We describe Phyllodytes gravata sp. nov., a new species of bromeligenous treefrog from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. The new species is characterised by its small body size (males 19.5–22.0 mm snout-vent length; female 23.5 mm), a rounded snout with an apical tubercle, an inconspicuous row of tubercles along the tarsus, with a single prominent tubercle at the tibiotarsal articulation, a dorsolateral brown stripe, and an advertisement call composed of long series of pulsed notes (22–34 notes/call; call duration 5.2–7.3 s; dominant frequency 2.75–3.83 kHz). The species is currently known from only two nearby localities within the Central Corridor of the Atlantic Forest (CCAF), in the municipality of Porto Seguro, district of Trancoso, Bahia, a major tourist destination, where it inhabits bromeliads in sandy-soil ecosystems known as mussunungas. Its apparently microendemic distribution and strict association with bromeliads render it vulnerable to several anthropogenic threats, such as bromeliad harvesting, increasing tourism, urbanisation, and agriculture. This discovery underscores the persistent hidden diversity of the CCAF and reinforces the urgent need to protect its highly special microhabitats.

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of microplastics (MPs) in individuals of Hyla orientalis and Hyla savignyi, two tree frog species naturally distributed in Türkiye, to determine the qualitative and quantitative distribution of these particles in their gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) and to analyze their morphological (color, shape, size) and chemical (polymer type) properties in detail. A total of 276 individuals were examined within the scope of the research, 76 of which belonged to H. orientalis and 200 to H. savignyi. A total of 192 microplastic particles were detected in their GITs, and the average size of these particles was determined to be 206.56 ± 12.88 µm. The most common microplastic type was PET (67.20%), its shape was fiber (76.00%), and its color was navy blue (25.50%). The highest proportion of microplastic-containing individuals was observed in H. savignyi (56.50%), and microplastic was found in only 11.84% of H. orientalis individuals. No statistically significant difference was found between the two species in terms of polymer type, microplastic shape, and color (p > 0.05). Data obtained from 24 different provinces across Türkiye indicate that microplastic contamination has a wide geographical distribution. The highest microplastic amount was recorded from Hatay-Hassa (44 pieces), followed by Kilis and Bitlis provinces. Significant differences were found between provinces in terms of color, shape, and polymer type (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that microplastic pollution is widespread in terrestrial vertebrates and may vary among species and geographic regions, suggesting that amphibians may be important bioindicators for monitoring ecosystem health.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10653-026-03037-7.

Label-free photoacoustic imaging of glassfrog development

ABSTRACTEvolutionary divergence in sexual signals may lead to or maintain reproductive isolation between populations. Both selective forces—such as ecological and sexual selection—and random processes like genetic drift may influence the diversification of sexual signals. Understanding the patterns and sources of intraspecific variation in sexual signals among populations can inform the stages of differentiation and speciation. In this study, we investigated patterns of geographic variation in vocal sexual signals and how they relate to genetic and environmental distances among nine populations of Pacific tree frogs. Importantly, the taxonomy of Pacific tree frogs remains unresolved; while some authors recognize only one species (Pseudacris regilla), other authors propose three distinct species based on mitochondrial DNA lineages (P. regilla, P. sierra, and P. hypochondriaca). Our genetic analyses revealed that the nine populations studied span two of the three mitochondrial lineages of Pacific tree frogs. We found that variation in the advertisement calls is better explained by mitochondrial lineage than by geographic or environmental distances between populations. The acoustic properties that have diverged the most between lineages relate to the number of pulses in the call and the rate at which the pulses are delivered. Interestingly, these acoustic properties are important for species recognition in this and other species of frogs. These findings suggest that differences in the vocal sexual signal may lead to premating reproductive isolation between mitochondrial lineages of Pacific tree frogs.

The predation by the Big-headed Treefrog Polypedates megacephalus on the Common House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus and a failed predation attempt on the Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko are reported. In addition, for the first time, tadpoles of this treefrog species were observed scavenging on dead Asian Grass Lizard Takydromus sexlineatus, Boie's Wart Frog Fejervarya limnocharis, and unidentified species of the annelid order Haplotaxida. All observations were carried out in urban environments.

