Check List 9(5): 1122–1123, 2013 © 2013 Check List and Authors Chec List ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution

n First record of the Amazonian tiny tree minuta (Melin, 1941) (Anura: Bufonidae), for istributio

D 1* 2,3 and César L. Barrio-Amorós 4 raphic

g Fernando1 Fundación J. M. LaRojas-Runjaic Salle de Ciencias Naturales,, Santiago Museo de Castroviejo-Fisher Historia Natural La Salle. Apartado Postal 1930, Código Postal 1010-A, Caracas, DC,

eo Venezuela. G n o

2 American Museum of Natural History, Department of Herpetology. Central Park West at 79th Street, 10024-5192, New York, U.S.A. * 3 CorrPontifíciaesponding Universidade author. E-mail: Católica [email protected] do Rio Grande do Sul, Laboratório de Sistemática de Vertebrados. Porto Alegre, RS, .

otes 4 Instituto de Biodiversidad Tropical, Apartado Postal 210, 8800, San Isidro del General, Costa Rica. N

Abstract: Amazophrynella minuta is a small toad widely distributed in the lowlands and midlands of the Amazon and

theGuiana closest regions. known Herein localities we report in the first and record Brazil of this species from Venezuela based on a single specimen from Raudal de Danto, Río Cuao, northwestern Amazonas state. This record extends the distribution of the species more than 500 km from

Amazophrynella minuta is a small toad of the family herpetological collection of the aforementioned institution Bufonidae. It was originally described as a member of the genus Atelopus but in the last decades has been relocated to different genera (see Frost 2013 for a review of its delunder Poder the Popular code MHNLS para el 19913. Ambiente Collecting of Venezuela. permit #4156 taxonomic history). This species is currently known from (period 2009–2010) was issued to FJMRR by Ministerio many localities across the lowlands and midlands of the Amazon rainforest of , Brazil, , , The specimen (an adult female; SVL: 15.8 mm), was Colombia, and (Ávila et al. 2012; found by us near Raudal de Danto, Río Cuao, Autana Fouquet et al. 2012; Frost 2013). Fouquet et al. (2012) aproximatelymunicipality, 22:00 Amazonas h, in the state, leaf-litter Venezuela near a (05°03’03.1” small creek reported this species from Venezuela (in the Andean inN, primary 67°34’01.4” rainforest W; 115 (Figure m; Figure 3). This 2), specimen on July 12, represents 2010 at piedmont of the Llanos region), however, this record was Amazophrynella minuta for Venezuela, communication to SCF). the first record of based on an error of identification (A. Fouquet personal extending its distribution approximately 510 km NNE Amazophrynella minuta from Venezuela on the basis Brazilfrom Mitu, (type Rio locality), Vaupés, the Department two closest knownof Vaupés, localities. Colombia, The of Herein, a single we specimen report for (Figure the first 1) time collected the presence during of a presenceand 555 km of N this from bufonid Taracúa, in Amazonas,Rio Uaupés, VenezuelaAmazonas isstate, not herpetological survey conducted by the Museo de Historia completely unexpected because the herpetofauna of this Natural La Salle (MHNLS). The specimen is housed at the region has many Amazonian elements (Barrio-Amorós

Figure 1. Amazoprhynella minuta from Venezuela. Dorso-lateral and ventral photographs of the first specimen of (MHNLS 19913; adult female, SVL: 15.8 mm) recorded

1122 Rojas-Runjaic et al. | First record of Amazophrynella minuta for Venezuela

Figure 2. Amazophrynella minuta

Map of northern South America showing the first record of (MHNLS 19913) from Venezuela (1), near Raudal de Danto, Autana municipality, Amazonas state, 05°03’03.1” N, 67°34’01.4” W; 115 m. Closest known localities in Colombia (2: Mitu, Rio Vaupés, Department of Vaupés) and Brazil (3: Taracúa, Rio Uaupés, Amazonas state). Some authors have suggested that Amazophrynella minuta currently represents a complex of cryptic species (Fouquet et al. 2007; 2012; Ávila et al. 2012). However, additional detailed work, preferably including several lines of evidence (e.g. morphological, molecular, behavioral, ecological), is necessary to assess the taxonomic status of the populations of currently assigned to this taxon.

Acknowledgments: de Ciencias Naturales for their logistic support. Also we are indebted to We thank J. Celsa Señaris and Fundación La Salle work with helpful comments. Ross MacCulloch and J. Celsa Señaris for improving an earlier draft of this Literature Cited

Morais. 2012. A new species of Amazophrynella (Anura: Bufonidae) Ávila,from R.W., southern V.T. de Carvalho,Amazonia. M. Zootaxa Gordo, R.A. Kawashita-Ribeiro and D.H.

(Amphibia) de Venezuela. Acta Biologica 3484: 65-74.Venezuelica 18(2): 1-93. Fouquet,Barrio-Amorós, A., A. Gilles, C.L. 1998. M. Vences, Sistemática C. Marty, y biogeografía M. Blanc, and de N.J. los Gemmell. anfibios

revealed by mtDNA analyses. PLoS ONE 2(10): 1-10. 2007. Underestimation of species richness in Neotropical

Fouquet,2012. A., Molecular R. Recoder, phylogeny M. Texeira and Jr., morphometric J. Cassimiro, analyses R.C. Amaro, reveal A. deepCamacho, divergence R. Damasceno, between A.C. Amazonia Carnaval, and C. Moritz Atlantic and Forest M.T. Rodrigues. species of Dendrophryniscus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 838. species of the world: an online 62(3): reference. 826- Version 5.6 (9 January 2013). American Museum of Natural History, Frost, D.R. 2013.

Figure 3. Habitat at the locality where the specimen of Amazoprhynella FebruaryNew York, 2013. USA. Electronic Database accessible at http://research. minuta (MHNLS 19913) was found. amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html. Captured on 18 and conservation of Venezuelan and reptiles. Amphibian Péfaurand J.E. Reptile and J.A. Conservation Rivero. 2000. 2(2): Distribution, 42-70. species-richness, endemism, and A. minuta is widely distributed in the Amazon and In C.A. Guiana1998; Péfaur regions and (Ávila Rivero et al .2000; 2012; SeñarisFouquet andet al . Rivas 2012; 2006) Frost Señaris, J.C. and G. Rivas. 2006. Herpetofauna de la confluenciaEvaluación de los rápida ríos 2013). The northern region of Amazonas state, Venezuela, deOrinoco la biodiversidad y Ventuari, de estado los ecosistemas Amazonas, acuáticos Venezuela; en la p. confluencia 129-135 de los ríosLasso, Orinoco J.C. Señaris, y Ventuari, L.E. Alonso estado andAmazonas A.L. Flores (Venezuela). (ed.). has been sampled on multiple occasions during the last Evaluación Biológica 30. Washington DC: Conservación Internacional two centuries by professional herpetologists so the fact Boletín RAP de that so far only one specimen of A. minuta has been found : April 2013 : August 2013 probably indicates that this small toad occurs at very low Received : October 2013 densities. Accepted Published online Editorial responsibility: Ross MacCulloch 1123