Dendrobates uakarii Brown, Schulte & Summers, 2006, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Brown, Jason L.
name: Schulte, Rainer
name: Summers, Kyle
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2006
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Dendrobatidae
Dendrobates
Dendrobates uakarii

description: Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov.
Holotype. MHNSM 23246, (Field number MC0140), an adult female collected on 20 June 2004 by Mario Callegari upstream Quebrada Blanco in Tamshiyacu­Tahuayo Reserve, Departamento Loreto, Peru (4º 11’21.88” S, 73º6’15.66” W), Elevation: 140 m.
Paratypes. MHNSM 23247­23250, (Field numbers MC0141­MC0144), adults collected on 20 June 2004 by Mario Callegari upstream Quebrada Blanco in Tamshiyacu­ Tahuayo Reserve, Departamento Loreto, Peru (4º 11’21.88” S, 73º6’15.66” W), Elevation: 140 m.
Diagnosis
A species of Dendrobates as characterized by the first finger, which is shorter than the second, the lack of webbing between the toes, absence of premaxillary and maxillary teeth (Myers 1982). Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov. is a species of small size (16.16 mm SVL in female holotype); with smooth skin; paired­parallel dorsolateral lines: one yellow oblique lateral and one red dorsolateral (on each flank), with one vertebral line, which is the same color of the dorsolateral lines; black coloration between the dorsolateral lines and the vertebral line generally creates a “U” around the snout. This species can be distinguished from its sister taxa on the basis of 19 unique mitochondrial gene nucleotide site substitutions (Fig. 4).
The new species can be distinguished from all known species of Dendrobates occurring in the Amazonian lowlands by the presence of differently colored parallel dorsolateral lines (as described above). The new species is similar in appearance to D. duellmani and D. ventrimaculatus. Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov. is distinguished from D.
ventrimaculatus sensu strico and D. ventrimaculatu sensu lato (Fig. 2) by: complete parallel dorsolateral stripes; red to orange red in life (vs. yellow to orange­red “ Y ” to single incomplete vertebral stripe on dorsum), presence of a single broad oblique lateral stripe (vs. often connecting, or fine single oblique lateral stripe) and presence of black “U”, which is formed from the vertebral and dorsolateral lines. Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov. is distinguished from D. duellmani by: dorsolateral stripe red in life (vs. reddish pink), and broad yellow oblique lateral stripe present (vs. fine blue oblique stripe, matching the color of reticulation on limbs, Fig. 2).
Description of Holotype
Size small, SVL 16.16 mm (Table 1). Widest part of head between eyelids. Body slightly wider than head. Greatest head­width 30.6% of SVL. Eyes very protuberant. Tongue small, oval. Teeth absent.
* Measurements taken with dissecting microscope **sub­adult, not used in description
*** MHNSM 23251 not included
Skin in preservative completely smooth on all surfaces of body. Snout sloping laterally; bluntly rounded dorsally; truncate ventrally. Nares situated and directed laterally to the tip of snout; both nares barely visible from front, well from below but not from above. Canthus rostralis rounded; loreal region sloping and flat or slightly concave. Interorbital distance 1.7 times wider than upper eyelid. Tympanum circular, half concealed posterodorsally (7 o’clock to 2 o’clock, when center of snout is at 3 o’clock), without tympanic annulus, its area less than 50% of ED.
Hands relatively small, length being 25.4% of SVL. Relative length of appressed fingers 1<2<4<3; finger I slightly shorter than finger II. Discs conspicuously expanded on all fingers but finger I. In adults disc on finger III is 2 times wider than distal end of adjacent phalanx. A large, circular outer metacarpal tubercle on median base of palm; a smaller inner metacarpal tubercle on base of finger I; one prominent subarticular tubercle on fingers I, II, and IV, two on finger III.
