A new species of Hyloscirtus (Anura: Hylidae) from Colombia, with a rediagnosis of Hyloscirtus Larinopygion (Duellman, 1973).

Hyloscirtus larinopygion is rediagnosed, and a new species formerly confused with that species is described from the highlands of the Central Cordillera in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. The new species differs from the other species of the H. larinopygion group by its color pattern, iris coloration, and presence of a nuptial pad with dark-brown epidermal projections. We discuss variation and diversity of nuptial pads, the calcar tubercle, and some aspects related to the swollen cloacal region in the H. larinopygion group. Finally, we discuss reproductive biology and problems involving the definition of a putative synapomorphy of Hyloscirtus.Fil: Rivera-Correa, Mauricio. Pontificia Universidade Catolica Do Rio Grande Do Sul. Faculdade de Biociências; Brasil. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; Argentin

Hílido o microhílido? No hay evidencia de la presencia de Trachycephalus mesophaeus (Anura, Hylidae) en Argentina

Una publicación reciente reportó al hílido endémico del Bosque Atlántico Trachycephalus mesophaeus para la ecoregión Chaqueña en Argentina. En este trabajo, analizamos el espécimen de referencia y demostramos que se trata de un ejemplar incorrectamente determinado del microhílido asiático Kaloula pulchra, una especie comercializada a nivel mundial. De esta forma, no existe evidencia para considerar que T. mesophaeus esté presente en ArgentinaA recent publication reported the Atlantic Forest endemic hylid Trachycephalus mesophaeus for the Chacoan ecoregion in Argentina. In this paper, we analyzed the voucher specimen and showed that it is a misidentified specimen of the Asiatic microhylid Kaloula pulchra, a species commonly commercialized in the pet trade worldwide. Therefore, there is no evidence for the occurrence of T. mesophaeus in ArgentinaFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Elías Costa, Agustín Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Egg clutch structure of Rhinella rumbolli (Anura: Bufonidae), a toad from the Yungas of Argentina, with a review of the reproductive diversity in Rhinella

Rhinella rumbolli is a poorly known, medium-sized toad endemic to the Yungas of Argentina. Recent fieldwork allowed observing its peculiar oviposition mode, which is described in this paper. A review of literature and examination of museum material indicate that oviposition in Rhinella can vary from strings of eggs in a gelatinous tube (uniserial, biserial or multiserial) to open clumps. Clutch features in Rhinella provide informative variation for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies and help to understand the relationships in this large genus of true toads.Fil: Pereyra, Martín Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Vera Candioti, María Florencia. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología. Instituto de Herpetología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentin

The reproductive biology of Hypsiboas punctatus (Anura: Hylidae): male territoriality and the possible role of different signals during female choice

Anuran amphibians are known to employ acoustic signals as the principal form to access potential mates, while recent studies have highlighted the importance of multiple cues during courtship. Hypsiboas punctatus is a hylid species in which males emit advertisement calls and have sexually dimorphic skin glands (SDSGs). However, knowledge on the reproductive biology of this species is very limited. We present the first systematic field-observational study on the behaviour of H. punctatus, which was complemented by observations under laboratory-controlled conditions. Males exhibit a territorial behaviour as is evidenced by site fidelity, aggressiveness against male intruders (usually involving fights), and signalling behaviour. We found that female choice would be operating at two different levels, which we defined as Initial Exploration (I.E.) and Proximate Exploration (P.E.). These levels would be guided by acoustic signals in I.E., while tactile and/or chemical signals (considering the presence of SDSGs) would be more important in P.E. We also provide descriptions of vocal interaction between males, amplexus, and egg clutch. We suggest that SDSGs located at the mental gland may be important in delivering sexual pheromones to the female during amplexus. Finally, our results are compared to similar behaviours that have been described for related species, and discussed in terms of the probable existence of multimodal communication.Fil: Brunetti, Andrés Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Taboada, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Description of the tadpoles of Hypsiboas aguilari and H. melanopleura (Anura: Hylidae: Hypsiboas pulchellus group)

We describe the tadpoles of Hypsiboas melanopleura and H. aguilari and compare them with the tadpoles of other species in the Hypsiboas pulchellus group. The description of the tadpole of H. aguilari is based on an individual at Gosner Stage 29 and that of H. melanopleura on an individual at Gosner Stage 28. Both tadpoles have a labial tooth row formula of 2(2)/4(1). At Stage 35, the tadpole of H. aguilari had a total length of 52.2 mm, at Stage 37, the tadpole of H. melanopleura had a total length of 60.7 mm. In life, the tadpole of H. aguilari has a brownish olive body with dark brown spots; fins transparent with dark brown reticulations, anterior half of tail muscle brown laterally, its posterior half pale brown with dark brown reticulations, and iris gold with black reticulations. In life, the tadpole of H. melanopleura has a pale beige ground coloration with brown flecks; tail laterally and ventrally whitish with grey flecks, and a beige iris. The tadpole morphology in Hypsiboas aguilari, H. melanopleura, and H. palaestes is similar, but tadpoles differ by their species-specific coloration patterns.Fil: Lehr, Edgard. Illinois Wesleyan Universit; Estados UnidosFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; ArgentinaFil: Jungfer, Karl Heinz. Universitat Koblenz; Alemani

