Abstract
The genus Dendropsophus is one of the most speciose among Neotropical anurans and its number of described species is increasing. Herein, molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic evidence are combined to assess species limits within D. parviceps, a widely distributed species in the Amazon Basin. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed using 3040 bp sequences of mitochondrial DNA, genes 12S, ND1, and CO1. The phylogeny shows three well-supported clades. Bioacoustic and morphological divergence is congruent with those clades demonstrating that Dendropsophus parviceps is a species complex. Dendropsophus parviceps sensu stricto occurs in the Amazon basin of Ecuador, northern Peru, southern Colombia and northwestern Brazil. It is sister to two previously undescribed species, D. kubricki sp. n. from central Peru and D. kamagarini sp. n. from southern Peru, northeastern Bolivia, and northwestern Brazil. Genetic distances (uncorrected p, gene 12S) between D. parviceps and the new species is 3 to 4%. Dendropsophus kamagarini sp. n. can be distinguished from D. parviceps by having a prominent conical tubercle on the distal edge of the upper eyelid (tubercle absent in D. parviceps). Dendropsophus kubricki sp. n. differs from D. parviceps by having scattered low tubercles on the upper eyelids (smooth in D. parviceps). Dendropsophus parviceps and both new species differ from all their congeners by their small size (adult maximum SVL = 28.39 mm in females, 22.73 mm in males) and by having a bright orange blotch on the hidden areas of the shanks and under arms. The advertisement call of the two new species has lower dominant frequency relative to D. parviceps. Probable speciation modes are discussed. Available evidence indicates that ecological speciation along an elevation gradient is unlikely in this species complex.
Highlights
The upper Amazon Basin harbors the highest diversity of amphibian species in the world (Bass et al 2010; Duellman 1999)
The use of genetic characters in amphibian taxonomy has helped to discover a large number of cryptic species through the upper and lower Amazon Basin (e.g., Almendáriz et al 2014; Brown et al 2008; Brown and Twomey 2009; Caminer and Ron 2014; Elmer and Cannatella 2008; Fouquet et al 2015; Moravec et al 2014; Páez-Vacas et al 2010; Rivera-Correa and Orrico 2013; Rojas et al 2015; Rojas et al 2016; Ron et al 2012; Twomey and Brown 2008)
We examined the holotype of Dendropsophus parviceps at the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, UK
Summary
The upper Amazon Basin harbors the highest diversity of amphibian species in the world (Bass et al 2010; Duellman 1999). The few systematics studies of Dendropsophus that have included genetic evidence have resulted in the discovery of a large number of undescribed species (e.g., Fouquet et al 2015; Gehara et al 2014; Motta et al 2012; Rivera-Correa and Orrico 2013). These studies underscore the need of genetics-based taxonomic reviews in the genus Dendropsophus
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