Polypedatesmegacephalus is an alien species first recorded in 2006 in Taiwan. The expanding population of P.megacephalus poses potential threats to the native frog species, especially to the closely-related species P.braueri. To detect genetic diversity and analyse population structures of both native and alien Polypedates species in Taiwan, this study aimed to isolate microsatellite markers in P.braueri and test their cross-species amplification in the alien species P.megacephalus. We successfully amplified and characterised 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci in P.braueri. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 19 and no locus showed evidence of a null allele. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.200 to 1.000 and 0.180 to 0.916, respectively and each locus was detected in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Cross-amplification in P.megacephalus was successfully performed in seven out of 10 loci. Amongst these seven loci, five exhibited polymorphism and two showed no variation. These microsatellite markers will be helpful for further population genetics research on Polypedates species in Taiwan.

Mountainous regions play a crucial role in shaping genetic differentiation among organisms. Climate change and topographical complexity are considered the most important processes influencing the diversification of these areas. In this study, we used Boana polytaenia treefrog species to assess how such biogeographical factors shaped its evolutionary history in the highly biodiverse Brazilian Atlantic Forest Mountain range, Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira. We investigated whether the patterns of genetic diversity of B. polytaenia along the mountains regions of the Southern Atlantic Forest were related to Pleistocene climate changes. Our dataset included mitochondrial and nuclear loci sequences from B. polytaenia, which we used to assess the genealogical relationships of lineages, population structure, lineages validation, changes in effective population sizes over time, time of divergence of lineages, climatic suitability through time with ecological niche modeling and whether niches of lineages are more or less similar than expected. The species exhibited two well-structured clades in each of the mountain chains, Serra da Mantiqueira and Serra do Mar. However, there was a lack of niche similarity and non-reciprocal geographic predictions for species distribution between the clades. Divergence between the clades occurred during the Pliocene/Pleistocene transition. We found contrasting responses to cooler periods on climatic suitability of lineages, with the expansion of suitable areas for B. polytaenia Serra da Mantiqueira Clade and retractions of climatically suitable areas for B. polytaenia Serra do Mar Clade. Despite clear differentiation, the sharing of nuclear haplotypes indicates retention of ancestral polymorphism, complicating the resolution of phylogenetic relationships in this species. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the presence of more than one evolutionary unit in this dataset. Finally, Pleistocene climate changes influenced spatial distribution, leading to genetic variation in B. polytaenia species.

We describe a new species of pelodryadid treefrog from a montane stream traversing karst terrain in the Star Mountains of western Papua New Guinea. Litoria stellarum sp. nov. is morphologically similar to L. becki (Loveridge, 1945), a species that is widespread in montane grassland habitats in central Papua New Guinea, but can be distinguished by its more angular snout and the presence of vocal slits in adult males (absent in L. becki). Based on its morphology and ecology we are confident the new species belongs to a monophyletic clade of torrent-breeding Litoria that reaches its greatest diversity in the rugged mountains of New Guineas Central Cordillera. Litoria stellarum sp. nov. is the second species in the radiation of torrent-breeding Litoria to be described from high-elevation karst habitats in Papua New Guinea, however in the absence of better ecological data it is not clear whether these species can be considered karst specialists. The single known locality for the species is in a restricted high elevation habitat suggesting it might be vulnerable to climate change. However, we suggest it should be considered Data Deficient until such time as its distribution and ecology can be better assessed.

Forests are being converted to agriculture throughout the tropics, driving declines in sensitive rainforest taxa. However, low-intensity agricultural systems, such as cocoa agroforestry, may provide refuges for biodiversity. Little is known about the suitability of these systems for vertebrate fauna in the Afrotropics, especially with regards to amphibians. Here, we contribute novel information on amphibian communities in African cocoa farms by investigating the effects of within-farm characteristics and surrounding habitats on the abundance and richness of amphibians. In August–September 2019, we surveyed amphibians in 15 cocoa farms and four primary forest sites in southern Cameroon, capturing 206 individuals of at least 29 species. Overall, responses of amphibians to within-farm characteristics and surrounding habitat varied between species, but at the community level the main responses were a decrease in number of captures with increasing ground vegetation height, and with increasing open agriculture and villages surrounding farms. Species also showed associations with canopy cover in farms (positive for three species), abundance of husk piles in farms (negative for three species), surrounding forest habitat (positive for two species and negative for one) and surrounding plantation or degraded forest habitat (positive for one species). Our results on the effects of surrounding habitat suggest that the composition of amphibian communities in cocoa farms may be largely influenced by the ability of species to disperse through neighbouring habitats. Additionally, we found that the relative abundance of amphibian species differed significantly between forest and cocoa: this effect appeared to be driven largely by tree frog species (genus Leptopelis), which were more abundant in forest habitats, suggesting that certain tree frog species may serve as an indicator of primary forest-like conditions. Given the current climate of agricultural intensification in Africa, our results contribute to the initial steps towards identifying amphibian-friendly agricultural practices. Keywords: agroforestry, leaf litter, microhabitat, open agriculture, tropical forest

