Leptodactylus sertanejo Giaretta & Costa, 2007, sp. n.
Creators: name: Giaretta, Ariovaldo A.
name: Costa, Hugo C. M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Leptodactylidae
Leptodactylus
Leptodactylus sertanejo

description: Leptodactylus sertanejo sp. n.
(Figures 1 above, 2 below, and 4)
Holotype: ZUEC 13657. Adult male. Clube de Caça e Pesca Itororó de Uberlândia (around 19o00’00”S, 48o18’53”W, 850 m asl), municipality of Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Collected by A. A Giaretta on 18/Set/1999.
Paratopotypes: Eight adult males: ZUEC 13655–6, collected in 18/Sep/1999; AAG-UFU 4137, 21/Sep/ 2000; AAG-UFU 4138, 7/Nov/2000; AAG-UFU 4139, 14/Nov/2000; AAG-UFU 4145, 9/Feb/2004; AAG- UFU 3107–8, Oct/2004. Nine adult females: AAG-UFU 4195, 10/Nov/1999; AAG-UFU 4143, 12/Dec/1999; AAG-UFU 4144, 08/Jan/2000; AAG-UFU 4135–6, 21/Sep/2000; AAG-UFU 4140, 14/Nov/2000; AAG-UFU 4141, 22/Nov/2000; AAG-UFU 4142, 03/Jan/2001; AAG-UFU 3111, 30/Sep/2004. All collected by A. A. Giaretta, except AAG-UFU 3107–8, collected by R. C. Costa.
Diagnosis: Similar to the new species, Leptodactylus gracilis, L. jolyi, L. marambaiae, and L. plaumanni (= L. geminus, Kwet et al., 2001) present longitudinal skin folds on dorsal surface of shank. Leptodactylus marambaiae is a short-legged species, with shank comprising just 50% of the SVL, in L. jolyi this ratio reaches 61–65%, and 62–68 % in the new species. Males L. jolyi are larger in SVL (45 mm) than those of L. gracilis (mean SVL = 38.5 mm, Kwet et al., 2001; our sample), than those of L. plaumanni (31–35 mm, our sample), and are smaller and slender than those of L. sertanejo sp. n. (48.3–53.9). In L. jolyi and L. sertanejo sp. n. the vomerine teeth are in two straight transverse series, in L. gracilis each is a distinct arch. Leptodactylus plaumanni has a fast call rate of 13–23/s, in L. gracilis it is 2.5–4/s, in L. jolyi it is just about 0.1–0.3/s (see call description below) and in L. sertanejo sp. n. calls are emitted irregularly (0.02–0.3/s). The call of Leptodactylus jolyi is composed by 1–3 pulses (see also Fig. 4 in Sazima & Bokerman, 1978), while L. sertanejo sp. n. has a single or double-pulsed call; the call also is 25-100% longer in L. jolyi (mode 0.04 ms, our sample) than in L. sertanejo sp. n. (mode 0.02 ms) (see call description below and discussion).
Description of the holotype: ZUEC 13657 (Figures 1 above left and 4). Adult male 52.5 mm SVL. Proportions (% SVL): head length 28, head width 32, tympanum diameter 6.1, eye diameter 8.6, thigh length 55, shank length 65, foot length 64. Snout pointed from above and in profile; nostrils closer to tip of snout than to eyes; canthus rostralis smooth rounded; upper eyelids smooth; tympanum about 71% eye diameter; vocal sac single, subgular; vocal slits present; vomerine teeth in two straight transverse series, almost contacting medially laying between and just posterior to choanae; finger lengths II<IV<I<III; finger tips rounded, not expanded; fingers unwebbed, II and III with weak lateral ridges, absent on I and IV; basal subarticular tubercles distinct on fingers II, III, and IV, one distal tubercle distinct on I and III; inner metacarpal tubercle oval; outer one circular, double the size of the inner; no asperities on thumbs; no prepollex; no dermal fold on outer forearm; outermost lateral dermal fold from eye to groin; a discrete enlarged gland at angle of jaw; three distinct and two barely defined, discontinuous dorsolateral folds per side; dorsal texture smooth; dorsal surface of shank with 3–4 discrete longitudinal skin folds; flanks slightly glandular; belly smooth; belly disc fold distinct; a granular seat patch under thighs; toe lengths I<II<V~III<IV; toes tips slightly pointed; toes without webbing, without lateral ridges; inner and outer metatarsal tubercles oval, outer about 1/2 size of inner; heel smooth; inner tarsal fold of tarsus barely distinct, 7/8 the length of tarsus; outer tarsus and sole of foot smooth.
Color in preservative: Back, upper limbs, and flanks dark gray with darker spots; vertebral stripe light; second and most lateral pairs of dorsolateral folds whitish; belly and throat cream; posterior surface of shank with a distinct longitudinal light stripe on the lower border; well defined darker cross bars on thigh and shank; longitudinal skin folds on dorsal surface of shank discretely whitish.
Variation in the type series: Variation in size in Table 1. The vertebral line can be wider; some individuals with better defined (higher) longitudinal dermal folds; spots on the borders of the vocal sac can be present or not.
* Includes the paratype ZUEC 4076.
Advertisement call: Leptodactylus sertanejo sp. n. (Figure 5). Calls emitted irregularly (1–18/minute); a fast (0.02– 0.03 s) whistle composed of a single or double pulse; second pulse, when present, shorter than the first; frequency ranging between 1800 and 2400 Hz; dominant frequency between 2000 and 2400 Hz; call lacking harmonics.
Habitat and behavior: Males call from natural and artificial grassland areas, near rivulets (Veredas) or temporary ponds. Syntopic Leptodactylus species include L. furnarius Sazima and Bokermann, L. fuscus (Schneider), L. labyrinthicus (Spix), and L. ocellatus (Linnaeus). Males call under dense vegetation, from within underground chambers (N = 2) or exposed (N = 10).
Color in life: Back brownish gray; vertebral stripe light yellow; longitudinal folds yellow; transversal stripes of thighs brownish gray; black pupil and golden iris; belly yellowish white; yellow throat with dark spots on each side.
Etymology: The specific name “ sertanejo ” is a Portuguese word to those people who live in the wilderness, far from civilization. It also can refers to the Brazilian country music, generally performed by duets. We use it as a noun in apposition to make reference to our preferred way of life which includes a lot of outdoor activities, including field works, sometimes listening to traditional Brazilian music.
description: Published as part of Giaretta, Ariovaldo A. & Costa, Hugo C. M., 2007, A redescription of Leptodactylus jolyi Sazima and Bokermann (Anura, Leptodactylidae) and the recognition of a new closely related species, pp. 1-10 in Zootaxa 1608 on pages 3-9, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.178851