A new species of Osteocephalus (Anura: Hylidae) from Amazonian Bolivia: first evidence of tree frog breeding in fruit capsules of the Brazil nut tree

Abstract

A new species of Osteocephalus is described from lowland Amazonia of the Departamento Pando, northern Bolivia. The new species is most similar to Osteocephalus planiceps but differs by its smaller size (SVL 47.8–51.3 mm in males, 47.7–63.3 mm in females), absence of vocal slits, lack of sexual dimorphism in dorsal tubercles, single distal subarticular tubercle on the fourth finger, absence of dark spots on flanks, and by bicoloured iris with fine dark reticulate to radiate lines. The new species inhabits terra firme rainforest, breeds in water-filled fruit capsules of the Brazil nut tree and has oophagous tadpoles. Estimations of phylogenetic relationships within Osteocephalus based on mitochondrial DNA sequences show that the new species is closely related to O. planiceps and O. deridens.