Pristimantis chinguelas, Chávez & Aznaran & Wong & Victoriano-Cigüeñas & García-Ayachi & Valencia-Málaga & Ormeño & Gulman & Sumiano-Mejía & Thompson & Catenazzi, 2025

Chávez, Germán, Aznaran, Wilmar, Wong, Ivan, Victoriano-Cigüeñas, Karen Y., García-Ayachi, Luis A., Valencia-Málaga, Juan D., Ormeño, Jesús R., Gulman, Michael, Sumiano-Mejía, Ronal, Thompson, Michelle E. & Catenazzi, Alessandro, 2025, Over the top: Three new species of terrestrial breeding frogs (Anura, Terrarana, Pristimantis) from the highlands of the Cordillera de Huancabamba, northwestern Peru, Evolutionary Systematics 9 (1), pp. 145-166 : 145-166

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.9.148522
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:02FC2857-6A31-4305-A5DB-A6C7E7A4CD6E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15707658
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6C5A9CFB-9A55-5034-A5E6-F71901131082
treatment provided by	Evolutionary Systematics by Pensoft
scientific name	Pristimantis chinguelas
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pristimantis chinguelas sp. nov.

Type material.

Holotype • Adult male CORBIDI 26772 View Materials (Figs 3 A ‒ D View Figure 3 , 4 A ‒ E View Figure 4 ), from Cerro Chinguelas , Huancabamba Province, Piura Region, Peru (5°7'32.59"S, 79°22'23.55"W; 2849 m a. s. l.), collected on 10 November 2023 by Wilmar Aznaran, Karen Y. Victoriano-Cigüeñas, Ivan Wong and Germán Chávez. GoogleMaps

Paratypes • Adult males CORBIDI 26764 ‒69 View Materials , 26771 View Materials , 26773 View Materials (Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

We placed Pristimantis chinguelas sp. nov. in the genus Pristimantis sensu Hedges et al. (2008) ; Duellman and Lehr (2009) and Padial et al. (2014), subgenus Huicundomantis (sensu Ortega et al. 2022). Pristimantis chinguelas sp. nov. is a medium-sized species distinguished by the following combination of traits: (1) skin on dorsum shagreen without crests or ridges on scapular region, having enlarged dorsolateral tubercles; skin on venter areolate; discoidal fold weak; thoracic fold absent; flanks bearing a row of enlarged tubercles surrounded by numerous large rounded tubercles; (2) tympanic membrane absent, tympanic annulus present, its length about 40 % of the length of eye; supratympanic fold prominent going from the posterior edge of upper eyelid to the level of the insertion of forelimbs; (3) snout short, subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile; canthus rostralis angular; (4) upper eyelid lacking tubercles, about 70 % IOD in males, females unknown; cranial crests absent; (5) dentigerous processes of vomers absent; (6) males with a subgular vocal sac and vocal slits; (7) Finger I slightly shorter than Finger II; discs on fingers broadly expanded, elliptical; (8) fingers lacking lateral fringes; (9) ulnar tubercles absent; (10) heel and tarsus lacking conical tubercles, only low rounded tubercles present; (11) inner metatarsal tubercle elliptical, elevated, about 3 times the size of round outer metatarsal tubercle; supernumerary tubercles low; (12) toes with lateral fringes; basal webbing on feet; Toe V longer than Toe III (disc on Toe III reaches distal edge of the penultimate subarticular tubercle on Toe IV, disc on Toe V reaches the middle to distal edge of the distal subarticular tubercle on Toe IV); (13) in life, dorsum buff yellow to chestnut brown; head having dark supratympanic and canthal stripes; groins, axillae and posterior surface of thighs yellow to dark brown with minute dark flecks; venter cream to yellow with dark flecks; iris gold with fine black reticulations (Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ); (14) average SVL in adult males: 31.0 ± 3.1 mm (25.4–34.9 mm; n = 9); females: unknown.

Comparisons.

Pristimantis chinguelas sp. nov. may be differentiated from the rest of congeners by the presence of enlarged dorsolateral tubercles and one parallel row of enlarged tubercles on flanks. There is only one species having enlarged tubercles forming rows on flanks: Pristimantis wagteri Venegas 2007 . Nevertheless, P. chinguelas is distinguishable by having a larger supratympanic fold going from the upper eyelid to the insertion of the forelimbs (vs supratympanic fold going from the posterior edge of the eye to the level of the forelimbs), head rounded from lateral view (vs inclined posteroventrally), groins lacking spots or blotches (vs red or orange spots present on groins) and posterior surface of thighs brown or yellow with dark flecks (vs red or orange). Additionally, P. wagteri is a species inhabiting the eastern Andes, about 300 km south from P. chinguelas ´type locality. One more species has enlarged tubercles on flanks but without forming rows: Pristimantis verrucolatus Páez and Ron 2019 , however this species lacks enlarged dorsolateral tubercles (vs present in P. chinguelas ), has snout protruding in profile with a fleshy keel on the tip (vs rounded, without keel in P. chinguelas ), upper eyelid with several low rounded tubercles (vs tubercles absent on upper eyelid in P. chinguelas ), and a short supratympanic fold (vs large, going from the upper eyelid to the level of the insertion of forelimbs in P. chinguelas ). Among other species having complete, large dorsolateral tubercles or folds, P. chinguelas is distinguishable by having toe V longer than toe III (vs slightly longer in P. adiastolus , P. albertus , P. avicuporum , P. buccinator , P. condor , P. conspicillatus , P. lanthanites , P. meridionalis , P. peruvianus , P. rhabdolaemus , P. skydmainos , P. stictogaster , P. tanyrhynchus , and P. toftae ; much longer in P. saggitulus ); snout short (vs long in P. adiastolus , P. albertus , P. avicuporum , P. buccinator , P. condor , P. conspicillatus , P. lanthanites , P. meridionalis , P. peruvianus , P. rhabdolaemus , P. skydmainos , P. stictogaster , P. tanyrhynchus , and P. toftae and P. saggitulus ); upper eyelid lacking tubercles (vs present in P. atratus ); skin on venter areolate (vs smooth in P. adiastolus , P. albertus , P. avicuporum , P. buccinator , P. condor , P. conspicillatus , P. lanthanites , P. meridionalis , P. peruvianus , P. skydmainos , and P. tanyrhynchus ); lacking conical tubercles on heels (vs present in P. atratus ); and lacking chevron or stripes pattern on dorsum (vs chevrons present in P. adiastolus , P. albertus , P. avicuporum , P. buccinator , P. condor , P. conspicillatus , P. meridionalis , P. peruvianus , P. rhabdolaemus , P. stictogaster , P. tanyrhynchus , and P. toftae ; stripes present in P. atratus and P. saggitulus ). Moreover, P. chinguelas is closely related to P. gloria , a species inhabiting the eastern Ecuadorian Andes nearly 200 km north from P. chinguelas ´type locality, but can be mainly distinguished by having a bronze iris with fine black reticulations (vs iris cream with thick black reticulations), dorsum with large prominent dorsolateral tubercles (vs absent) and the absence of vomerine teeth (vs present in). Also, the presence of enlarged dorsolateral tubercles and the absence of vomerine teeth distinguish P. chinguelas from a genetically related undescribed species ( QCAZ 45155 ).

Description of the holotype.

An adult male ( CORBIDI 26772 ). Measurements (in mm): SVL 34.9; TL 18.5; FL 17.1; HL 12.6; HW 13.6; ED 4.9; TD 2.1; IOD 3.8; EW 2.9; IND 2.8; EN 3.9; FeL 15.9. Head wider than long, narrower than body; snout subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile, lacking papilla or flaps on the tip of the snout (Fig. 4 E View Figure 4 ); cranial crests absent; nostrils slightly protuberant, directed anterolaterally; canthus rostralis slightly concave in dorsal view, rounded in cross section; loreal region concave; upper eyelid lacking tubercles; tympanic annulus present, visible through the skin, its upper and posterolateral edge concealed by thick, prominent supratympanic fold; tympanic membrane not visible; postrictal tubercles absent. Choanae median, ovoid, non-concealed by palatal shelf of maxilla; dentigerous processes of vomers absent; tongue slightly longer than wide, not notched, posterior half free; vocal slits slightly curved, positioned at posterior half of mouth floor in between tongue and margin of jaw; medium sized vocal sac. Dorsal surfaces of body shagreen; dorsolateral enlarged tubercles present, going from the posterior edge of the upper eyelid to the groin; skin on flanks bearing a row of enlarged tubercles going parallel to the dorsolateral tubercle, below numerous enlarged tubercles cover the rest of the flank; skin on chest and belly areolate, that on throat shagreen, ventral surfaces of limbs smooth, ventral surfaces of thighs coarsely areolate; discoidal fold present, thoracic fold absent. Ulnar tubercles absent; nuptial pads absent; outer palmar tubercle bifid low, as large as ovoid thenar tubercle; subarticular tubercles low, rounded; large supernumerary tubercles at base of fingers, distinct; fingers bearing lateral fringes; Finger I shorter than Finger II; discs on fingers expanded and rounded; pads on fingers surrounded by circumferential grooves on all fingers (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). Hindlimbs slender; dorsal surfaces of hindlimbs shagreen; posterior surfaces of thighs smooth, ventral surfaces of thighs coarsely areolate; heel lacking tubercle; outer and inner edge of tarsus lacking tubercles; inner metatarsal tubercle elliptical, elevated, twice the size of oval outer metatarsal tubercle; plantar surface with small, low and rounded supernumerary tubercles; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded; toes bearing lateral fringes; basal webbing between toes III and IV, and IV and V; discs on toes smaller than those on fingers, expanded and rounded; all toes having pads surrounded by circumferential grooves; relative lengths of toes: I <II <III <V <IV; Toe V longer than Toe III (disc on Toe III reaches the distal edge of penultimate subarticular tubercle on Toe IV, disc on Toe V reaches the distal edge of distal subarticular tubercle on Toe IV; Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ).

