Phyllomedusa 16(2):143–154, 2017 © 2017 Universidade de São Paulo - ESALQ ISSN 1519-1397 (print) / ISSN 2316-9079 (online) doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v16i2p143-154 A new species of Elachistocleis (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Brazilian Pantanal Alessandher Piva,1 Ulisses Caramaschi,23,4 1 Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, UNISOCIESC, Campus Blumenau, Rua Pandiá Calógeras 272, 89010-350 Blumenau, SC, Brazil. 2 Departamento de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. 3 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus do Pantanal, Avenida Rio Branco 1270, 79304-902 Corumbá, MS, 4 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul. Abstract A new species of Elachistocleis (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Brazilian Pantanal. A new species of from the Brazilian Pantanal is described. The new species differs from all other in having the following combination of characters: medium to large-sized species (26.9–40.3 mm); head length about 89% of head width; post-commissural gland poorly developed; dorsum in preservative (EtOH 70%) slightly rough, grayish, with minute, scattered white dots and a large, elongated dark gray spot on the mid-dorsum and posterior part of head; venter gray or brown with white spots separating dorsal and ventral regions; a single vocal sac dark gray; large, irregular, light cream spot on humerus; large, irregular light cream spots on groin; light cream, irregular stripe on posterior surfaces of thighs; and irregular, light cream spots on the proximal internal surface of each shank. This new species increases the number of Oval frogs for the state of Mato Grosso do Sul to four and demonstrates the value of the single the Maciço do Urucum are necessary to determine the diversity of the herpetofauna in that region. Keywords: biodiversity, Corumbá, Oval frogs, systematics, taxonomy. Resumo Uma nova espécie de Elachistocleis (Anura: Microhylidae) do Pantanal Brasileiro. Uma nova 40.3 mm); comprimento da cabeça com cerca de 89% da largura da cabeça; glândula pós-comissural Received 04 September 2017 Accepted 30 October 2017 Distributed December 2017 Phyllomedusa - 16(2), December 2017 143 et al. pobremente desenvolvida; dorso em preservativo (EtOH 70%) ligeiramente áspero, acinzentado, com pontos brancos pequenos e dispersos e uma mancha cinza escura alongada, grande no meio do dorso e na parte posterior da cabeça; ventre cinza ou marrom com manchas brancas separando as regiões dorsal e ventral; um único saco vocal cinza escuro; uma mancha creme claro grande e irregular no úmero; manchas creme claro grandes, irregulares na virilha; faixa creme claro irregular nas superfícies posteriores das coxas; e manchas creme claras irregulares na superfície interna proximal de cada do Sul para quatro e demonstra o valor da única área protegida em Corumbá para a conservação da biodiversidade e a importância de continuar as pesquisas de campo no Maciço de Urucum para determinar a diversidade da Herpetofauna. Palavras-chave: biodiversidade, Corumbá, rã oval, sistemática, taxonomia. Introduction Caramaschi, 2010 (Toledo 2010, Frost 2017). (Schneider, 1799) The genus Parker, 1927 was was considered a , referred to as rendered monophyletic with the transfer of by Caramaschi (2010), but Carvalho, 1954 to its synonymy, putatively it is included in the blotched belly resurrecting the combination group. (Ruthven, 1914), and by including These moderately small frogs are found in Dunn, Trapido, and Trinidad and from Panama and Colombia Evans, 1948 in (de Sá 2012). southward, east of the Andes, to southern Currently, comprises 17 species Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, central of Oval frogs, along with several species that Argentina, central and southeastern Brazil, and have not been named (Caramaschi 2010, Toledo Uruguay (Frost 2017). Although Oval frogs 2010, Toledo 2010, de Sá 2012). Two distinctive ventral color patterns are recognized (Nunes-de-Almeida and Toledo 2012), most in the genus. One has chest and belly species are readily distinguished from one immaculate, including another by their color patterns (e.g., Lavilla Pereyra, Akmentins, 2003, Jansen 2011, Pereyra 2013). Laufer, and Vaira, 2013; Until recently, only Caramaschi, 2010; Caramaschi, and E. were thought to be present in the 2010; and Nunes-de-Almeida state of Mato Grosso do Sul. However, and Toledo, 2012. A second pattern consists of Caramaschi (2010) described E. and variable blotches or vermiculations on the belly, applied alternate names to all populations encompassing Caramaschi, previously referred to E. in Brazil. Toledo 2010; Caramaschi, 2010; (2010) removed from the (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920); Kwet synonymy of Currently, only E. and Di-Bernardo, 1998; Toledo, and are 2010; (Dunn, Trapido, and recorded in the Pantanal ecosystem. We use the Evans, 1948); (Ruthven, 1914); E. name Caramaschi (2010). Caramaschi and Jim, 1983; E. In 2012 and 2013, specimens of the new Lavilla, Vaira, and Ferrari, 2003; E. species were collected in the region of Parque (Daudin, 1802); and Municipal de Piraputangas (PMP), in the Phyllomedusa - 16(2), December 2017 144 Elachistocleis Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The We compared specimens of the new species anuran fauna of PMP proved to be more diverse with 253 museum specimens of the genus than most previously surveyed sites in the from the following collections Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, with 27 species (Appendix I): Museu Nacional, Universidade recorded to date (Piva 2014). Twenty species Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, from this collection were not recorded in the Brazil (MNRJ); Coleção Zoológica de management plan for implementation of PMP [e.g., Boulenger, 1882, Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil and (Spix, 1824)] and, (ZUFMS); Museu de Zoologia, Universidade among these were three Oval frogs that could de São Paulo, SP, Brazil (MZUSP); Museu de not be assigned to any known species. Herein, we describe these individuals as a distinctive Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP, Brazil member of the genus (ZUEC); United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA Materials and Methods (USNM). The description of the new species and comparisons were mostly based on meristic, Three male frogs of the type series were morphometric, and coloration data, even though collected in the Parque Municipal de Piraputangas literature data (e.g., Ruthven 1914; Lavilla 2003, Caramaschi 2010, Cole 2013, by A. Piva on 18 December 2012 and 30 Pereyra 2013) were also considered. November 2013; the specimens are deposited in The following measurements (in mm) were taken on each specimen of the type- Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, series: snout–vent length; axilla–groin length; MS, Brazil (ZUFMS) and Museu Nacional, head length, measured diagonally from corner Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de of mouth to tip of snout; head width, between Janeiro, RJ, Brazil (MNRJ), with catalog jaw angles; eye diameter; upper eyelid width; numbers ZUFMS-AMP 924, MNRJ 9100 eye–naris distance, from anterior corner of eye (formerly ZUFMS-AMP 922) and ZUFMS- to center of naris; interorbital distance; naris– AMP 923. PMP is a protected area of 1300 ha snout distance, from center of naris to tip of located approximately 25 km south of the urban snout; internarial distance, between centers of area of Corumbá, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, nares; snout length, from anterior corner of eye to tip of snout; humerus length; forearm length, Geiger (Peel a tropical dry climate (savannah climate) with tubercle; hand length, from proximal edge of average monthly temperature above 18°C throughout the year and 1074 mm of annual from vent to knee; shank length, from outer precipitation. The current vegetation of the park is semi-deciduous forest; however, large areas from proximal edge of inner metatarsal tubercle to tip of toe IV. Measurements follows Cei or mining activities. Male frogs were collected (1980) and Heyer (1990), except for in a disturbed area of the PMP, characterized by axilla–groin length, eye–naris distance and rocky soils and herbaceous strata composed of naris–snout distance. We took all measurements grasses, and three permanent and several (± 0.1 mm) with digital calipers. The type- ephemeral ponds. We examined a single female series is composed only of adult individuals, as that was collected in the Maciço do Urucum, determined by examination of gonads and which is adjacent to PMP. secondary sex characters. Phyllomedusa - 16(2), December 2017 145 et al. Results gland absent in ). The dorsum of E. in preservative is grayish, with a Elachistocleis corumbaensis sp. nov. large, elongate darkish spot on the mid-dorsum Figures 1–4, Table 1 and posterior part oF head (elongate darkish spot absent in all other this color Holotype.—Adult male (ZUFMS-AMP pattern, easily distinguishes the dorsum oF the 924): Brazil, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, new species From those oF all its congeners, except Corumbá (Parque Municipal de Piraputangas, ). The dorsum of and E. are dotted in white. Otherwise, the dorsum on 30 November 2013 by Alessandher Piva. of is bluish slate black or blackish slate (vs. grayish in ). The dorsum of Paratypes.—Same data as holotype, two in live specimens is also grayish, adult males (MNRJ 91001, formerly ZUFMS- with scattered, minute white dots (vs. dark gray AMP 922), collected on 18 December 2012, and with very light gray speckling in ). ZUFMS-AMP 923, collected on 30 November The venter is gray or brown with white spots 2013, by Alessandher Piva. An adult female (venter immaculate in (ZUFMS-AMP 2595): Brazil, state of Mato and Grosso do Sul, Corumbá (Maciço do Urucum, gray with whitish blotches or spots in E. Córrego das Pedras formation, 19°13' S, 57°38' W, datum = WGS 84), collected on 15 December and yellow with black 2007 by Liliana Piatti and Paulo Landgref Filho.