Open AccessFirst record of Vitreorana ritae (Anura, Centrolenidae) for southern Amazonia inferred from molecular, reproductive and acoustic evidence
Author(s) -
Marcos Penhacek,
Samuel Anjos,
Elciomar Araújo de Oliveira,
Emil José Hernández-Ruz,
Luís Reginaldo Ribeiro Rodrigues,
Vinícius Guerra,
Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
caldasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.203
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 2357-3759
pISSN - 0366-5232
DOI - 10.15446/caldasia.v42n2.79487
Subject(s) - amazon rainforest , biome , geography , amazon basin , genus , range (aeronautics) , ecology , biology , zoology , ecosystem , materials science , composite material
Frogs of the family Centrolenidae are adapted to live at high altitudes, and so it is not surprising that their greatest diversity is in the Andes mountain range. Here we extend the known geographic distribution of Vitreorana ritae by more than 550 km towards southern Amazonia. The species was identified by morphological, acoustic and molecular characteristics (mitochondrial marker 16S rRNA). The records reported here are the first for the genus Vitreorana in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, as well as for the transition zone between the Amazonia and Cerrado biomes. These records are consistent with the hypothesis that the low number of species of centrolenids reported in the lowlands of the Amazon region may be the result of limited sampling. Even though V. ritae is distributed throughout the Amazon, most of its diagnostic morphological characteristics are conserved. Thus, the great rivers of the Amazon Basin do not seem to act as geographical barriers for this species; however, due to the limited sample size, further acoustic and molecular studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.