Pristimantis deyi Lehr, Gregory & Catenazzi, 2013, new species
Creators: name: Lehr, Edgar
name: Gregory, Cindy
name: Catenazzi, Alessandro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Strabomantidae
Pristimantis
Pristimantis deyi

description: Pristimantis deyi new species
(Figures 2–4)
Holotype. MUSM 8968, adult male (Figs. 2–4), from Río Abiseo National Park, upper drainage of the Montecristo river, 2650–3000 m, Provincia Mariscal Cáceres, Región San Martin, Peru, collected by L. Rodriguez on August 1987.
Paratypes. A total of 36: 7 females (MUSM 3788, 8970, 8982, 8992, 8995, 8999, 9000), 29 males (MUSM 3787, 8958, 8961, 8964–66, 8968, 8971–73, 8977–78, 8983, 8986–87, 8990–91, 8993, 8997–98, 9005–11, 9013): collected at the type locality along with the holotype by L. Rodriguez in June 1987, July 1988 and August 1989.
Referred specimens. 21 juveniles (MUSM 8905, 8917, 8920, 8940, 8967, 8969, 8974–76, 8980, 8981, 8984– 85, 8988–89, 8994, 8996, 9003–04, 9012, 15963): collected at the type locality by L. Rodriguez in June 1987 and August 1989.
Diagnosis. A species of Pristimantis tentatively assigned to the P. unistrigatus species Group on the basis of their overall similarity (e.g., areolate venter, expanded discs; see Duellman & Lehr 2009 for detailed characterization of this group) having the following combination of characters: (1) Skin on dorsum shagreen with numerous low scattered tubercles, skin on venter strongly areolate; weak discoidal fold present, only evident posteriorly; short, weakly defined dorsolateral folds present; (2) tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus present, its upper and posteriolateral margin covered by supratympanic fold; (3) snout long, acuminate and triangular in dorsal view, protruding and inclined posteroventrally in lateral view; broad, slightly upwards curved, fleshy process at tip of snout usually present; (4) upper eyelid with 1–2 enlarged conical tubercles; EW less (67.4%) than IOD; cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous processes of vomers minute, oblique and embedded in roof of mouth or absent; (6) males with vocal slits and subgular vocal sac, nuptial pads absent; (7) Finger I shorter than Finger II; discs of digits expanded, truncate; (8) fingers with lateral fringes; (9) ulnar and tarsal tubercles present; (10) heel with one or more conical tubercles; inner tarsal fold present; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid, 3– 4 x as large as outer; outer metatarsal tubercle small, ovoid; low, numerous distinct supernumerary plantar tubercles; (12) toes with lateral fringes; basal toe webbing present; Toe V longer than Toe III; toe discs about as large as that on fingers; (13) in life, dorsum rusty reddish orange or reddish brown with or without tannish-brown chevrons, dorsal surfaces of thighs rusty red to rusty orange with brown stripes, flanks grayish tan with diagonal brown stripes, venter cream with brown flecks on belly, pale tan to orangish tan or brown interorbital bar, canthal and supratympanic stripes brown, iris brass color with darker brownish-black horizontal stripe; (14) SVL in adult females 24.9–34.2 mm (n = 7), in adult males 15.3–23.5 mm (n = 29).
