Phrynopus interstinctus Lehr & Oróz, 2012, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lehr, Edgar
name: Oróz, Anahí
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Strabomantidae
Phrynopus
Phrynopus interstinctus

description: Phrynopus interstinctus sp. nov.
(Figs. 1–3)
Holotype. MUSM 29543 (Figs. 1–3), an adult, gravid female, collected at Cordillera de Carpish, San Marcos (9°54.1''S, 76°06.01'''W) at 3100 m elevation, Distrito de Umari, Provincia de Pachitea, Departamento de Huánuco, Peru, on 27 February 2010 by Anahí Oróz.
Paratypes. Two males. MUSM 29544 collected at 3160 m elevation, MUSM 2954 at 3190 m elevation, both collected at San Marcos (9°54.09''S, 76°06.25'''W), Cordillera de Carpish on 28 February 2010 by Anahí Oróz.
Diagnosis. A species of Phrynopus having the following combination of characters: (1) Skin on dorsum shagreen with small scattered tubercles, skin on venter weakly areolate; discoidal and thoracic folds present; narrow, weakly developed dorsolateral fold; (2) tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus absent; (3) snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views; (4) upper eyelid without enlarged tubercles; width of upper eyelid narrower than IOD; cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous processes of vomers minute; (6) males lacking vocal slits and nuptial pads; (7) Finger I shorter than Finger II; tips of digits rounded; (8) fingers without lateral fringes; (9) ulnar and tarsal tubercles absent; (10) heel with minute tubercles; inner tarsal fold absent; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid, about one and a third time larger as rounded outer metatarsal tubercle; supernumerary plantar tubercles absent; (12) toes without lateral fringes; basal webbing present; Toe V slightly longer than Toe III; toe tips rounded, about as large as those on fingers; (13) in life, dorsum reddish brown, dark grayish brown or olive brown, venter black with white blotches and flecks, groin black with large white blotches that are partially pale salmon; (14) SVL in single female 23.8 mm, in males 14.9–16.5 mm (n = 2).
Phrynopus interstinctus is readily distinguished from its congeners by having a reddish-brown, dark grayishbrown or olive-brown dorsum, a black venter with white blotches and flecks, and a black groin with large white blotches that are partially salmon. Furthermore, Phrynopus interstinctus is readily distinguished from those species of Phrynopus (auriculatus, montium, peruanus) that have a tympanum (absent in P. interstinctus). Furthermore, Phrynopus interstinctus differs from most of its congeners (except dagmarae, horstpauli, kotosh, miroslawae, vestigiatus) by having a dorsolateral fold and by having dentigerous processes of vomers (except bracki, dagmarae, kauneorum, kotosh, nicoleae, peruanus, vestigiatus). Only P. dagmarae, P. kotosh, and P. vestigiatus share with P. interstinctus the combination of dorsolateral folds and dentigerous processes of vomers. However, Phrynopus interstinctus differs from P. dagmarae in lacking a large, conical heel tubercle (present in P. dagmarae) and in having the venter black with white blotches and flecks (dark brown or green with pale gray spots in P. dagmarae). Phrynopus interstinctus differs from P. k o t o s h in lacking ulnar and tarsal tubercles (present in P. kotosh), in having weakly developed, but continuous dorsolateral folds (discontinuous), and the venter in preservative dark gray with white blotches and flecks (venter mottled tan and brown).
Phrynopus interstinctus shares with seven other species of Phrynopus (bracki, dagmarae, heimorum, nicoleae, paucari, peruanus, vestigiatus) an aposematic coloration consisting of red, orange, salmon or flesh colored blotches in the groin. However, none of which has the venter black with white blotches and flecks (present in P. interstinctus, Figs. 1 C, 2B). Phrynopus interstinctus differs from P. tribulosus from the Cordillera Yanachaga in lacking a single subconical tubercle on the heel (present in P. tribulosus), in lacking a row of subconical tubercles on the outer edge of the tarsus (present in P. tribulosus), and by having a brown dorsum (green in P. tribulosus).
Three other species of Phrynopus have been recorded from the Cordillera de Carpish. Those are P. dagmarae, P. horstpauli, and P. vestigiatus. Phrynopus horstpauli has the dorsolateral fold discontinuous (continuous in P. interstinctus), males with nuptial pads (nuptial pads absent), and the venter pale gray with grayish-brown blotches (black with white blotches and flecks). Phrynopus vestigiatus is smaller than P. interstinctus (female SVL 18.8 vs. 23.8 mm), has a discontinuous, undulated dorsolateral fold (continuous, not undulated in P. interstinctus), occipital region with a X-shaped ridge (absent), short postocular fold from posterior margin of upper eyelid to level of insertion of arm (absent), middle of dorsum with an Y-shaped ridge (absent), and the venter dark brown with minute white spots (black with white blotches and flecks).
Description of the holotype. Head narrower than body, wider than long, HW 119.5% of HL; HW 38.7% of SVL; HL 32.4% of SVL; snout short, rounded in dorsal and lateral views, (Fig. 1 A), ED about as large as E-N distance; nostrils slightly protuberant, directed dorsolaterally; canthus rostralis slightly concave in dorsal view, rounded in profile; loreal region slightly concave; lips rounded; upper eyelid without enlarged tubercles; EW slightly narrower than IOD (EW 86.4% of IOD); supratympanic fold short and low, extending from posterior corner of eye to level of jaw articulation, barely distinguishable in preservation; tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus absent; postrictal tubercles small. Choanae small, ovoid, not concealed by palatal shelf of maxilla; dentigerous processes of vomers minute, oblique; tongue broad, slightly longer than wide, not notched posteriorly, posterior one half free.
Skin on dorsum shagreen with small scattered tubercles, weakly developed dorsolateral fold, extending from posterior margin of upper eyelid to sacral region; skin on flanks weakly tuberculate; skin on throat smooth, skin on chest, and belly weakly areolate; discoidal and thoracic folds present; cloacal sheath not discernible; large tubercles absent in cloacal region. Outer surface of forearm without minute tubercles; outer and inner palmar tubercles low, outer bifid about three times the size of inner, ovoid palmar tubercles; few supernumerary tubercles low, ovoid, about half the size of subarticular tubercles; subarticular tubercles prominent, ovoid in dorsal view, rounded in lateral view, most prominent on base of fingers; fingers without lateral fringes; Finger I shorter than Finger II; tips of digits rounded lacking marginal grooves (Fig. 3 A).
Hind limbs slender, moderate, TL 41.2% of SVL; FL 42.9% of SVL; upper surface of hind limbs shagreen with small, scattered tubercles; posterior and ventral surfaces of thighs areolate; heel with small tubercles; outer surface of tarsus without tubercles; inner metatarsal tubercle ovoid, about one and a third time larger as rounded outer metatarsal tubercle; supernumerary plantar tubercles absent; subarticular tubercles low, ovoid in dorsal view; toes without lateral fringes; basal webbing present; toe tips rounded, lacking marginal grooves, about as large as those on fingers; relative lengths of toes: 1 <2 <3 <5 <4; Toe V slightly longer than Toe III (Fig. 3 B).
Measurements (in mm) of holotype: SVL 23.8; TL 9.8; FL 10.2; HL 7.7; HW 9.2; ED 1.9; IOD 2.2; EW 1.9; IND 2.3; E-N 2.0.
Coloration of holotype in life (Fig. 1): Dorsum reddish brown with small pale gray spots; dorsal row of white spots from posterior margin of upper left eyelid to middle of dorsum; dorsal surface of forearms with a dark brown bar; dark brown canthal and supratympanic stripes present; flanks colored as dorsum, slightly paler and with more pale gray spots; axilla black with a white blotch, groin black with a large white blotch that is partially pale salmon (Fig. 1 B); posterior surfaces of thighs and concealed surfaces of shanks black with white flecks some of which are partially covered with pale salmon; throat dark reddish brown with white flecks; chest, belly, and extremities (except ventral surfaces of hands and feet) black with white blotches and flecks; fingers and toes reddish brown, palmar and plantar surfaces black with pale gray flecks, and pale gray subarticular tubercles; iris dark bronze with fine black reticulations.
Coloration of holotype in preservative (Fig. 2): As described above with black coloration being dark brown and salmon coloration being white; flanks pale brown; iris gray.
Variation. Specimens are in general colored as described for the holotype. However, they differ slightly in dorsal coloration. One male (MUSM 29545) has the dorsum dark grayish brown, whereas the other male (MUSM 29544) has the dorsum olive brown. A dark brown inguinal bar is present in male specimen MUSM 29544.
Measurements (in mm) of the two male paratypes (MUSM 29545, 29544, respectively): SVL 16.5, 14.9; TL 7.6, 7.0; FL 7.4, 6.7; HL 6.1, 5.6; HW 5.8, 5.6; ED 2.1, 1.8; IOD 2.0, not measurable; EW 1.3, not measurable; IND 1.9, 1.9; E-N 1.4, 1.5.
Etymology. The specific name interstinctus is the Latin adjective meaning checkered. It refers to the contrasting ventral coloration consisting of white blotches and flecks on black background.
Distribution, ecology, and threat status. The species is only known from the type locality between 3100 to 3180 m. Specimens were found during day in the leaf litter and under trunks in a primary humid montane forest. Characteristic plants include members of the families Myrthaceae, Clusiaceae, Cunoniaceae (Weinmania), Ericaceae, Lauraceae, and Asteraceae. The type locality displayed some effects of human activities such as logging for firewood or construction of agricultural parcels. Frogs found sympatrically include species of Pristimantis. Based on the small geographic range of distribution and fragmentation of the habitat, we assume that Phrynopus interstinctus is threatened. However, we refuse to assign an IUCN red list category because of the data deficiency of the distribution of this species.
description: Published as part of Lehr, Edgar & Oróz, Anahí, 2012, Two new species of Phrynopus (Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Cordillera de Carpish in central Peru (Departamento de Huánuco), pp. 53-63 in Zootaxa 3512 on pages 54-57, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.210408