The amphibian community at Yanayacu Biological Station, Ecuador, with a comparison of vertical microhabitat use among Pristimantis species and the description of a new species of the Pristimantis myersi group
Author
Guayasamin, Juan M.
Author
Funk, Chris
text
Zootaxa
2009
2220
41
66
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.190060
fcf16418-7b73-4623-aa4c-952e1bf56c3e
1175-5326
190060
Family:
Bufonidae
This group of toads contains some of the most familiar anurans, including the cane toad (
Rhinella marina
;
previously
Bufo marinus
) and the jambato (
Atelopus ignescens
). Most of them have a warty appearance and are diurnal, terrestrial, and have aquatic larvae (e.g.,
Rhinella
,
Atelopus
), but others are nocturnal, arboreal, and undergo direct development (e.g.,
Osornophryne
). Bufonids are found natively in all continents, except
Australia
(where it has been introduced) and
Antarctica
. The family
Bufonidae
contains 538 species (AmphibiaWeb 2009). The taxonomy of amphibians has undergone several recent changes and there is debate on which names should be used. For bufonids, we follow the general proposal by Frost
et al
. (2006), as modified by
Chaparro
et al
. (2007)
. In YBS, there are two species of bufonids,
Osornophryne guacamayo
and
Rhinella margaritifera
(previously
Bufo margaritifer
).
Osornophryne guacamayo
(Plate 1). Described by
Hoogmoed (1987)
. This species can be easily recognized by having a blackish dorsal coloration with, usually, two yellow-gray dorsolateral lines, which are not clearly differentiated from the rest of the dorsum; yellow venter with dark brown to black spots; dorsal skin of body and limbs with numerous tubercles of different sizes; limbs long and slender; fingers connected by a thick web; feet heavily webbed with Toe IV and V much longer than Toes I, II, and III; and by lacking parotoid glands and tympanum (
Hoogmoed 1987
). At YBS, SVL in adult females is
36.1–39.3 mm
(
n
= 3) and
22.7 mm
in one adult male.
Osornophryne guacamayo
has been found on leaves during the night (
Table 1
). Although most bufonids reproduce in water,
O
. guacamayo
places its eggs on the ground, where they undergo direct development into froglets. At YBS, the only species that is likely to be confused with
O
. guacamayo
is
Rhinella margaritifera
,
which has a visible tympanum, parotoid glands, dorsolateral row of red tubercles (traits absent in
O
. guacamayo
), and lacks conspicuous webbing among fingers (present in
O
. guacamayo
). Additionally, in
R. margaritifera
,
only Toe IV is elongated, whereas in
O
. guacamayo
Toes
IV and V are conspicuously longer that the rest of the toes.
Rhinella margaritifera
(Plate 1). Described by
Laurenti (1768)
. A moderate-sized toad distinguished by having dorsal skin scattered with tubercles, and a row of red conical tubercles that begins on the posterior edge of the parotoid gland and ends on the groin. The fingers lack webbing, whereas the toes are about onehalf webbed. This is a terrestrial and diurnal species that has a dorsal coloration that mimics leaf litter. At YBS, SVL in adult females is
57.4–68.7 mm
(
n
= 4) and
40.9–46.1 mm
(
n
= 5) in adult males. Within YBS,
Rhinella margaritifera
can only be confused with
Osornophryne guacamayo
(see previous species account).
Remarks:
One of the oldest problem in the taxonomy of South American amphibians is the
Rhinella margaritifera
species complex.
Hoogmoed (1986
,
1989
) recognized several species within this complex (previously referred to as the
Bufo typhonius
complex), but he did not formally recognize most of them. More recently,
Fouquet
et al.
(2007)
suggested that
R. margaritifera
might be composed of as many as 11 species. Herein, we use the name
R. margaritifera
realizing that it represents a species complex until the systematics of this group of toads is resolved.