A New Species of Colostethus from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia) with Comments on Intergeneric Relationships within the Dendrobatidae

Abstract

-A new species of Colostethus from Colombia is described. This species is related to those Colostethus having males with Finger III expanded. The presence or absence of neopalatines is examined in 25 species of Colostethus, two Dendrobates, three Mannophryne, one Minyobates, and two Nephelobates. The absence of neopalatines is synapomorphic within the Dendrobatidae. The absence of neopalatines suggests that Colostethus (sensu lato) is paraphyletic with respect to the aposematic dendrobatids. RESUMEN.-Se describe una nueva especie de Colostethus de Colombia. Esta especie esta relacionada a aquellos Colostethus cuyos machos tienen el Dedo III expandido. La presencia o ausencia de neopalatinos se examina en 25 especies de Colostethus, dos Dendrobates, tres Mannophryne, uno Minyobates, y dos Nephelobates. La ausencia de neopalatinos es sinapomorfica dentro de los dendrobatidos. La ausencia de neopalatinos sugiere que Colostethus (sensu lato) es parafiletico con respecto a los dendrobatidos aposematicos. Searching for specimens of Colostethus subpunctatus at the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, I found an undescribed species cataloged under this name from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. Specimens were first collected in 1913 by A. G. Ruthven, A. S. Pearse, and E M. Gaige as part of the Bryant Walker expedition to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; additional specimens were obtained in 1920 by Ruthven and Gaige. Ruthven and Gaige (1915) described the breeding habits and larval morphology of this Colostethus from Santa Marta. At that time, they considered it to be Colostethus subpunctatus because of its general resemblance to that species, although they had noticed that the Colostethus from Santa Marta was much smaller than C. subpunctatus. Later, Ruthven (1922) provided a detailed diagnosis of the Santa Marta specimens as C. subpunctatus. Based on the descriptions made by Ruthven and Gaige (1915) and Ruthven (1922), Dunn (1944) mentioned that the Colostethus from Santa Marta was not C. subpunctatus but did not comment further. Later, Stebbins and Hendrickson (1959:511) stated that Dunn had informed them that the specimens from Santa Marta were probably C. brunneus. Since Dunn (1944), the Colostethus from Santa Marta has not been considered to be a population of C. subpunctatus (Cochran and Goin, 1970 and Frost, 1985), but it still remains undescribed. Silverstone (1975) observed that neopalatines bones can be present or absent in Colostethus. Myers et al. (1991) suggested that the absence of neopalatines might be a synapomorphy within Colostethus. Herein I provide: (1) a description of the new species from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, (2) a review of the distribution of neopalatines in dendrobatids, and (3) a discussion of the implications of that character in the systematics the dendrobatids. MATERIALS AND METHODS The species description was based on old, but well preserved, specimens. Data for adult coloration, tadpole morphology, ecology, life history, and distribution were obtained from Ruthven and Gaige (1915) and Ruthven (1922). Measurements were taken with dial calipers using a dissecting microscope. Terminology for oral external morphology of larvae follows Altig (1970), and stripe patterns of adults follow Rivero (1988 [1990]); flank patterns of the species having Finger III expanded was obtained from Rivero (1988 [1990]). Neopalatines (terminology of Trueb, 1993) were examined in cleared and stained specimens prepared in the manner of Dingerkus and Uhler (1977). Specimens examined are listed in the Appendix. Acronyms for museums: ICN = Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Bogota, Colombia; UMMZ = University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Colostethus ruthveni sp. nov. Holotype.-UMMZ 54618, an adult female, from Quebrada Viernes Santo, in the mountains near Santa Marta, Departamento de Magdalena, This content downloaded from 207.46.13.191 on Mon, 01 Aug 2016 04:23:55 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms