Zootaxa 2418: 50–60 (2010) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2010 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) Revalidation and redescription of Elachistocleis cesarii (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) (Anura: Microhylidae) LUÍS FELIPE TOLEDO1,2,4, DANIEL LOEBMANN3 & CÉLIO F. B. HADDAD3 1Current address: Museu de Zoologia "Prof. Adão José Cardoso", Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP - IB), Rua Albert Einstein s/n, Caixa Postal 6109, CEP 13083-863, Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] 2Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, Curitiba, PR, Caixa Postal 19031, CEP 81531-980 3Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, UNESP, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Caixa Postal 199, CEP 13506-970, Brasil 4Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Elachistocleis cesarii (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920), new combination, is revalidated and redescribed based on preserved specimens (syntype series) collected in the state of São Paulo. Furthermore, based on recently collected specimens, we increase the distribution of the species to the states of Minas Gerais and Goiás, Brazil. This species is found in open areas calling during the rainy season (from September to February for populations of the state of São Paulo). The advertisement call is described and some basic natural history data are provided. It distinguishes from all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: spotted belly, dominant frequency of the advertisement calls about 3.5 kHz, tympanum concealed, and presence of postcommisural glands. The advertisement call of Elachistocleis piauiensis, a similar species with spotted belly from the Caatinga Biome, was also described to compare it with the advertisement call of E. cesarii. Key words: Amphibia; Anura; Microhylidae; Gastrophryninae; Elachistocleis cesarii Introduction Elachistocleis Parker, 1927 is a genus widespread distributed in South America and currently is composed by six species, which certainly needs taxonomic review. Just for an example, Nelson (1973) reported 12 different calls from 12 different populations under the name Elachistocleis ovalis (Schneider, 1799) and Elachistocleis bicolor (Guérin-Méneville, 1838), and suggested that these populations could represent distinct taxa. In a recent paper, Lavilla et al. (2003) clarified many questions about the Elachistocleis ovalis - E. bicolor controversy, but many other aspects remain unclear. We can recognize two groups among the species of the genus Elachistocleis: the species with spotted belly [E. surinamensis (Daudin, 1802), E. piauiensis Caramaschi & Jim, 1983, E. skotogaster Lavilla, Vaira & Ferrari, 2003, and E. erytrogaster Kwet & Di- Bernardo, 1998] and those with immaculate belly (E. bicolor and E. ovalis). In the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Goiás, from southeastern to central Brazil, there is one morphotype of Elachistocleis with spotted belly that does not match with the descriptions of the other species, but it is related to the former description of Engystoma ovale cesarii (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920). Therefore, we here redescribe and revalidate this species comparing it with all other species of the genus. In addiction, we describe the advertisement call of Elachistocleis piauiensis, a similar species from the Caatinga Biome. 50 Accepted by M. Vences: 15 Feb. 2010; published: 6 Apr. 2010 Material and methods Museum abbreviations of specimens are CFBH (Célio F. B. Haddad amphibian collection, deposited in the Departamento de Zoologia, UNESP, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil), MNRJ (Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), MZUSP (Museu de Zoologia, USP, São Paulo, Brazil), and ZUEC (Museu de Zoologia “Prof. Adão José Cardoso”, UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil). Abbreviations used in the measurements of adults are SVL (snout-vent length), AGL (axilla-groin length), HL (head length), HW (head width), ED (eye diameter), UEW (upper eyelid width), IOD (interorbital distance: distance between the inner corners of the eyes), END (eye to nostril distance), SED (snout to eye distance), IND (internarial distance), HUL (humerus length: distance from the axilla to the elbow), RUL (radio-ulna length: distance between the elbow and anterior limit of the hand), HNL (hand length: distance from the anterior limit of the hand to the longest finger), THL (thigh length), TBL (tibia length), and FL (foot length: distance from the anterior limit of the metatarsal tubercle to the longest toe). All measurements are presented in millimeters. Most of these measurements follow Duellman (1970) and Cei (1980). For morphometric measurements we used a digital caliper of 0.01 mm of precision and an ocular micrometer in a Zeiss stereomicroscope; measurements were rounded to the nearest 0.1 mm. Male’s vocalizations of Elachistocleis cesarii were recorded with a Marantz cassette tape recorder (PMD222), equipped with an external directional microphone (Audiotecnica AT835b). Male’s vocalizations of Elachistocleis piauiensis were recorded with a Sony cassette tape recorder (TCM 200DV) equipped with an external directional microphone (Yoga HT-81). For all records the microphones were positioned ca. 50 cm from the calling male and it was used chrome cassette tapes at 4.75 cm/s. The recorded calls were digitalized in PC-Desktop equipped with a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 7.1 with 24 Bits of resolution. We analyzed the calls using Raven 1.2 software (16 bits of resolution, 44 kHz of frequency sampling, FFT and frame length of 256 samples). The terminology for the vocal analysis follows that presented in Toledo and Haddad (2005). Results Miranda-Ribeiro (1920; 1926) refers to some individuals deposited in the Museu Paulista (now Museu de Zoologia, University of São Paulo, Brazil) for which he suggested the name Engystoma ovale cesarii. Miranda-Ribeiro (1920) considered it a subspecies of Engystoma ovale together with other two varieties: E. o. concolor and E. o. lineatum. The original description in Portuguese of E. o. cesarii (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) is as follows: “Todos os demais se aproximam da segunda variedade, sem comtudo, mostrarem o miniaceo de que falla Natterer, talvez por sua permanencia no alcool, nem o ponctuado que se vê na parte dorsal da figura dada por Steindachner. Poderá ser chamado de E. – o – cesarii Iher. O colorido geral dos exemplares é o denegrido purpureo para o dorso, com ocellos ou manchas brancas na junta anterior da coxa e parte inferior, que têm por côr fundamental o pardo, havendo sempre, embora, as vezes interrompida, a linha posterior branca, das pernas e coxas. A mancha denegrida do queixo do macho apparece aqui, como tambem a observo no exemplar da var. bicolor. E de manchas brancas no dorso, ha-as esparsas na verdade, mais tão pequenas que nem são visíveis a olho nú. Isso nos exemplares magros, pois que este animal engorda muito.” The individuals analyzed by Miranda-Ribeiro (1920; 1926) (numbers found in MZUSP: 33, 36–38; 42; 264; 529; 715; 2023–27) lost completely their coloration (Figure 1), turning to almost transparent by now. However, based on the morphology, distribution, and color descriptions of the syntypes it is possible to attribute the name E. cesarii (new combination) to some specimens of Elachistocleis. One of the other two subspecies described by Miranda-Ribeiro (1920, 1926) can be considered a synonym of E. cesarii. Engystoma o. lineatum differs from E. cesarii (in the original description) by presenting a vertebral line from the snout to the vent. However, this character is one of the possible phenotypes of E. cesarii. Therefore, as there are no REVALIDATION OF ELACHISTOCLEIS CESARII Zootaxa 2418 © 2010 Magnolia Press · 51 more differences between these subspecies, we suggest them to be synonyms, and E. cesarii have priority as appears one page before in the original publication. The remaining subspecies, Engystoma o. concolor, refers to one of the unspotted venter species according the original description; therefore it is related to other group of species that includes E. bicolor and E. ovalis. FIGURE 1. Lectotype of Elachistocleis cesarii MZUSP 529 in dorsal (A) and ventral views (B). Elachistocleis cesarii (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) Engystoma ovale cesarii Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 Engystoma ovale lineatum Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 Lectotype. MZUSP 529, an adult male, collected at municipality of Piquete, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil (approximately 22° 36’ S; 47° 10’ W; 675 m above sea level), on November 1896 by Zech (Figure 1). Paralectotypes. – MZUSP 33 collected on January 1900 by Hempel, at Ipiranga (Ypiranga), municipality of São Paulo; MZUSP 36 (gravid female) collected on October 1896 by Bicego, at municipality of Perus; MZUSP 37 (gravid female) collected on 1897 by Bicego, at municipality of Cubatão; MZUSP 38 collected on January 1898 by Bicego, at Belém, municipality of São Paulo; MZUSP 42 (gravid female) collected on October 1907 by Ruedervalt and Cheubel at Ipiranga (Ypiranga), municipality of São Paulo; MZUSP 264 (gravid female) collected together with the lectotype; MZUSP 715 collected on 1896 by Bicego, at Alto da Serra; MZUSP 2023 (gravid female) collected on 1897 by Bicego at municipality of Cubatão; MZUSP 2024- 27 (gravid females; except for 2025 which resembles an young male) collected on October 1896 by Bicego at municipality of Perus. All municipalities are in the state