Coloration of holotype in life (Fig. 3 A – D View Figure 3 ). Based on photographs taken in the field. Dorsal surfaces of body and flanks duff yellow covered, skin spaces between tubercles chocolate brown; supratympanic and canthal stripes chocolate brown; groins and anterior surface of thighs creamy yellow with dark flecks; posterior surfaces of thighs, shanks and tarsus orange yellow, some dark flecks present on posterior surface of thighs; venter creamy yellow covered by dark flecks; chest salmon, throat orange, both suffused with brown flecks; ventral surfaces of thighs, shanks, and tarsus yellow; plantar and palmar surfaces creamy white with dense dark flecks; iris gold with thick black reticulations.

Coloration of holotype in preservative (Fig. 4 A – E View Figure 4 ). Dorsal surfaces of body and flanks dark brown fading lighter at the edge of the flanks and venter; gray supratympanic and canthal stripes; groins, anterior, and posterior surfaces of thighs, shanks and tarsus tan; venter, belly and throat creamy yellow suffused with dark flecks; ventral surfaces of limbs creamy yellow; ventral surfaces of fingers and toes cream.

Variation. Male CORBIDI 26765 (Fig. 5 C, D View Figure 5 ) has a single enlarged lateral tubercle instead of a row of tubercles. Skin on dorsum is smoother in males CORBIDI 26766 (Fig. 5 E, F View Figure 5 ) and 26768 (Fig. 5 G, H View Figure 5 ). Also, the lateral row of enlarged tubercles is shorter in male CORBIDI 26768 , reaching only the middle of the flank. Variation in measurements is given in Table 1 View Table 1 and color variation is shown in Fig. 5 View Figure 5 . Females unknown.

Advertisement call. (Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ) Based on recordings of males CORBIDI 26771 and CORBIDI 26772 , the advertisement call consists of one peep-like note (Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ). The average duration of a note is 0.10s (range 0.06– 0.15s). The fundamental and dominant frequencies of the notes are on average 2200.54 Hz (range 2191.00–2209.82 Hz), without frequency modulation. Descriptive statistics for bioacoustic variables are shown in Table 2 View Table 2 .

Distribution, natural history and conservation status.

Pristimantis chinguelas sp. nov. is only known from the type locality, in Cerro Chinguelas, at 2849 m a. s. l. The type locality is a steep, rocky, open area on the cliff side of the Sapalache – El Carmen road (Fig. 7 A View Figure 7 ). The vegetation here consists of scattered bushes, montane bamboo ( Chusquea spp ), some herbs and grass. All individuals were collected at night, calling on leaves, up to 1.8 m. Air temperature was 10 ° C and the humidity was 98 %. During our fieldwork, we heard at least two more groups of calling males, in a steeper area, no more than 100 meters away from the type locality. No other amphibian was recorded in sympatry with the new species. Based on our field data, we estimate the area of occupancy of this species is less than 10 km 2. Nevertheless, the species might occupy adjacent unexplored areas. Information on its population size is unknown. In view of the scarcity of information, and according to the IUCN Red List guidelines (IUCN, 2019) we suggest that P. chinguelas sp. nov. be included in the Data Deficient (DD) category.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition. It refers to the type locality of the new species, Cerro Chinguelas, a place where a handful of explorers in the late 70 ' s started the scientific research in the Cordillera de Huancabamba.