow spots, instead of extensive red coloration, on groin and hind limbs, by being larger with proportionally longer tibias, and by having an inner metatarsal tubercle three times the size of outer metatarsal tubercle (twice as long in the other two species). Pristimantis erythroinguinis sp. n., despite having coloration very similar to P. cruciocularis, is the sister taxon to both P. antisuyu sp. n. and P. cruciocularis, and can be distinguished from the latter by having much darker ventral coloration, and no cream or yellow spots on flanks and surrounding the red inguinal marks.

Evolutionary radiation of earless frogs in the Andes: molecular phylogenetics and habitat shifts in high-elevation terrestrial breeding frogs.

The loss of hearing structures and loss of advertisement calls in many terrestrial breeding frogs (Strabomantidae) living at high elevations in South America are common and intriguing phenomena. The Andean frog genus Phrynopus Peters, 1873 has undergone an evolutionary radiation in which most species lack the tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus, yet the phylogenetic relationships among species in this group remain largely unknown. Here, we present an expanded molecular phylogeny of Phrynopus that includes 24 nominal species. Our phylogeny includes Phrynopus peruanus, the type species of the genus, and 10 other species for which genetic data were previously unavailable. We found strong support for monophyly of Phrynopus, and that two nominal species-Phrynopus curator and Phrynopus nicoleae-are junior synonyms of Phrynopus tribulosus. Using X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging, we demonstrate that the absence of external hearing structures is associated with complete loss of the auditory skeletal elements (columella) in at least one member of the genus. We mapped the tympanum condition on to a species tree to infer whether the loss of hearing structures took place once or multiple times. We also assessed whether tympanum condition, body size, and body shape are associated with the elevational distribution and habitat use. We identified a single evolutionary transition that involved the loss of both the tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus, which in turn is correlated with the absence of advertisement calls. We also identified several species pairs where one species inhabits the Andean grassland and the other montane forest. When accounting for phylogenetic relatedness among species, we detected a significant pattern of increasing body size with increasing elevation. Additionally, species at higher elevations tend to develop shorter limbs, shorter head, and shorter snout than species living at lower elevations. Our findings strongly suggest a link between ecological divergence and morphological diversity of terrestrial breeding frogs living in montane gradients.

A new species of Phrynopus (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae) from upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands of the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru.

We describe a new species of Phrynopus from the upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands (puna) of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings (Región Junín, central Peru) and compare it morphologically and genetically with other species of Phrynopus. Phrynopus intisp. n. is known from four localities outside and two localities inside the Pui Pui Protected Forest between 3350 and 3890 m a.s.l. Studied specimens of the new species are characterized by a snout-vent length of 27.2-35.2 mm in males (n = 6), and 40.4 mm in a single female, by having the skin on dorsum and flanks smooth with scattered tubercles, venter smooth, by lacking a tympanum, and males without vocal slits and nuptial pads. In life, the dorsum is pale grayish brown with or without dark brown blotches, or dorsum blackish brown with small yellow flecks, throat, chest and venter are pale grayish brown with salmon mottling, groin is pale grayish brown with salmon colored flecks, and the iris is golden orange with fine dark brown reticulations. The new species is morphologically most similar to Phrynopus kauneorum and P. juninensis. For the latter we describe the coloration in life for a specimen obtained at the type locality. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences inferred that the new species is most closely related to Phrynopus kauneorum, P. miroslawae, P. tautzorum, and an undescribed species distributed at high elevation in Región Pasco, central Peru.

ResumenDescribimos una nueva especie de Phrynopus de los bosques montanos altos y los pajonales altoandinos (Puna) del Bosque de Protección Pui Pui y sus áreas cercanas (Región de Junín, Perú central) y la comparamos morfológica y genéticamente con otras especies de Phrynopus. Phrynopus intisp. n. es conocido de cuatro localidades fuera y dos localidades dentro del Bosque de Protección Pui Pui entre 3350 y 3890 m s.n.m. La nueva especie se caracteriza por tener una longitud hocico-cloaca de 27.2­35.2 mm en machos (n = 6) y 40.4 mm en una hembra, por tener la piel dorsal y los flancos lisos con tubérculos dispersos, el vientre liso, por carecer de un tímpano, y los machos carecer de hendiduras vocales y almohadillas nupciales. En vida, el dorso es marrón grisáceo pálido con o sin manchas marrón oscuro o el dorso es marrón oscuro con pequeñas manchas amarillas; la garganta, pecho y vientre son marrón grisáceo pálido con motas de color salmón, la ingle es marrón grisácea con manchas de color salmón y el iris es dorado naranja con finas reticulaciones marrón oscuro. La nueva especie es morfológicamente muy similar a Phrynopus kauneorum y P. juninensis. Para este último, describimos la coloración en vida de un espécimen obtenido en la localidad tipo. Un análisis filogenético molecular basado en secuencias de ADN mitocondrial y nuclear infirió que la nueva especie está más estrechamente relacionada con Phrynopus kauneorum, P. miroslawae, P. tautzorum, y una especie no descrita distribuida en zonas altoandinas de la Región Pasco, Perú central.

A new species of semiarboreal toad of the Rhinella festae group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the Cordillera Azul National Park, Peru.

A new semiarboreal species of the Rhinella festae group is described from montane forests of the Cordillera Azul National Park between 1245 and 1280 m a.s.l. in the Cordillera Oriental, San Martín region, northern Peru. The new species is morphologically and genetically compared with members of the Rhinella acrolopha group (former genus Rhamphophryne) and members of the R. festae group. The new species is characterized by its large size (female SVL 47.1-58.3 mm, n = 4), eight presacral vertebrae, fusion of the sacrum and coccyx, long protuberant snout, snout directed slightly anteroventral in lateral view, cranial crests moderately developed, absence of occipital crest, presence of tympanic membrane, dorsolateral rows of small conical tubercles extending from parotoid gland to groin, hands and feet with long digits, fingers basally webbed and toes moderately webbed. Phylogenetically it is a member of the R. festae group which is most closely related to R. chavin and R. yanachaga from Peru. Morphologically the new species shares similarities with R. tenrec and R. truebae, members of the R. acrolopha group from Colombia.

A new species of terrestrial-breeding frog (Amphibia, Craugastoridae, Pristimantis) from high elevations of the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru.

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings, Región Junín, central Peru. The description of the new species is based on 34 specimens found at elevations between 3400 and 3936 m a.s.l. Pristimantis attenboroughisp. n. is characterized by a snout-vent length of 14.6-19.2 mm in adult males (n = 21), 19.2-23.0 mm in adult females (n = 10), and is compared morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by having narrow digits that lack circumferential grooves, irregularly shaped, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, and absence of both tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. The high similarity in morphology between P. attenboroughisp. n. and members of the Andean genera Phrynopus and Bryophryne provides an example for convergent evolution, and highlights the importance of using molecular data to justify generic assignment. Pristimantis attenboroughisp. n. is most similar to Phrynopus chaparroi from the Región Junín, suggesting that the generic placement of this species needs to be revised. Phylogenetically the new species belongs to the Pristimantis danae species Group, a clade that includes several Pristimantis species distributed in the montane forests of central Peru, including P. albertus, P. aniptopalmatus, P. ornatus, and P. stictogaster.

A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Craugastoridae) from a montane forest of the Pui Pui Protected Forest in central Peru (Región Junín).

A new species of frog of the genus Pristimantis is described from a montane forest between 1700 and 1800 m a.s.l. of the Pui Pui Protected Forest (Región Junín) in central Peru. Pristimantis ashaninkasp. n. is described based on five adult females (snout-vent length 23.1-26.7 mm) and ten juveniles (snout-vent length 10.6-13.4). It differs from its congeners by having the skin on dorsum shagreen with many conical tubercles giving it a spinose appearance, lacking a tympanum, having groin, anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs uniformly grayish brown, and a pale bronze iris with fine black reticulations, a median reddish hint horizontally across iris, and a black narrow vertical streak from pupil across lower and upper half of iris. Among the Peruvian Pristimantis that lack a tympanum, Pristimantis ashaninkasp. n. is morphologically most similar to Pristimantis lirellus, Pristimantis martiae, and Pristimantis rhabdocnemus. However, 16S DNA barcoding revealed clear distinctions between all four species of Pristimantis.

Two new species of lizards of the genus Stenocercus (Iguania, Tropiduridae) from central Peru.

We describe two new species of Stenocercus from the Andes of central Peru (Departamento Ancash): Stenocercus amydrorhytus sp. nov. from elevations between 2810 and 3075 m and S. johaberfellneri sp. nov. from elevations between 3120 and 3200 m. Stenocercus amydrorhytus is most similar to S. ivitus, S. chrysopygus, S. melanopygus, S. modestus, S. orientalis, and S. stigmosus from which it differs in having a combination of 44-52 vertebral scales, 42-47 scales around midbody, 18-21 gulars, and 23-26 subdigital lamellae under fourth toe, the lateral nuchals less than half the size of dorsal nuchals, predominantly smooth dorsal head scales, a poorly developed oblique neck fold with a shallow or no mite pocket underneath, a uniformly gray venter in preservative in the only known adult male, and a tail length less than 70% of total length. Stenocercus johaberfellneri is most similar to S. latebrosus and S. ornatissimus from which it differs in having a combination of 47-53 vertebral scales, 46-53 scales around midbody, the presence of a postfemoral pocket in adult males, a throat pattern of bold black streaks or reticulations in adult males, a dusky or grayish venter in preservative without black spots or reticulations, and lateral nuchals less than half the size of dorsal ones.

A new species of Telmatobius (Amphibia, Anura, Telmatobiidae) from the Pacific slopes of the Andes, Peru.

We describe a new species of Telmatobius from the Pacific slopes of the Andes in central Peru. Specimens were collected at 3900 m elevation near Huaytará, Huancavelica, in the upper drainage of the Pisco river. The new species has a snout-vent length of 52.5 ± 1.1 mm (49.3-55.7 mm, n = 6) in adult females, and 48.5 mm in the single adult male. The new species has bright yellow and orange coloration ventrally and is readily distinguished from all other central Peruvian Andean species of Telmatobius but Telmatobiusintermedius by having vomerine teeth but lacking premaxillary and maxillary teeth, and by its slender body shape and long legs. The new species differs from Telmatobiusintermedius by its larger size, flatter head, and the absence of cutaneous keratinized spicules (present even in immature females of Telmatobiusintermedius), and in males by the presence of minute, densely packed nuptial spines on dorsal and medial surfaces of thumbs (large, sparsely packed nuptial spines in Telmatobiusintermedius). The hyper-arid coastal valleys of Peru generally support low species richness, particularly for groups such as aquatic breeding amphibians. The discovery of a new species in this environment, and along a major highway crossing the Andes, shows that much remains to be done to document amphibian diversity in Peru.

ResumenDescribimos una nueva especie de Telmatobius de la vertiente Pacífica de los Andes en el centro de Perú. Los especímenes tipo fueron colectados a una elevación de 3900 m cerca de Huaytará, Huancavelica, en la parte alta de la cuenca del río Pisco. La nueva especie tiene una longitud hocico­cloaca de 52.5 ± 1.1 mm (49.3­55.7 mm, n = 6) en las hembras adultas y de 48.5 mm en un macho adulto. La nueva especie tiene coloración brillante amarilla y naranja en las partes ventrales y se diferencia fácilmente de todas las demás especies peruanas de Telmatobius de los Andes centrales a excepción de Telmatobiusintermedius por tener dientes vomerianos y carecer de dientes maxilares y premaxilares, y por su forma del cuerpo delgada y sus patas largas. La nueva especie se diferencia de Telmatobiusintermedius por su mayor tamaño, por tener la cabeza más plana, y por la ausencia de espículas queratinizadas cutáneas (presentes incluso en hembras inmaduras de Telmatobiusintermedius), y en los machos por la presencia de pequeñas espinas nupciales compactadas en la superficie dorsal y medial de los pulgares (espinas nupciales grandes y dispersas en Telmatobiusintermedius). Los valles costeros hiper-áridos de Perú se caracterizan en general por tener baja riqueza de especies, especialmente para grupos como los anfibios de reproducción acuática. El descubrimiento de una nueva especie en este tipo de ecosistema, y a lo largo de una de las carreteras principales que cruzan los Andes, muestra que aún queda mucho por hacer para documentar la diversidad de los anfibios en Perú.

Embryogenesis and tadpole description of Hyperolius castaneus Ahl, 1931 and H. jackie Dehling, 2012 (Anura, Hyperoliidae) from montane bog pools.

Tadpoles of Hyperolius castaneus and Hyperolius jackie were found in the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda and adjacent areas. Tadpoles of both species were identified by DNA-barcoding. At the shore of a bog pool three clutches of Hyperolius castaneus of apparently different age, all laid on moss pads (Polytrichum commune, Isotachis aubertii) or grass tussocks (Andropogon shirensis) 2-5 cm above the water level, were found. One clutch of Hyperolius castaneus was infested by larval dipterid flies. The most recently laid clutch contained about 20 eggs within a broad egg-jelly envelope. The eggs were attached to single blades of a tussock and distributed over a vertical distance of 8 cm. A pair of Hyperolius castaneus found in axillary amplexus was transported in a plastic container to the lab for observation. The pair deposited a total of 57 eggs (15 eggs attached to the upper wall of the transport container, 42 eggs floated in the water). Embryogenesis of the clutch was monitored in the plastic container at 20 ± 2 °C (air temperature) and documented by photos until Gosner Stage 25. The description of the tadpole of Hyperolius castaneus is based on a Gosner Stage 29 individual from a series of 57 tadpoles (Gosner stages 25-41). The description of the tadpole of Hyperolius jackie is based on a Gosner Stage 32 individual from a series of 43 tadpoles (Gosner stages 25-41). Egg laying behavior and embryogenesis are unknown for Hyperolius jackie. The labial tooth row formula for both species is 1/3(1) with a narrow median gap of the tooth row. Variation in external morphology was observed in size and labial tooth row formula within the species. With the tadpole descriptions of Hyperolius castaneus and Hyperolius jackie, 36 tadpoles of the 135 known Hyperolius species have been described, including five of the eleven Hyperolius species known from Rwanda.

A new species of the Rhinella margaritifera species group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the montane forest of the Selva Central, Peru.

We describe a new species of the bufonid toad genus Rhinella from transition montane forest of the buffer zones of the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park and the Pui Pui Protected Forest (eastern slopes of Andes, Selva Central, Peru). The new species belongs to the Rhinella margaritifera species group (confirmed by mtDNA data) and differs from all its members by the absence of tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. It is characterized by medium size (SVL 57.5-65.5 mm, n = 5), moderately developed cranial crests, absence of neural crest of vertebrae, absence of bone protrusion at angle of jaw, presence of lateral rows of enlarged tubercles, and absence of subgular vocal sac and vocal slits in males. In addition, based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses of selected Rhinella species we propose the monophylum containing R. chavin, R. festae, R. macrorhina, R. manu, R. nesiotes, R. rostrata, and R. yanachaga as a new species group under the name Rhinella festae species group.

ResumenSe describe una nueva especie de sapo Bufonidae del género Rhinella presente en los bosques montanos transicionales de la zona de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional Yanachaga Chemillén y el Bosque de Protección Pui Pui (Vertiente Oriental de los Andes, Selva Central, Perú). La nueva especie pertenece al grupo de especies Rhinella margaritifera (confirmado con datos de DNAmt) y difiere de todos sus miembros por la ausencia de membrana timpánica y anillo timpánico. Se caracteriza por su tamaño mediano (SVL 57.5­65.5 mm), crestas craneales moderadamente desarrolladas, ausencia de una cresta neural, ausencia de protuberancia ósea en el ángulo mandibular, presencia de filas laterales de tubérculos agrandados, y ausencia de saco vocal subgular y hendiduras vocales en los machos. Además, basado en los análisis filogenéticos moleculares de especies seleccionadas de Rhinella se propone la monofilia que contiene a R. chavin, R. festae, R. macrorhina, R. manu, R. nesiotes, R. rostrata y R. yanachaga como un nuevo grupo de especies bajo el nombre de grupo de especies Rhinella festae.

Thermal physiology, disease, and amphibian declines on the eastern slopes of the Andes.