ABSTRACT We investigated herein the diet of an assembly of anurans, specifically tree frogs belonging to the species Scinax acuminatus, Boana raniceps, and Trachycephalus typhonius, under extremely adverse conditions in the Pantanal, a region of great ecological importance that experiences cycles of flooding and drought. Recently, the region suffered an extreme and unusual drought, drastically reducing the availability of wet habitats. Data collection occurred in the Passo do Lontra region, Southern Pantanal, in November 2021. Anuran sampling was conducted through nocturnal searches, and collected specimens were subsequently subjected to stomach content analysis through animal dissection. Additionally, pitfall traps were used to estimate the relative abundance of anuran prey in the environment. Results revealed that the diet composition of the three tree frog species was similar, but bigger species consumed more prey volume than smaller species. The hylids exhibited dietary generalism, the prey categories most consumed by S. acuminatus was Orthoptera and Hemiptera, while B. raniceps and T. typhonius mostly consumed Coleoptera and Formicidae. Also, the electivity index shows that S. acuminatus and B. raniceps selected Coleoptera and Hemiptera, while T. typhonius selected Coleoptera and Araneae. Our study suggests that extreme climatic events, such as severe droughts, can alter the ecological processes of this group of hylids.

Hylid frogs represent a conspicuous component of biodiversity, especially in Mesoamerican highlands. Herein, we report on novel distribution records of three endemic species of hylid treefrogs from the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, southern Mexico.

Treefrogs in the family Hylidae make up almost 40% of the anurans in Mexico; however, beyond monographic work published >50 yr ago, we still know very little about their reproductive ecology. Herein, we investigated reproductive traits and compared life-history patterns among three hylid treefrogs distributed along Mexico's Pacific Lowlands, a biogeographically unique faunal region threatened by sea level rise. We examined museum specimens of the Mexican Leaf Frog (Agalychnis dacnicolor, n = 200), the Lowland Burrowing Frog (Smilisca fodiens, n = 340), and the Mexican Shovel-headed Treefrog (Triprion spatulatus, n = 336) collected during 1902–1965 from nine Mexican states. Adult males were smaller than females in all three species. Testes were largest in July and August, and gravid females were most common during July–August and largely absent by September. Juveniles were present from July to September. Gravid females exhibited positive relationships between body size and clutch size, with larger A. dacnicolor females also having larger eggs. Growth was difficult to discern because most samples were seasonally restricted, but unpublished collectors' notes revealed rapid growth to metamorphosis in T. spatulatus. Geographic variation in body size exhibited opposite patterns between A. dacnicolor and S. fodiens, whereas T. spatulatus had no clear relationship with geography. We provide the most comprehensive data on reproduction for these three treefrog species to date, including the first clutch size estimates for two of them addressing critical gaps in their life history and paving the way for a more complete understanding of life-history variation in Mexican hylids.

The Hyloscirtusbogotensis group contains 17 species of treefrogs from the tropical Andes and Central America. A taxonomic review of the Amazonian clades of this group is presented based on DNA sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and a preliminary phylogenomic analysis of ultraconserved elements, as well as morphological, bioacoustic, and environmental characters. Additionally, the role of the Andes in the diversification of the genus Hyloscirtus is explored by reconstructing their ancestral basin (Amazon, Pacific, Caribbean). Our integrative analysis indicates the existence of eight undescribed candidate species within the group. Three of those species are described, previously masked within H.albopunctulatus, H.phyllognathus, and H.torrenticola. A lectotype is also designated for Hylaalbopunctulata. The new evidence suggests that neither Hyloscirtusphyllognathus nor H.torrenticola occur in Ecuador. The new species, H.elbakyanae sp. nov., H.dispersus sp. nov., and Hyloscirtusmaycu sp. nov. differ from other members of the group in bioacoustics and external morphology. The most useful diagnostic characters among species were advertisement calls. In contrast, skin coloration is highly variable intraspecifically and, as a result, of low diagnostic value. High variation in color is partly a result of phenotypic plasticity. Our biogeographic reconstructions indicate that the Andean barrier influenced the diversification of Hyloscirtus. Since the early Oligocene, there have been only four colonization events across de Andes, between the Pacific and Amazon basins. Two of those events occurred more than 14 Mya, when most of the tropical Andes were below 3000 m. Species in the highland H.larinopygion group are younger, suggesting recent diversification as high montane forests and paramo habitats emerged.