Comparison with other species. Pristimantis deyi is readily distinguished from its congeners by having a long acuminate snout with a broad, slightly upwards curved, fleshy process at its tip. Eight species of Peruvian Pristimantis have the tip of snout with distinct skin protuberances (in parenthesis in the following). These are P. anemerus (rostral papillae), P. aquilonaris (small rostral papillae), P. caeruleonotus (terminal papillae), P. coronatus (small rostral tubercle), P. phoxocephalus (vertical fleshy keel), P. proserpens (small papillae), P. seorsus (horizontal keel), and P. vilcabambae (small rostral papillae). Pristimantis deyi differs from P. coronatus and P. vilcabambae in having a distinctive tympanic annulus and membrane (absent in P. coronatus and P. vilcabambae). Male P. d e yi have vocal slits that are absent in P. aquilonaris, P. proserpens, and P. seorsus. Male P. deyi lack nuptial pads that are present in P. anemerus. Pristimantis deyi is much larger than P. caeruleonotus (female SVL 24.9–34.2 mm vs. 20.5–22.6 mm in P. caeruleonotus), and lacks yellow and pale blue blotches on posterior surfaces of thighs (present in P. caeruleonotus). Eight members (P. aureolineatus, P. bromeliaceus, P. lacrimosus, P. mendax, P. olivaceus, P. pardalinus, P. royi, and P. schultei) of the lacrimosus species Group occur in Peru and five (P. aureolineatus, P. bromeliaceus, P. olivaceus, P. pardalinus, and P. schultei) share with P. deyi acuminate snouts, whereas three (P. lacrimosus, P. mendax, and P. ro y i) have rounded snouts. Species of the lacrimosus Group have flat and relatively broad heads and are readily distinguished from P. deyi which has the snout long, narrow and subacuminate. Distinct skin protuberances at the tip of the snout have been described only for P. olivaceus (Köhler et al. 1998), but minute tubercles on the tip of the snout are visible on photographs of P. bromeliaceus, P. mendax, and P. schultei (see Duellman & Lehr, 2009: p. 153, p. 196, p. 234, respectively).
Pristimantis deyi is most similar to P. phoxocephalus from northern Peru (Regions of Piura, Cajamarca, Lambayeque) and southern Ecuador. However, P. d e y i is smaller than P. phoxocephalus (female SVL 24.9–34.2 mm [n = 7] vs. 29.6–38.4 mm [n = 22], Lynch 1979), has minute dentigerous processes of vomers (prominent in P. phoxocephalus), inner tarsal fold present (absent), heel tubercles present (absent), dorsum in life rusty reddishbrown with lighter blotches or tannish-brown chevrons, (grey, red or brown, Duellman & Lehr 2009), and groin tan with pale brown flecks (groin with black and orange or yellow mottling). Pristimantis wagteri from the Rio Abiseo National Park and its surroundings has prominent dorsolateral folds (weak in P. d e yi), large tubercles on the flanks (flanks tuberculate in P. deyi), red or orange spots in the groin (absent in P. d e y i), and female SVL up to 44.0 mm (Venegas 2007) vs. SVL up to 34.2 mm in P. deyi.
Description of the holotype. Head narrower than body, slightly longer than wide; head width 37.9% of SVL; head length 38.3% of SVL; cranial crests absent; snout long, acuminate-triangular in dorsal view (Fig. 4 A), protruding, inclined posteroventrally in lateral view (Fig. 4 B), broad, slightly upwards curved, fleshy process on its tip (Fig. 2 C); eye-nostril distance 79.4% of eye diameter; nostrils protuberant, directed dorsolaterally; canthus rostralis straight in dorsal view, angular in profile; loreal region slightly concave; lips rounded; upper eyelid with two enlarged conical tubercles; upper eyelid width 83.3% of IOD; row of small tubercles forming short postocular folds; supratympanic fold narrow, sharp, extending from posterior margin of upper eyelid slightly curved to insertion of arm; tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus present, upper and posterolateral margin of tympanic annulus covered by the supratympanic fold, tympanum 32.4% of ED; two conical postrictal tubercles present bilaterally. Choanae large, ovoid, partially concealed by palatal shelf of maxilla; dentigerous processes of vomers absent; tongue width is two-thirds of the tongue length, posteriorly notched, posterior one third free; slightly curved vocal slits present, vocal sac subgular.
Skin on dorsum shagreen with low scattered tubercles, weakly defined dorsolateral fold present; skin on flanks tuberculate; skin on throat and chest weakly areolate, belly coarsely areolate; weak discoidal fold present, only evident posteriorly; cloacal sheath short, one conical tubercle below cloacal sheath. Outer surface of ulnar with minute tubercles; outer palmar tubercle completely divided, its inner half elongate, its outer ovoid, approximately two times the size of ovoid inner palmar tubercle; supernumerary tubercle distinct, ovoid, approximately half the size of subarticular tubercles; subarticular tubercles well defined, most prominent on base of fingers, round in ventral view, conical in lateral view; fingers with broad lateral fringes, outer fringe of Finger IV undulated and extending along outer hand surface to below outer palmar tubercle; Finger I shorter than Finger II; discs on digits of fingers expanded, truncate (Fig. 4 C).
