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Issue: Vol. 5691 No. 2: 9 Sept. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-09-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5691.2.3
Page range: 231-256
Abstract views: 134
PDF downloaded: 7

A new species of flea-toad of the genus Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826 (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the cloud forests of Serra do Mar, southeastern Brazil

Laboratório de Herpetologia (LHERP); Instituto de Biociências; Campus do Litoral Paulista; Unesp; São Vicente; São Paulo; Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia); Unesp; Instituto de Biociências; Botucatu; São Paulo; Brazil
New York University Abu Dhabi; Saadiyat Island; Abu Dhabi; P.O. Box 129188; United Arab Emirates; CBioClima – Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change; Institute of Biosciences; Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP; Rio Claro; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB); Departamento de Biologia Animal; Instituto de Biologia; Unicamp; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia; Unicamp; Instituto de Biologia; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB); Departamento de Biologia Animal; Instituto de Biologia; Unicamp; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal; Unicamp; Instituto de Biologia; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de Evolução e Biologia Integrativa (LEBI); Departamento de Biologia; Faculdade de Filosofia; Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP); Universidade de São Paulo (USP); Ribeirão Preto; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de Evolução e Biologia Integrativa (LEBI); Departamento de Biologia; Faculdade de Filosofia; Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP); Universidade de São Paulo (USP); Ribeirão Preto; São Paulo; Brazil
Projeto Dacnis. Estrada do Rio Escuro; 4754; Sertão das Cotias; Ubatuba; São Paulo; Brazil
Projeto Dacnis. Estrada do Rio Escuro; 4754; Sertão das Cotias; Ubatuba; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de Herpetologia (LHERP); Instituto de Biociências; Campus do Litoral Paulista; Unesp; São Vicente; São Paulo; Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia); Unesp; Instituto de Biociências; Botucatu; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas; Instituto Butantan; São Paulo; Brazil
Florida Museum of Natural History; University of Florida; Gainesville; Florida; USA
Florida Museum of Natural History; University of Florida; Gainesville; Florida; USA
Laboratório de Evolução e Biologia Integrativa (LEBI); Departamento de Biologia; Faculdade de Filosofia; Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP); Universidade de São Paulo (USP); Ribeirão Preto; São Paulo; Brazil
Projeto Dacnis. Estrada do Rio Escuro; 4754; Sertão das Cotias; Ubatuba; São Paulo; Brazil
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia); Unesp; Instituto de Biociências; Botucatu; São Paulo; Brazil
Amphibia Atlantic Forest taxonomy natural history phylogeny Brachycephaloidea direct-developing anurans

Abstract

Species of the genus Brachycephalus are endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where they inhabit amidst the leaf litter. Depending on their phenotypic traits, these small-sized amphibians are commonly referred to as either flea-toads or pumpkin toadlets. Among them, the pumpkin toadlets (with a bufoniform phenotype) have received more extensive research attention. These individuals are often conspicuous, and prevalent in their natural habitat. In contrast, the flea-toads (leptodactyliform species) are brownish, cryptic with the background. This scarcity has led to their reduced scientific attention, including in the realm of taxonomy. Thus, we herein describe a new species of the genus Brachycephalus from montane forests of the Estação Ecológica de Bananal, in the municipality of Bananal, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The new species is characterized by having a leptodactyliform body; adult SVL 6.9–9.0 mm for males and 9.2–9.6 mm for females; smooth skin lacking hyperossification; snout rounded in dorsal view; finger II with pointed tips; toe I absent (lacking phalanges), and toes II, III, IV and V distinct; toe II with rounded tips; brown background with few golden spots scattered aleatory in the general coloration of dorsal surfaces and cloacal region; presence of a dark brown stripe along the flanks and the thigh; yellow blotches on the ventral surfaces; presence of dark brown strips on the legs. Based on molecular phylogeny, we recognize the Brachycephalus puri species group, based on a clade composed by B. puri sister to the new species plus a candidate new species. The new species probably has a restricted geographic distribution, and its discovery reinforces the importance of deeper taxonomic effort with the brownish leptodactyliform species of the genus.

 

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How to Cite

Nunes, I., Lyra, M.L., Machado, T.M., Carrasco-Medina, A.S., Andrade, F.S.D., Haga, I.A., Botelho, L.M., Pedrozo, M., Velasco, I.G., Jacinavicius, F.D.C., Gray, J.A., Blackburn, D.C., Kohlsdorf, T., Muscat, E. & Toledo, L.F. (2025) A new species of flea-toad of the genus Brachycephalus Fitzinger, 1826 (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the cloud forests of Serra do Mar, southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 5691 (2), 231–256. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5691.2.3