A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae) from the Pui Pui Protected Forest (central Peru), with comments on Pristimantis albertus Duellman & Hedges, 2007

Abstract

We describe a new <i>Pristimantis</i> species from the eastern Andes, Región Junín, Peru following an integrative taxonomic approach. The description is based on three adult males (snout-vent length 25.7-28.8 mm) collected in two montane forests between 1615 and 1800 m a.s.l. in the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings. The new species is mainly characterised by absence of tympanum, presence of inner tarsal fold, broad horizontal red band across iris, ventre mottled black and cream and ventral surfaces of thighs salmon and grey mottled. Amongst the Amazonian and montane forest <i>Pristimantis</i> that have the ventre and groin contrastingly black and cream mottled, <i>P. sinschi</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is morphologically most similar to <i>P. lindae</i> and <i>P. ventrimarmoratus</i>. However, DNA barcoding revealed a clear distinction between these three species and placed <i>P. sinschi</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> as sister taxon of <i>P. lindae</i>. We designate a lectotype for <i>P. ventrimarmoratus</i> and restrict the type locality of this species to "El Topo, R. Pastaza, [Provincia Tungurahua,] E. Ecuador, 4200 feet". <i>Pristimantis albertus</i> and <i>P. sagittulus</i> are recorded for the first time in the Región Junín. Additional data on morphology and systematics are provided for <i>P. albertus</i>.