Title
On the Uncertain Taxonomic Identity of Adenomera hylaedactyla (Cope, 1868) and the Composite Type Series of A. andreae (Müller, 1923) (Anura, Leptodactylidae)
Date Issued
01 January 2019
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
De Carvalho T.R.
Giaretta A.A.
Maciel N.M.
Barrera Diego A.
Haddad C.F.B.
Kokubum M.N.C.
Menin M.
Angulo Ariadne
Publisher(s)
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Abstract
Adenomera andreae and A. hylaedactyla are two widespread Amazonian frogs that have been traditionally distinguished from each other by the use of different habitats, toe tip development, and more recently through advertisement calls. Yet, taxonomic identification of these species has always been challenging. Herein we undertake a review of type specimens and include new phenotypic (morphology and vocalization) and mitochondrial DNA information for an updated diagnosis of both species. Our morphological analysis indicates that the single type (holotype) of A. hylaedactyla could either belong to lineages associated with Amazonian forest-dwelling species (A. andreae clade) or to the open-formation morphotype (A. hylaedactyla clade). Given the holotype's poor preservation, leading to the ambiguous assignment of character states for toe tip development, as well as a vague type locality encompassing a vast area in eastern Ecuador and northern Peru, the identity of this specimen is uncertain. Morphology of toe tip fragments and the original species description suggest that A. hylaedactyla could correspond to at least two described species (A. andreae or A. simonstuarti) or additional unnamed genetic lineages of the A. andreae clade, all bearing toe tips expanded into discs. Analysis of morphometric data, however, clustered the holotype with the Amazonian open-formation morphotype (toe tips unexpanded). While additional data can be obtained from the holotype of A. hylaedactyla, at this time this type cannot be unequivocally assigned to any species of Adenomera distributed across eastern Ecuador and Peru's northernmost region of Loreto. For the time being, the name A. hylaedactyla still accommodates the only Amazonian open-habitat species. As to the type series of Adenomera andreae, a forest-associated species with toe tips fully expanded (developed into small discs) from eastern Brazilian Amazonia, we found that one of its paratypes shares a morphotype with the open-habitat species and is reassigned to A. hylaedactyla. With the taxonomic identity of A. hylaedactyla unresolved, formal descriptions of cryptic species complexes within the A. andreae clade distributed across the type locality of A. hylaedactyla run the risk of a possible future synonymization with A. hylaedactyla. Yet, not naming more circumscribed and potentially threatened cryptic species puts them at risk, as they would probably not qualify for conservation funding. Given the current fire crisis in the Amazon Basin, the risk of losing species before they are described far outweighs the risk of synonymization. We recommend that researchers prioritize descriptions based on the potential extinction risk of new species.
Start page
708
End page
723
Volume
107
Issue
4
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Zoología, Ornitología, Entomología, ciencias biológicas del comportamiento
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85076755419
Source
Copeia
ISSN of the container
00458511
Sponsor(s)
We received financial support through research grants from São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP #2013/50741-7) and from National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq #302518/2013-4 and #446935/2014-0). MM and NMM also thank CNPq for research grants. The taxonomic review of species of Adenomera was part of the first author’s Ph.D. dissertation, with financial support from a doctoral and a postdoctoral fellowship from FAPESP (#2012/ 15763-7 and #2017/08489-0, respectively). Collecting permits were issued by Instituto Chico Mendes, Brazil (ICMBio/ SISBIO #30059), and Sernanp and Serfor, Peru (#17-2018-SERNANP-JEF and #192-2019-MINAGRI-SERFOR). We are grateful to B. F. V. Teixeira, D. L. Bang, C. E. Costa-Campos, L. B. Martins, P. Azarak, and the Explorer’s Inn team for their assistance during fieldwork; Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais (CEIS, UNESP/Rio Claro) and M. L. Lyra for providing workspace and help with DNA sequencing protocols; Fonoteca Zoológica (MNCN-CSIC, Madrid), the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML), G. Gagliardi-Urrutia, I. De la Riva, and R. R. Rojas for enabling access to sound recordings of Adenomera; and D. R. Frost for insightful comments. We are indebted to Michael Franzen and Frank Glaw from the Munich museum (ZSM) for providing us with high-quality photographs and sending us tissue samples from the type specimens of A. andreae. Ned Gilmore from ANSP allowed AA earlier access to the holotype of A. hylaedactyla. The following individuals granted access to specimens under their care: F. P. Werneck and A. Silva (INPA-H), N. Pupin and D. B. Delgado (CFBH), L. F. Toledo and K. Rabelo (ZUEC), A. L. C. Prudente and F. Sarmento (MPEG), T. Grant and A. S. Benetti (MZUSP), G. F. Pontes (MCP), S. R. Ron (QCAZ).
We received financial support through research grants from São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP #2013/50741-7) and from National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq #302518/2013-4 and #446935/2014- 0). MM and NMM also thank CNPq for research grants. The taxonomic review of species of Adenomera was part of the first author's Ph.D. dissertation, with financial support from a doctoral and a postdoctoral fellowship from FAPESP (#2012/ 15763-7 and #2017/08489-0, respectively). Collecting permits were issued by Instituto Chico Mendes, Brazil (ICMBio/ SISBIO #30059), and Sernanp and Serfor, Peru (#17-2018- SERNANP-JEF and #192-2019-MINAGRI-SERFOR). We are grateful to B. F. V. Teixeira, D. L. Bang, C. E. Costa-Campos, L. B. Martins, P. Azarak, and the Explorer's Inn team for their assistance during fieldwork; Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais (CEIS, UNESP/Rio Claro) and M. L. Lyra for providing workspace and help with DNA sequencing protocols; Fonoteca Zoológica (MNCN-CSIC, Madrid), the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (ML), G. Gagliardi- Urrutia, I. De la Riva, and R. R. Rojas for enabling access to sound recordings of Adenomera; and D. R. Frost for insightful comments. We are indebted to Michael Franzen and Frank Glaw from the Munich museum (ZSM) for providing us with high-quality photographs and sending us tissue samples from the type specimens of A. andreae. Ned Gilmore from ANSP allowed AA earlier access to the holotype of A. hylaedactyla. The following individuals granted access to specimens under their care: F. P. Werneck and A. Silva (INPAH), N. Pupin and D. B. Delgado (CFBH), L. F. Toledo and K. Rabelo (ZUEC), A. L. C. Prudente and F. Sarmento (MPEG), T. Grant and A. S. Benetti (MZUSP), G. F. Pontes (MCP), S. R. Ron (QCAZ).
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