Hind limbs relatively short, with heel of appressed limb reaching the tympanum. Tibia 43.9% of SVL. Relative lengths of appressed toes 1<2<5<3<4; first toe short (but conspicuously present), barely reaching bottom of subarticular tubercle on base of second toe, with unexpanded disc; and toes II, III, and IV barely expanded (much smaller than finger discs), and toe IV expanded (disc 1.5 broader than adjacent phalanx). Moderatesized inner and small outer metatarsal tubercles, somewhat protuberant with rounded surfaces. One slightly protuberant subarticular tubercle on toes I, II and V, two on toe III, and three on toe IV. Hands and feet lacking supernumerary tubercles, lateral fringes and webbing.
Color in life (based on photographs of a living specimen, Fig. 2): dorsum and upper flanks black, with paired dorsolateral lines: one yellow oblique lateral and one red dorsolateral (on each flank); and one vertebral line, similar in color to the dorsolateral lines. The paired dorsolateral stripes are bright reddish­orange, which continue on the exterior edges of the eyelids, the canthus rostralis, and the superior part of the snout. The vertebral line spans from the preorbital to the sacral region. The paired oblique lateral lines extend from the groin to the upper forelimbs around the upper lip. Limbs, hands, feet, and belly blue with a fine reticulum of black dots and larger spots. Throat yellow, with paired black spots below the mandible, and large black gular spot. Iris black.
In 70% alcohol the color is almost identical to the living animal described above. The only differences are that the dorsolateral stripes and vertebral stripe changed to pinkishyellow, and oblique lateral stripes and throat changed to silver­white.
Etymology
The red uakari Dendrobates. The specific epithet is a patronym for the red uakari (Cacajao calvus ucayalii), an endangered Amazonian primate. Both black (C. melanocephalus) and red uakari (C. calvus) are probably the primate species at greatest risk in South America (CITES). Because these monkeys are quite large and prefer flooded forest habitats, they are easily hunted from boats. The epithet was chosen because both the red uakari and D. uakarii, sp. nov. shared similar historical distributions and have bright red dermal pigmentation.
Va r i a t i o n
Within populations the black between the dorsolateral lines and vertebral line may form a “U” around the snout (77%, n=13). Other individuals have a connected dorsolateral line and vertebral line near the canthus rostralis (23%, n=13). The black gular spot is absent in some individuals (7%, n=13). Coloration and width of the dorsolateral and vertebral lines vary between populations. Near Rio Yarapa, south of Rio Tahuayo, populations have thinner dorsolateral and vertebral lines, are yellow near the sacrum (almost the same color as oblique lateral stripes), and change to brick­red near the occiput (Fig 2 C). We amplified regions of the cytochrome b gene from two individuals from the Tamshiyacu­Tahuayo Reserve and uncovered only one haplotype; although the sample size is very small, this suggests that intrapopulation variation may be minimal.
Distribution and ecology
We found Dendrobates uakarii, sp. nov. throughout the Tamshiyacu­Tahuayo Community Reserve and further south to Pacaya Samiria Reserve, on the Rio Yarapa. Its distribution is likely between Rio Amazonas, Rio Javari, and Rio Ucayali (north of the Contamana­Sierra Divisor Arch) in western Brazil and eastern Peru. This putative distribution is supported by Christmann’s (2004) book, which contains pictures of a similar looking species 200 km east of Iquitos, south of Rio Napo, and further east to the tributaries on the south side Amazon, near the Brazilian border. In Tahuayo, it occurs sympatrically with two other species of Dendrobates: D. ventrimaculatus sensu lato and D. flavovittatus. D. uakarii, sp. nov. occurs in primary forests. It spends a majority of its time on the forest floor, however it occasionally ventures a few meters into the canopy. The call is a long series of soft buzz­like notes, similar to D. fantasticus, but with shorter pauses between each note, making the call sound nearly continuous (Fig 3). Males have been observed to carry one to four tadpoles to large phytotelmata such as bromeliads.
description: Published as part of Brown, Jason L., Schulte, Rainer & Summers, Kyle, 2006, A new species of Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the Amazonian lowlands in Perú, pp. 45-58 in Zootaxa 1152 on pages 47-54, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.172186