Hind limbs long, slender, tibia length 54.6% of SVL; foot length 49.8% of SVL; upper surfaces of hind limbs shagreen with low scattered tubercles; inner surface of thighs smooth, posterior and ventral surfaces of thighs areolate; heels with prominent conical tubercles, one on left side, two on right side; outer surface of tarsus with minute tubercles coalescing into a low fold with one prominent conical tubercle on each side; inner tarsal fold long covering approximately two thirds of tarsus; inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid, four times the size of ovoid outer metatarsal tubercle; subarticular tubercles well defined, round in ventral view, conical in lateral view; plantar supernumerary tubercles distinct, about half the size of subarticular tubercles; toes with broad lateral fringes, outer fringe of Toe V undulated, extending laterally to level of outer tarsal tubercle; basal webbing present, most prominent between toes III and V; discs expanded, slightly truncate, less expanded than those on fingers; relative length of toes: 1<2<3<5<4; Toe V longer than Toe III (disc on Toe III and on Toe V not reaching distal subarticular tubercle on Toe IV, Fig. 4 D).
Measurements (in mm) of the holotype. SVL 22.7; tibia length 12.4; foot length 11.3; head length 8.7; head width 8.6; eye diameter 3.4; tympanic diameter 1.1, IOD 3.0; upper eyelid width 2.5; internarial distance 2.5; eyenostril distance 2.7.
Coloration of holotype in preservative. Dorsum grayish tan with blackish-brown minute flecks, irregularly shaped black blotches on dorsum; forelimbs grayish tan with three irregular brownish-black bars, anterior view of forelimbs with distinct black blotch; hind limbs grayish tan with irregular brownish-black bars, heels grayish tan; fingers I and II tan, fingers III and IV grayish tan with small black blotches, toes grayish tan; head laterally grayish tan with distinct black canthal and supratympanic stripes and with two labial stripes, brown interorbital blotch; coloration of the upper half of tympanum black and contiguous with the supratympanic stripe, lower half tan; flanks tan, paler than dorsum with black blotches on dorsal aspect; axilla, groin, and anterior and posterior surfaces of thighs and concealed surfaces of tibia tan; throat, chest, belly and thighs tan with minute blackish-brown flecks, few aggregated in groups others diffuse; hands and feet tan with blackish-brown flecks and blotches; iris dark gray.
Coloration of holotype in life. Unknown.
Variation. Coloration in life is based on photographs taken by A. Catenazzi (Fig. 3) of two females (SVL 29.1 mm and 30.0 mm) and one male (SVL 22.2 mm); collection numbers are not available. Both females have the dorsum rusty reddish-brown with lighter blotches (in female SVL 29.1 mm) or tannish-brown chevrons (SVL 30.0 mm), pale tan to orangish-tan interorbital bar present, canthal stripe brown, dorsal surfaces of thighs are rusty red with faint tannish-brown stripes, flanks tannish-brown with brown blotches forming stripes, the irises are iridescent brass color with darker brownish-black horizontal stripe. The male had the dorsum rusty reddish orange, narrow brown interorbital bar, canthal stripe brown, labial region mossy green with pale blotches, thighs rusty orange with brown stripes, flanks grayish tan with brown blotches forming stripes, the iris iridescent brass color with darker brownish-black horizontal stripe.
