Hidden by the name: A new fluorescent pumpkin toadlet from the Brachycephalus ephippium group (Anura: Brachycephalidae).

Ivan Nunes,Edelcio Muscat,Pedro Henrique A G Moura,Carla S Guimarães,Matheus De Toledo Moroti,Daniel R Stuginski,Mariana Pedrozo,Leandro M Castro,Stefan Lötters

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0244812

Abstract

Species of Brachycephalus has been having taxonomical issues due its morphological similarity and genetic conservatism. Herein, we describe a new species of Brachycephalus from the south Mantiqueira mountain range and semidecidual forests in the municipalities of Mogi das Cruzes, Campinas and Jundiaí, state of São Paulo, Brazil, based on an integrative approach. It can be distinguished from all species of the B. ephippium species group based on morphological characters (especially osteology and head shape), advertisement call and divergence in partial mitochondrial DNA gene sequences (16S). The new species is genetically similar to B. margaritatus and morphologically similar to B. ephippium. It can be differentiated from B. ephippium by the presence of dark faded spots on skull and post-cranial plates, presence of black connective tissue connective tissue scattered over dorsal musculature, parotic plate morphology, smaller snout-vent length (adult SVL: males 13.46–15.92 mm; females 16.04–17.69 mm) and 3% genetic distance. We also present natural history data and discuss the robustness of the integrative approach, geographic distribution, genetic data, behaviour, fluorescence in ontogeny, and conservation status.

Highlights

The genus Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826, commonly known as pumpkin toadlets [1], is composed of miniaturized frogs with cryptic and aposematic species that live in the forest leaf litter and are most active during daylight [2, 3]
We provide an in-depth description of its natural history, based on data gathered during two years of field surveys at the Projeto Dacnis reserve and Reserva das Araucarias, both in São Francisco Xavier subdistrict, São Josedos Campos Municipality, state of São Paulo, Brazil
The description of Brachycephalus rotenbergae sp. nov. is based on an integrative approach, coupling external morphology, coloration, osteology, vocalization, and genetic data

Summary

Introduction

The genus Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826, commonly known as pumpkin toadlets [1], is composed of miniaturized frogs with cryptic and aposematic species that live in the forest leaf litter and are most active during daylight [2, 3]. Regardless of genus distribution, most Brachycephalus species occur in restricted lowlands or mountains areas, where some representatives seem to occupy less than 100 ha of area (sky islands; see [5]). The number of endemic Brachycephalus species increased significantly, especially with 15 species described for the last five years

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Conclusion