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New species of Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) from Serra do Pardo National Park, eastern amazon, Brazil

biodiversity
molecular-biology
taxonomy
zoology

Abstract

Background.The genus Pristimantis is among the most diverse vertebrate groups, with more than 620 recognized species; however, its diversity remains underestimated, particularly in the Brazilian Amazon. The Terra do Meio region, in the eastern Amazon, exhibits substantial taxonomic and distributional gaps, hindering advances in the understanding of the regional herpetofauna. During expeditions to Serra do Pardo National Park, a distinct lineage belonging to the Pristimantis conspicillatus group was identified, motivating its formal description.

Methods. Two specimens were collected in Serra do Pardo National Park, and 368 individuals from Brazilian zoological collections were examined. Morphological characters were assessed following specialized literature, and morphometric measurements were taken using a digital caliper. Genomic DNA was extracted using the 2% CTAB protocol; the 16S rRNA and COI regions were amplified and sequenced using the Sanger method. Sequences were aligned with ClustalW, filtered with GBLOCKS, and analyzed in MrBayes under the HKY+G model for phylogenetic inference. Genetic distances (16S rRNA and COI) were calculated in MEGA. The nomenclatural act was registered in ZooBank.


Results. Phylogenetic analyses recovered a distinct lineage, here recognized as Pristimantis pardoensis sp. nov., sister to the clade comprised by P. latro, P. pictus, P. giorgii, and P. moa. Genetic distances ranged from 9.1–9.9% (16S rRNA) and 19.5–22% (COI) in relation to the most closely related species. The new species exhibits a unique combination of morphological characters, including diagnostic ventral skin texture, presence of dorsal tubercles, finger fringes, basal webbing on the feet, and a throat with a strongly mottled coloration pattern.
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