In ethanol, two females have the dorsum with prominent brown spotted chevrons (MUSM 8970, 8995), three have subtle spotted chevrons (MUSM 3788, 8000, 8992), and two have a pale middorsal region with brown blotches along sides (MUSM 8982, 8999). The majority of the males have subtle to distinct brown chevrons as described for the holotype, but four males (MUSM 8965, 8974, 8978, 9007) have a prominent tan middorsal stripe with brown edges on some specimens, three specimens have brown dorsolateral stripes surrounding tan middorsal region (MUSM 8977, 8998, 9002), and four specimens (MUSM 8958, 8987, 9005, 9009) have the dorsum nearly uniformly tannish gray. Twelve males have a narrow brown interorbital bar (MUSM 3787, 8961, 8964, 8986, 8972, 8983, 8990, 9005, 9008, 9010, 9011, 9013), three have a subtle narrow brown interorbital bar (MUSM 8971, 8997, 9006), and three have a spotted discontinuous narrow brown interorbital bar (MUSM 8958, 8991, 8993). In contrast, four females have broad pale interorbital bar bordered with narrow brown lines (MUSM 3788, 8970, 8992, 8995). Ventral coloration is tan with minute brown flecks on the belly, whereas nine males (MUSM 3787, 8965, 8983, 8986, 8990, 8998, 9007, 9010, 9011) have brown blotches on the belly.
Coloration in ethanol can be summarized as follows: dorsum grayish tan with brown spots, sometimes irregularly shaped chevrons or dorsolateral stripes, distinct dark brown canthal and supratympanic stripes, dark brown interorbital bar, and venter tan with minute brown flecks or blotches on belly.
Males are smaller than females (Table 1). Measurements of SVL taken in the field on 233 individuals, most of which were not collected, range from 8.4 to 32.0 mm (Fig. 5).
Characters Females (n = 7) Males (n = 29) Slight variation can be observed regarding the fleshy process at the tip of the snout. The majority of both male and female specimens have a distinct fleshy process at the tip of the snout. The degree of which the fleshy process curves upwards depends on how concave the area posterior to the internarial region is. When the area is strongly concave, the fleshy process curves upwards as shown in figure 2C. When the area posterior to the internarial region is not concave, the snout is blunt without an upwards curved process as observed in one female (MUSM 3788) and three males (MUSM 8964, 8978, 9005). Two males (MUSM 8977, 9066) have a sharp anterior extension of the rostrum, three males (MUSM 8973, 8983, 9013) have a protruding rostrum, but lack a distinct fleshy process, and one male (MUSM 9009) has the upwards curved, fleshy process offset to the right side. Gradual variation of the fleshy, upwards curved process can be observed, but the differences are so subtle that we are unable to measure or photograph them. Photos of live specimens (Fig. 2) barely reveal the condition of the fleshy process, but a concave area anterior to the inernarial region can be seen in figure 2A and B. Preservation may influence the condition of the fleshy process, but we do not consider this character trait to be an artifact of preservation.
Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in genitive singular. The new species is dedicated to the late Jonathan Dey, the Miner Linnaeus Sherff Professor of Botany at Illinois Wesleyan University for his scientific contributions, commitment to teaching and collegiality. Professor Dey was a renowned taxonomist of lichens.
Distribution and natural history. The species is only known from the type locality in the upper drainage of the Montecristo river (a tributary to the Abiseo river), at elevations from 2650 to 3000 m. In a sample of 233 individuals, 162 were captured from 2170 to 2900 m, 60 from 2900 to 3000 m, and 11 from 2650 to 2700 m. Pristimantis deyi appears to be the most common species of Pristimantis living in the montane forests of this valley above 2600 m. For example in July 2000, individuals of P. deyi were 233 out of 536 captured individuals of Pristimantis, nearly twice as many individuals as the second most common species, P. wagteri. The average number of P. deyi was 13.1 frogs/person-hour of search effort (total effort 17.8 person-hours during 4 nocturnal transects). Specimens of the new species were captured at night from 19:00 to 22:00, perched on low vegetation in the montane forest.
description: Published as part of Lehr, Edgar, Gregory, Cindy & Catenazzi, Alessandro, 2013, A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Río Abiseo National Park, Peru, pp. 201-211 in Zootaxa 3731 (2) on pages 203-209, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3731.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/219557