A New Centrolenella (Anura) from Ecuador, with Comments on Nuptial Pads and Prepollical Spines in Centrolenella
1985; The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles; Volume: 19; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2307/1564260
ISSN1937-2418
Autores Tópico(s)Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
ResumoThe first sizeable collection of Centrolenella from the poorly-known Provincia de Cotopaxi, Ecuador, revealed a new species of Centrolenella, C. gemmata. This species is distin- guished by a snout that is round in dorsal view and slightly anteroventrally sloping in profile, a light and dark spotted dorsal coloration, spinuled dorsal skin in males, nuptial pads in males, and prepollical spines. The occurrence of nuptial pads and prepollical spines in Centrolenella has been overlooked, and is commented upon. Two types of nuptial pads are reported in the genus Centro- lenella, as well as a concealed prepollical spine in both sexes of certain species. C gemmata appears to be closely related to C. lynchi, both sharing a distinctive type of nuptial pad, prepollical spines, and several other features. It is fast becoming obvious that the neotropical frog genus Centrolenella is very diverse. At last count (Cannatella and Duellman, 1982) 65 species were known, and many more are either pres- ently being described or await descrip- tion. The most diverse centrolenid frog faunas occur in cloud forests, and the cloud forests richest in endemic Centro- lenella are those of Ecuador, accounting for 16 species, one-fourth of all known species. Undoubtedly, there are many more species to be discovered in the more remote and obscure areas of Ec-
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