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Issue: Vol. 3620 No. 3: 7 Mar. 2013
Type: Articles
Published: 2013-03-07
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3620.3.1
Page range: 301–350
Abstract views: 63
PDF downloaded: 1

Taxonomy of the super-cryptic Hyperolius nasutus group of long reed frogs of Africa (Anura: Hyperoliidae), with descriptions of six new species

Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Department, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin, Herpetology, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany Across the River – a Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 164 Dama Road, Kenema, Sierra Leone
Trier University, Biogeography Department, Universitätsring 15, 54295 Trier, Germany
Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin, Herpetology, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Trier University, Biogeography Department, Universitätsring 15, 54295 Trier, Germany
Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood, Port Elizabeth 6013, South Africa
Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany
Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity at the Humboldt University Berlin, Herpetology, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA
Institut für Integrierte Naturwissenschaften, Abteilung Biologie, Universität Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstraße 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
School of Environmental; Sciences and Development, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Department, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa
Amphibia Hyperolius nasutus group new species phylogeny taxonomy advertisement calls biogeography molecular genetics morphology species distribution model

Abstract

Specimens from across the range of the Hyperolius nasutus species group were sequenced for two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene. Advertisement calls were recorded from the same specimens where possible, and morphological characters were compared. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood produced a tree indicating 16 clades. The clades show little or no overlap in combinations of 16S sequence difference, shared tyr haplotypes, advertisement call parameters, snout profiles and webbing. On the basis of these data we recognise H. acuticeps, H. adspersus, H. benguellensis, H. dartevellei, H. igbettensis, H. nasutus, H. nasicus, H. poweri, H. viridis and describe six new species: Hyperolius friedemanni sp. nov. Mercurio & Rödel, Hyperolius howelli sp. nov. Du Preez & Channing, Hyperolius inyangae sp. nov. Channing, Hyperolious jacobseni sp. nov. Channing, Hyperolius rwandae sp. nov. Dehling, Sinsch, Rödel & Channing, and Hyperolius lupiroensis sp. nov. Channing. Hyperolius lamottei is confirmed to be outside the H. nasutus group clade. Hyperolius granulatus, H. oxyrhynchus, H. punctulatus and H. sagitta are assigned as junior synonyms. As our results are based on a small number of specimens, these hypotheses await testing with larger sample sizes and more characters. A species distribution model suggests where outlier populations might be found.

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