Figure 22 Variation in life of Hyloscirtus dispersus sp. nov. Ventral view. From left to right, first row: QCAZ 52006 (holotype, adult male), 52463, 69562 (adult males); second row: QCAZ 49032, 69563, 66709 (adult males); third row: QCAZ 59821, 66710, 58732 (adult males); fourth row: QCAZ 58733, 63408, 69456 (adult males); fifth row: QCAZ 69550, 59820 (adult males), QCAZ 41031 (adult female); sixth row: QCAZ 57099, 57666, 59099, 57100 (adult females).

Figure 20 Variation of preserved specimens of Hyloscirtus dispersus sp. nov. Dorsal and ventral views. From left to right, first and second rows: QCAZ 52006 (holotype, adult male), QCAZ 41554, 69548, 69561, 66709 (adult males); third and fourth rows: QCAZ 66051, 52458, 66710, 66052, 69550, 63488 (adult males); fifth and six rows: QCAZ 60694, 57100, 41649, 41901, 60695, 41031 (adult females). See Suppl. material 1: table S1 for locality information. All specimens are shown at the same scale.

Figure 10 Principal components (PC) of the environmental envelope analysis. Eight environmental variables were analyzed of localities of Hyloscirtus albopunctulatus, H. maycu sp. nov., H. elbakyanae sp. nov., H. dispersus sp. nov., H. phyllognathus sensu stricto, H. UCS 1 an individual from Lineage F (UCS 2), and H. torrenticola sensu stricto. Normal data ellipses are shown by group. The contribution of each principal component to explain total variation is shown in parentheses. The results of the PC analysis are shown in Suppl. material 1: table S8.

Figure 5 Geographic distribution of Amazonian species of the Hyloscirtus bogotensis group. Stars represent the type locality of H. albopunctulatus, H. phyllognathus and H. torrenticola. Symbol colors in the map match those of the lineages in the phylogeny. Boxplot comparing the elevational ranges are shown, which excludes H. phyllognathus and H. torrenticola due to the small sample.

Figure 14 Phenotypic plasticity in dorsal color of Hyloscirtus. Left column: H. albopunctulatus, QCAZ 59822, adult male. Right column: Hyloscirtus alytolylax, QCAZ 64841, adult male. Photos in A, B were taken within 17 days of each other; photos in C, D within 16 minutes E Inset of the hindleg of QCAZ 64841 showing chromatophore change.

Figure 4 Photographs of the type material of Hyloscirtus albopunctulatus and H. torrenticola species A dorsal and ventral views of the lectotype of H. albopunctulatus BMNH 1880.12.5.230 B dorsal and ventral views of the holotype of H. torrenticola KU 16957. Photographs by JWS (A) and Martín R. Bustamante (BIOWEB archive) (B).

Figure 1 Maximum likelihood phylogram of Hyloscirtus for DNA sequences of mitochondrial (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, ND1 and adjacent tRNAs) and nuclear genes (RAG1 and c-myc). Bayesian posterior probabilities (pp × 100) are shown above branches and bootstrap values below. Asterisks represent values of 100%. Missing values indicate posterior probabilities and bootstrap &lt; 50. Amazonian species of the H. bogotensis group are shown with colored boxes. Outgroup species are not shown and include two species of Boana and two of Dendropsophus (Suppl. material 1: table S1). Voucher museum numbers are shown before the species name. For Ecuadorian populations, the province is provided after the species name. Abbreviations for other countries at the end of terminals: BOL (Bolivia), COL (Colombia), PAN (Panamá), PER (Perú), and VEN (Venezuela). UCS: unconfirmed candidate species. For locality data see Suppl. material 1: table S1.