A new species of marsupial frog (Anura; Gastrotheca) from the Cordillera de Colán in northeastern Peru

Abstract

We describe a new species of marsupial frog, genusGastrotheca, using morphological characters and molecular data as lines of evidence. The new species was discovered in the páramo and the ecotone between páramo and humid montane forest of Cordillera de Colán, at elevations between 3136 and 3179 m a.s.l., in northeastern Peru. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners by the combination of the following characters: coarsely granular skin on dorsum, a green dorsal coloration without pattern, finger I shorter than finger II, turquoise iris, and a venter without blotches, flecks or dots. Furthermore, we include a detailed osteological description of the newGastrothecaspecies based on Micro-CT scanning. Based on our phylogenetic analyses, the new species belongs to theGastrotheca marsupiataspecies group, is sister toG. oresbiosand closely related toG. psychrophila,G. spectabilis,G. stictopleuraand one undescribed species. Additionally, we test for the presence of the fungal pathogenBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Bd). NoBdinfection was detected forG. gemmasp. nov. specimens butBdprevalence was detected among syntopic frogs.