Jorge Andrés Noel Cranwell (1916-2002)

El 26 de febrero de 2002 falleció en Buenos Aires, en su casa, Jorge A. N. Cranwell. Herpetólogo, autodidacto. El "Doctor" Cranwell, como era conocido por todos, se incorpora al Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia" (MACN) en 1937, de la mano del mastozoólogo José Chepes, ingresando definitivamente en febrero de 1938 como personal de planta. Inicialmente, su interés se centró en los mamíferos fósiles, pero éste fue cambiando rápidamente hacia la herpetología. En su legajo, la primera referencia a funciones referidas a esta disciplina data de diciembre de 1940, aunque en la colección existe material colectado por él ya desde años anteriores. Durante años costeó gastos de la división herpetología, financió campañas, y contribuyó con los inicios de la AHA. Demostró gran interés por la conservación de la naturaleza, apoyando instituciones y atendiendo conferencias, pero en su conversación dejaba translucir un resignado escepticismo.Asociación Herpetológica Argentina (AHA

The occurrence of unpigmented mature oocytes in Hypsiboas (Anura: Hylidae)

The genus Hypsiboas is composed of 90 species distributed in Central and South America from Nicaragua to Argentina, as well as on Trinidad and Tobago (Frost 2014). Previous studies on the reproductive biology of species in this genus have reported that female mature oocytes or eggs generally have pigmented animal poles (Tab. 1), which has been generally suggested as a protection of the exposed embryos from solar radiation (Wells 2007).Fil: Nali, Renato C.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Prado, Cynthia P. A.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; Brasi

The world of Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990): herpetologist and popularizer of zoology in Argentina

This article reviews the biography and the contributions of Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990), emblematic figure of the popularization of zoological diversity in Argentina. His herpetological work is reviewed, as well as his contributions to entomology, ornithology, and the popularization of science.En el presente artículo se pasa revista a la biografía y a los aportes realizados por Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990), figura emblemática de la popularización de la diversidad zoológica en la Argentina. Se revisa su obra herpetológica, rama en la que tuvo su mayor producción científica, además de aportes entomológicos, ornitológicos, y a la popularización de la ciencia.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

The world of Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990): herpetologist and popularizer of zoology in Argentina

This article reviews the biography and the contributions of Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990), emblematic figure of the popularization of zoological diversity in Argentina. His herpetological work is reviewed, as well as his contributions to entomology, ornithology, and the popularization of science.En el presente artículo se pasa revista a la biografía y a los aportes realizados por Marcos Abraham Freiberg (1911-1990), figura emblemática de la popularización de la diversidad zoológica en la Argentina. Se revisa su obra herpetológica, rama en la que tuvo su mayor producción científica, además de aportes entomológicos, ornitológicos, y a la popularización de la ciencia.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Structure and evolution of the sexually dimorphic integumentary swelling on the hands of dendrobatid poison frogs and their relatives (Amphibia: Anura: Dendrobatoidea)

The hands of adult males of many dendrobatid poison frogs and their relatives possess swelling formed by glandular tissue hypothesized to secrete courtship pheromones delivered to the female during cephalic amplexus. Variation in the occurrence and external morphology of the swelling of finger IV has provided important evidence for dendrobatoid systematics for decades, but its underlying structure has not been investigated. We undertook a detailed comparative analysis of the integument of the hand, including both external morphology and histology, of 36 species representing the diversity of dendrobatoid frogs and several close relatives. The swelling is caused by four densely packed, hypertrophic, morpho-histochemical types of specialized mucous glands (SMGs). We observed type I SMGs on fingers II–V and the wrist, including areas that are not swollen, types II and IV exclusively on finger IV, and type III on finger IV and the wrist. Type I SMGs occur either in isolation or together with types II, III, or IV; types II, III, and IV never occur together or without type I. We delimited 15 characters to account for the variation in external morphology and the occurrence of SMGs. Our data suggest that type I SMGs are a new synapomorphy for Dendrobatoidea and that type II SMGs originated in either the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of Dendrobatidae or independently in the MRCAs of Aromobatidae and Colostethinae, respectively, while types III and IV are restricted to Anomaloglossus. The discovery of these SMGs adds a new dimension to studies of poison frog reproductive biology, which have investigated acoustic, visual, and tactile cues in courtship, mating, and parental care across the diversity of Dendrobatoidea for decades but have almost entirely overlooked the possible role of chemical cues.Fil: Rodrigues de Souza Cavalcant, Isabela. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Luna, María Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Faivovich, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Grant, Taran. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi