Unraveling the species diversity and relationships in the Leptodactylus mystaceus complex (Anura: Leptodactylidae), with the description of three new Brazilian species

Author(s)

da Silva, Leandro A. ^[1] ; Magalhaes, Felipe M. ^[1] ; Thomassen, Hans ^[2] ; Leite, Felipe S. F. ^[2] ; Garda, Adrian A. ^[3] ; Brandao, Reuber A. ^[4] ; Haddad, Celio F. B. ^{[5, 6]} ; Giaretta, Ariovaldo A. ^[7] ; De Carvalho, Thiago R. ^{[5, 6]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Paraiba UFPB, Ctr Ciencias Exatas & Nat, Joao Pessoa, Paraiba - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Vicosa UFV, Inst Ciencias Biol & Saude, Florestal, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Norte UFRN, Dept Bot & Zool, Natal, RN - Brazil

^[4] Univ Brasilia UnB, Dept Engn Florestal, Brasilia, DF - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Dept Biodiversidade, Inst Biociencias, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Ctr Aquicultura, Inst Biociencias, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Uberlandia UFU, Inst Ciencias Exatas & Nat Pontal, Ituiutaba - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Zootaxa; v. 4779, n. 2, p. 151-189, MAY 19 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Members of the Leptodactylus mystaceus species complex are widely distributed in forests and open formations of South America east of the Andes. Species of the complex are morphologically similar or indistinguishable among each other, but acoustic data have been the cornerstone for species discrimination across their geographic ranges. In this paper, we re-examine the monophyly, species diversity, and relationships in the L. mystaceus complex on the basis of morphology, coloration, acoustics, and DNA sequences. Morphological and color patterns originally used to the allocation of species to the L. mystaceus complex are also reassessed. Our results revealed three new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, which are named and described herein, based mainly on acoustic and molecular data. Populations assigned to the lineage widely distributed across the South American Dry Diagonal (DD), reported in this study as L. cf. mystaceus, is likely paraphyletic with respect to the nominal species (Amazonian lineage), but additional data are still needed to address the taxonomic status of the DD lineage. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/08489-0 - Diversity of vocalizations in Leptodactylidae and exploratory analysis of vocal morphology: a phylogenetic comparative approach investigation of acoustic evolution in a group of Neotropical anurans
• Grantee: Thiago Ribeiro de Carvalho Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/50741-7 - Diversity and conservation of Brazilian amphibians
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/15763-7 - Advertisement call evolution in the genus Leptodactylus (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leptodactylinae), with taxonomic application on populations and species of the genus
• Grantee: Thiago Ribeiro de Carvalho Tavares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate