Brachycephalus dacnis Toledo, Botelho, Carrasco-Medina, Gray, Ernetti, Gama, Lyra, Blackburn, Nunes & Muscat, 2024, sp. nov.
Year: 2024
Type: other
Abstract: Brachycephalusdacnis sp. nov. (Fig. 1). Brachycephalus sp. (Bornschein et al., 2021). LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 18F93070-2CAE-4817-8CCD-48C0C5DA5210. Etymology –The specific epithet name ‘ dacnis’ honors the Projeto Dacnis private reserve and NGO that has supported biodiversity research since 2010 in the municipalities of São José dos Campos, Miracatu and Ubatuba (where the new species was discovered), state of São Paulo, Brazil. The name is used as an invariable noun in apposition to the generic name. Holotype – Adult male (ZUEC-AMP 24982) collected and recorded (FNJV 51341) at Projeto Dacnis reserve, municipality of Ubatuba, state of São Paulo, Brazil, on 18 May 2021 by A. Mariano (Fig. 1; Table 1). We also sequenced the DNA of this individual. Paratypes – Eleven adults, only considered those confirmed by DNA and/or call traits: 03–09 August 2019 by R. Mitsuo and R.C. Menegucci (HCLP-A 267–68; heard, but not recorded); 10 March 2021 by E. Muscat and L.M. Botelho (ZUEC-AMP 24978; sequenced); 05 May 2021 by L.M. Botelho (ZUEC-AMP 24984; sequenced); 18 May 2021 by A. Mariano (ZUEC-AMP 24979; recorded); 24 May 2021 by E. Muscat and L.M. Botelho (ZUEC-AMP 24981; recorded and sequenced); 21, 22 February 2022 by L.M. Botelho (ZUEC-AMP 25270; 25272; 25274–75; sequenced); 14 April 2022 by E. Muscat, L. M. Botelho, L.A.O.S Ferreira (adult male; ZUEC-AMP 25612; Fig. 2; recorded). All paratypes were collected at the same locality as the holotype. Sex determination was not possible in most cases, except for the individual that was dissected (a female; see below) and the calling males. Diagnosis –The new species is assigned to the genus Brachycephalus because of its miniature body size, fewer phalanges and toes than a typical frog, fingers and toe tips not expanded but apically pointed, and toes lacking circumferential grooves. The new species can be diagnosed from its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) “leptodactyliform” body shape; (2) adult body length (SVL) smaller than 1 cm; (3) distinct and functional toes II and V; (4) presence of vestigial fingers Iand IV; (5) distinct iris; (6) absence of dark markings on the skin over the pectoral region; (7) dark black or pale brown marbled venter with small white blotches in preserved specimens; (8) and advertisement call composed of one or two multi-pulsed (3–7 pulses) note with dominant frequency between 8.01 and 8.44 kHz, note duration between 0.03– 0.08 s (when isolated), up to 0.41 s (when in pairs), and absence of attenuated notes. Holotype description –Body slender and leptodactyliform (Fig. 1; SVL = 7.55 mm); head as wide as long (1.78 mm; Table 1), and one-fourth of total body length (HW/SVL = HL/ SVL = 23.6%); snout short and slightly mucronate in dorsal view and between rounded and vertical in lateral view; nostrils oval, not protuberant and directed anterolaterally; canthus rostralis distinct; loreal region slightly concave; lips nearly sigmoid; eyes slightly protruding in dorsal and lateral view, and directed anterolaterally, 27.5% ED/HW and ED/HL (as HW = HL); tympanum indistinct; vocal sac not externally expanded; vocal slits present; tongue longer than wide, with posterior half free; choanae small and rounded; vomerine teeth absent. Forearm more than twice (2.3 times) length of upper arm length; hand length shorter than forearm or upper arm lengths; hands with all fingers distinct; fingers Iand IV externally vestigial; fingers II and III robust; tips of fingers Iand IV (when visible) rounded, fingers II and III pointed; relative finger length I ≤ IV <II
Authors: Toledo, Luís Felipe, Botelho, Lucas Machado, Carrasco-Medina, Andres Santiago, Gray, Jaimi A., Ernetti, Julia R., Gama, Joana Moura, Lyra, Mariana Lucio, Blackburn, David C., Nunes, Ivan, Muscat, Edelcio
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6949305664
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