Rising temperatures, a widespread consequence of climate change, have been implicated in enigmatic amphibian declines from habitats with little apparent human impact. The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), now widespread in Neotropical mountains, may act in synergy with climate change causing collapse in thermally stressed hosts. We measured the thermal tolerance of frogs along a wide elevational gradient in the Tropical Andes, where frog populations have collapsed. We used the difference between critical thermal maximum and the temperature a frog experiences in nature as a measure of tolerance to high temperatures. Temperature tolerance increased as elevation increased, suggesting that frogs at higher elevations may be less sensitive to rising temperatures. We tested the alternative pathogen optimal growth hypothesis that prevalence of the pathogen should decrease as temperatures fall outside the optimal range of pathogen growth. Our infection-prevalence data supported the pathogen optimal growth hypothesis because we found that prevalence of Bd increased when host temperatures matched its optimal growth range. These findings suggest that rising temperatures may not be the driver of amphibian declines in the eastern slopes of the Andes. Zoonotic outbreaks of Bd are the most parsimonious hypothesis to explain the collapse of montane amphibian faunas; but our results also reveal that lowland tropical amphibians, despite being shielded from Bd by higher temperatures, are vulnerable to climate-warming stress.

The amphibians and reptiles of Manu National Park and its buffer zone, Amazon basin and eastern slopes of the Andes, Peru

We compile a list of all amphibians and reptiles known to occur within Manu National Park, Peru and its buffer zone, located in one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Covering approximately 0.01% of the planet's terrestrial surface, this protected area preserves 155 species of amphibians and 132 species of reptiles, corresponding to 2.2% and 1.5% respectively of the known diversity for these groups. Moreover, Manu National Park preserves natural habitats and populations of one critically endangered (Atelopus erythropus), three endangered (Bryophryne cophites, Pristimantis cosnipatae and Psychrophrynella usurpator), three vulnerable amphibians (Atelopus tricolor, Gastrotheca excubitor, Rhinella manu) and two vulnerable reptiles (Chelonoidis denticulata, Podocnemis unifilis), according to the threat categories of the IUCN Red List.

Producimos una lista de las especies de anfibios y reptiles conocidas del Parque Nacional del Manu, Perú y su zona de amortiguamiento, ubicados en unas de las regiones con más biodiversidad en el planeta. El área protegida cubre tan solo cerca del 0.01% de la superficie terrestre mundial, sin embargo conserva a 155 especies de anfibios y 132 especies de reptiles, lo cual corresponde al 2.2% de todos los anfibios y al 1.5% de todos los reptiles conocidos. Además, el Parque Nacional del Manu protege los hábitats y las poblaciones de una especie críticamente amenazada (Atelopus erythropus), tres especies amenazadas (Bryophryne cophites, Pristimantis cosnipatae y Psychrophrynella usurpator), tres especies vulnerables de anfibios (Atelopus tricolor, Gastrotheca excubitor, Rhinella manu), y dos especies vulnerables de reptiles (Chelonoidis denticulata, Podocnemis unifilis), de acuerdo a las categorías de amenaza de la Lista Roja de la UICN.

A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Río Abiseo National Park, Peru.

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from the Río Abiseo National Park in the Andes of northern Peru. Specimens were collected from 2650 to 3000 m elevation. The new species has a snout-vent length of 24.9-34.2 mm (n = 7) in adult females, and 15.3-23.5 mm (n = 29) in adult males. It differs from other species of Pristimantis in having the snout with a broad, slightly upwards curved, fleshy process. The most similar species, P. phoxocephalus has the snout with a vertical fleshy keel, but differs from the new species by being larger (female SVL up to 38.4 mm vs. 34.2 mm), by having prominent dentigerous processes of vomers (minute in the new species), by lacking an inner tarsal fold (present), by lacking heel tubercles (present), and by having the dorsum in life grey, red or brown and the groin with black and orange or yellow mottling, whereas in the new species the dorsum is rusty reddish-brown with lighter blotches or tannish-brown chevrons, and the groin tan with pale brown flecks.

Phylogeography of the reed frog Hyperolius castaneus (Anura: Hyperoliidae) from the Albertine Rift of Central Africa: implications for taxonomy, biogeography and conservation.

We examine the systematics of multiple populations of the Albertine Rift endemic amphibian Hyperolius castaneus, which currently incorporates four subspecies. Standard morphometric data were analyzed with principal components analyses and analyses of covariance. Phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial (16S, cyt b) and one nuclear (RAG1) genes were analyzed from 41 samples representing three subspecies. Results indicated some significant morphometric differences between the nominate subspecies H. c. castaneus and the Itombwe Plateau subspecies H. c. constellatus, and phylogenetic analyses of molecular data recovered these taxa as reciprocally monophyletic groups. We recognize these two allopatric populations as recently diverged, but distinct species, H. castaneus and H. constellatus. The subspecies H. c. submarginatus from the Kabobo Plateau is transferred to the synonymy of H. constellatus, but the status of the unsampled subspecies H. c. rhodogaster, described from mid-elevations of the western Itombwe Plateau, remains problematic. The phylogeographic pattern of our study resembles some, but not all, Albertine Rift vertebrates that have been examined with molecular data. Hyperolius constellatus is restricted to the Itombwe and Kabobo plateaus, which are of special conservation concern because of high levels of amphibian diversity and endemism, and multiple threats from deforestation, mining activities and road construction.

Two new species of Phrynopus (Anura, Strabomantidae) from high elevations in the Yanachaga-Chemillén National park in Peru (Departamento de Pasco).

We describe two new species of Phrynopus from a cloud forest of the Cordillera Yanachaga, Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park in Peru and describe and document the first clutch and case of parental care for a species of Phrynopus. One of the new species of Phrynopus is described based on two females (SVL 19.1-21.0 mm) which were found in leaf litter and moss layer in a cloud forest at 2900 m elevation. This new species is most similar to Phrynopus bracki. The second new species of Phrynopus was found in the transitional formation between cloud forest and wet puna at 3000 m elevation. Its description is based on a single female (SVL 20.7 mm) that was observed guarding nine eggs under moss. This new species is most similar to Phrynopus nicoleae. The eggs had a diameter of 5.7-5.8 mm (n = 3) and froglets when hatched a SVL of 6.2-6.5 mm (n = 3). Sympatric anurans include Gastrotheca sp., Pristimantis aniptopalmatus, Pristimantis bromeliaceus, Pristimantis sp., and Rhinella yanachaga.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and the collapse of anuran species richness and abundance in the Upper Manu National Park, Southeastern Peru.

Amphibians are declining worldwide, but these declines have been particularly dramatic in tropical mountains, where high endemism and vulnerability to an introduced fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is associated with amphibian extinctions. We surveyed frogs in the Peruvian Andes in montane forests along a steep elevational gradient (1200-3700 m). We used visual encounter surveys to sample stream-dwelling and arboreal species and leaf-litter plots to sample terrestrial-breeding species. We compared species richness and abundance among the wet seasons of 1999, 2008, and 2009. Despite similar sampling effort among years, the number of species (46 in 1999) declined by 47% between 1999 and 2008 and by 38% between 1999 and 2009. When we combined the number of species we found in 2008 and 2009, the decline from 1999 was 36%. Declines of stream-dwelling and arboreal species (a reduction in species richness of 55%) were much greater than declines of terrestrial-breeding species (reduction of 20% in 2008 and 24% in 2009). Similarly, abundances of stream-dwelling and arboreal frogs were lower in the combined 2008-2009 period than in 1999, whereas densities of frogs in leaf-litter plots did not differ among survey years. These declines may be associated with the infection of frogs with Bd. B. dendrobatidis prevalence correlated significantly with the proportion of species that were absent from the 2008 and 2009 surveys along the elevational gradient. Our results suggest Bd may have arrived at the site between 1999 and 2007, which is consistent with the hypothesis that this pathogen is spreading in epidemic waves along the Andean cordilleras. Our results also indicate a rapid decline of frog species richness and abundance in our study area, a national park that contains many endemic amphibian species and is high in amphibian species richness.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in the live frog trade of Telmatobius (Anura: Ceratophryidae) in the tropical Andes.

Species of frogs in the genus Telmatobius are traded and sold for human consumption in the Andes and in coastal cities of Peru and Bolivia. These frogs are harvested from wild populations. We report high prevalence of infection by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in live frogs purchased at the main market in Cusco, Peru, from January 2008 to January 2010. We suggest that the transport of native anurans through the live frog trade could facilitate the spread of this fungus among Andean frogs. The tropical Andes are the most important biodiversity hotspot for amphibians. Because many neotropical taxa are known to be susceptible to chytridiomycosis, the presence of a large reservoir of infection in the frog trade poses a significant threat to amphibian conservation.