A New Species of Proceratophrys (Anura: Cycloramphidae) from Midwestern Brazil

We describe adult morphology, advertisement call, and natural history aspects of a new frog species from riparian habitats alongside intermittent headwater streams in southwestern Cerrado, the second largest biome in Brazil. Presently known from three localities in Mato Grosso State, the new species belongs to the Proceratophrys cristiceps group. It is characterized mainly by small size (adult snout vent length approximately 46 mm), snout rounded in dorsal view and obtuse in lateral view, absence of flared lips, dorsal skin granular, and absence of both postocular swellings and prominent palpebral appendages. The advertisement call of the new species consists of a single note with 19-25 pulses. Calls are repeated at mean intervals of 0.7 sec. Mean dominant frequency is 1,250.2 Hz, with ascendant modulation

Morphometric and bioacoustic data on three species of Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae) described from Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso, Brazil, with the revalidation of Pseudopaludicola ameghini (Cope, 1887)

Made available in DSpace on 2019-09-12T16:57:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Due to minute size, overall morphological similarities, scarcity of diagnostic characters after preservation, and usual sympatric or even syntopic occurrence of two or more species of Pseudopaludicola, the taxonomy of the genus is not yet a matter of consensus. Three species in the genus Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 were described by Cope in 1887, based on material obtained at Chapada dos Guimaraes, mid-western state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. One of these species, Pseudopaludicola ameghini, was subsequently synonymized to P. mystacalis. In this paper we present morphological and bioacoustic evidences supporting a full specific status for the three sympatric species of Pseudopaludicola described from Chapada dos Guimaraes, including Pseudopaludicola ameghini Cope, 1887.[Pansonato, Andre; Martins, Itamar Alves] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, BR-15054000 Sao Paulo, Brazil[Struessmann, Christine] Univ Fed Mato Grosso UFMT, Dept Ciencias Basicas & Prod Aim, Fac Agron Med Vet & Zootecnia, BR-78060900 Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil[Mudrek, Jessica Rhaiza] Ctr Univ Varzea Grande UNIVAG, BR-78118900 Varzea Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil[Martins, Itamar Alves] Universidade de Taubaté (Unitau) , Inst Basico Biociencias, Zool Lab, BR-12030180 Sao Paulo, Brazi

Natural history of the coral snake Micrurus Pyrrhocryptus Cope 1862 (Elapidae) from semideciduous forests of western Brazil.

Coral snakes in the genus Micrurus are widely distributed in the Neotropics, with more than 50 species already described in this region. They are primarily ground or leaf litter dwellers, feed on snakes or other elongate vertebrates, and tend to reproduce during the rainy season. We present data on the biology of Micrurus pyrrhocryptus from two semideciduous forests of Mato Grosso do Sul state, western Brazil. Two snake species were consumed: the dipsadid Sibynomorphus lavillai and the typhlopid Typhlops brongersmianus. Sexual dimorphism is marked in M. pyrrhocryptus. with males attaining larger sizes and having longer tails. Activity was concentrated in the wet season, when reproduction occurs. The defensive behavior in this species is similar to that displayed by other Micron's, although less pronounced

A phylogenetic analysis of Pseudopaludicola (Anura) providing evidence of progressive chromosome reduction

Here, we present a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Neotropical genus Pseudopaludicola focusing on species relationships including 11 of the 17 known species of Pseudopaludicola; several samples of Pseudopaludicola are not assigned to any species; and 34 terminal species as an outgroup. The study was based on the analysis of approximately 2.3kb of the sequence of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, tRNA(val) and 16S rRNA genes through maximum parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction approaches. Our results showed that Pseudopaludicola is a well-supported monophyletic group organized into four major clades and confirmed that the assemblage of species that lack T-shaped terminal phalanges is paraphyletic with respect to the P.pusilla Group. Chromosomal data mapped on the cladogram showed a direct correlation among the four clades and observed chromosome numbers (2n=22, 20, 18 and 16) with a progressive reduction in the chromosome number. Overall, our findings suggest that some taxonomic changes are necessary and reinforce the need for a revision of the genus Pseudopaludicola.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Intrageneric Karyotypic Variation in Pseudopaludicola (Anura: Leiuperidae) and Its Taxonomic Relatedness

Eduardo R. Favero, Ana C. P. Veiga-Menoncello, Denise C. Rossa-Feres, Christine Strussmann, Ariovaldo A. Giaretta, Gilda V. Andrade, Patrick Colombo, and Shirlei M. Recco-Pimentel (2011) Intrageneric karyotypic variation in Pseudopaludicola (Anura: Leiuperidae) and its taxonomic relatedness. Zoological Studies 50(6): 826-836. Herein, we report karyological data for Pseudopaludicola frogs, with the main objective to investigate the confusing taxonomic identification of these anurans. The samples analyzed included topotypes of P. falcipes and P. ameghini (currently considered a synonym of P. mystacalis) in addition to specimens of P. mystacalis and P. ternetzi and of 8 additional populations of Pseudopaludicola from several regions of Brazil. Interspecific variations in the chromosome number, location of the nucleolar organizer region (NOR), and banding patterns were observed. The karyotype of P. falcipes consisted of 2n = 22 chromosomes, whereas P. ameghini (sensu Cope 1887) and P. ternetzi had 2n = 20 and P. mystacalis had 2n = 16 chromosomes. The chromosome number 2n = 16 was also found in specimens of populations from Santa Fe do Sul, Vitoria Brazil, Icem, Palestina (southeastern Brazil), Barreirinhas, Urbano Santos (northeastern Brazil), Pocone, and Santa Terezinha (west-central Brazil). Nevertheless, in some individuals from Icem and Pocone, we found 2n = 20 and 2n = 22 chromosomes, respectively. This variation in chromosome number indicates diverse taxa coexisting in sympatry. The karyotypic patterns of 2n = 20 in P. ameghini (sensu Cope 1887) and 2n = 16 in P. mystacalis are clearly indicative of 2 distinct taxonomic units. Therefore, our data corroborate the removal of P. ameghini from synonymy with P. mystacalis as previously suggested. We define the karyotype of P. falcipes as 2n = 22 and of P. ternetzi as 2n = 20 and reinforce the need for a taxonomic revision of this genus. http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/50.6/826.pdfFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Cytogenetic analyses of eight species in the genus Leptodactylus Fitzinger, 1843 (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae), including a new diploid number and a karyotype with multiple translocations

Background: The karyotypes of Leptodactylus species usually consist of 22 bi-armed chromosomes, but morphological variations in some chromosomes and even differences in the 2n have been reported. To better understand the mechanisms responsible for these differences, eight species were analysed using classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques, including replication banding with BrdU incorporation.Results: Distinct chromosome numbers were found: 2n = 22 in Leptodactylus chaquensis, L. labyrinthicus, L. pentadactylus, L. petersii, L. podicipinus, and L. rhodomystax; 2n = 20 in Leptodactylus sp. (aff. podicipinus); and 2n = 24 in L. marmoratus. Among the species with 2n = 22, only three had the same basic karyotype. Leptodactylus pentadactylus presented multiple translocations, L. petersii displayed chromosome morphological discrepancy, and L. podicipinus had four pairs of telocentric chromosomes. Replication banding was crucial for characterising this variability and for explaining the reduced 2n in Leptodactylus sp. (aff. podicipinus). Leptodactylus marmoratus had few chromosomes with a similar banding patterns to the 2n = 22 karyotypes. The majority of the species presented a single NOR-bearing pair, which was confirmed using Ag-impregnation and FISH with an rDNA probe. In general, the NOR-bearing chromosomes corresponded to chromosome 8, but NORs were found on chromosome 3 or 4 in some species. Leptodactylus marmoratus had NORs on chromosome pairs 6 and 8. The data from C-banding, fluorochrome staining, and FISH using the telomeric probe helped in characterising the repetitive sequences. Even though hybridisation did occur on the chromosome ends, telomere-like repetitive sequences outside of the telomere region were identified. Metaphase I cells from L. pentadactylus confirmed its complex karyotype constitution because 12 chromosomes appeared as ring-shaped chain in addition to five bivalents.Conclusions: Species of Leptodactylus exhibited both major and minor karyotypic differences which were identified by classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques. Replication banding, which is a unique procedure that has been used to obtain longitudinal multiple band patterns in amphibian chromosomes, allowed us to outline the general mechanisms responsible for these karyotype differences. The findings also suggested that L. marmoratus, which was formerly included in the genus Adenomera, may have undergone great chromosomal repatterning