Leptodactylus Ecology and Ecuador Biogeography

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Distribution and Ecology of the Western Ecuador Frog Leptodactylus labrosus (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae)

Leptodactylus labrosus is a terrestrial sit-and-wait predator; its diet includes ground-level, fossorial, and flying insects, and ants numerically predominate. Bothrops asper is recorded as a predator of L. labrosus. L. labrosus lives mainly in deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, where it is restricted to wet microhabitats, and occasionally in evergreen forests. L. labrosus inhabits northern, central, and southern regions of western coastal Ecuador and northern and central western coastal Peru up to 700 m, and into the dry interandean valleys of southern Ecuador and northern Peru up to 1 300 m. Its distribution encompasses moistly seasonally dry forest in coastal Ecuador and Peru. It also occupies moister areas towards the slopes of the Andes where it is sympatric with three other congeneric species, but at sites of sympatry the species show habitat segregation. The distribution pattern of L. labrosus is shared by several other range-restricted amphibians corresponding to the Tumbesian region, which should be recognized as an endemic Amphibian area. The zone between the Choco and Tumbesian regions, where L. labrosus gets in sympatry with other Leptodactylus species, possess ecological and climatic characteristics that have shaped a unique fauna, including several endemic taxa; and it should be recognized as the west Ecuadorian endemic region.

Cita / Citation: CCisneros-Heredia, D. F. 2006. Distribution and ecology of the Western Ecuador frog Leptodactylus labrosus (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae). Zoological Research 27 (3): 225-234.

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New Glassfrog species from Ecuador

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A new species of the genus Centrolene (Amphibia: Anura: Centrolenidae) from Ecuador with comments on the taxonomy and biogeography of Glassfrogs

We describe a new species of Glassfrog, Centrolene mariaelenae n. sp., from the Contrafuerte de Tzunantza, southeastern Ecuador. The new species is assigned to the Centrolene gorzulai species group, a clade previously known only from the Guayana Shield region, because the parietal peritoneum is transparent and the hepatic peritoneum is covered by guanophores. We analyze the diversity patterns of Glassfrogs from eastern Ecuador. The distribution of the new species herein described supports previous hypothesis of a biogeographical connection between the Andes and the Guayana Shield for various groups of plants and animals; particularly a relationship between the Guayana Shield and the sandstone outcrops mountain ranges of southeastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru. We also comment on the infrageneric and generic classification of Glassfrogs, and propose the new combinations Centrolene balionotum n. comb., Cochranella antisthenesi n. comb, and Cochranella pulverata n. comb.

Cita / Citation: Cisneros-Heredia, D. F. & R. W. McDiarmid. A new species of the genus Centrolene (Amphibia: Anura: Centrolenidae) from Ecuador with comments on the taxonomy and biogeography of Glassfrogs. Zootaxa 1244: 1-32.

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Breeding notes birds Ecuador

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Notes on breeding, behaviour and distribution of some birds in Ecuador

Novel data on the breeding biology, behaviour and distribution of 48 taxa, including several species considered rare or globally/nationally threatened by Ridgely & Greenfield (2001), Granizo et al. (2002) or BirdLife International (2004).

Main accounts of: COMMON PIPING-GUAN Aburria pipile, DARK-BACKED WOOD-QUAIL Odontophorus melanonotus, PIED-BILLED GREBE Podilymbus podiceps, MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD Fregata magnificens, AMERICAN KESTREL Falco sparverius, ANDEAN / SLATE-COLOURED COOT Fulica ardesiaca, BARN OWL Tyto alba, SAND-COLOURED NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles rupestris, WHITE-TIPPED SWIFT Aeronautes montivagus, STRIPE-THROATED HERMIT Phaethornis striigularis, LITTLE WOODSTAR Chaetocercus bombus, AMAZONIAN WHITE-TAILED TROGON Trogon viridis, RED-HEADED BARBET Eubucco bourcierii, LINE-CHEEKED SPINETAIL Cranioleuca antisiensis, GOLDEN-FACED TYRANNULET Zimmerius chrysops, YELLOW-BROWED TODY-FLYCATCHER Todirostrum chrysocrotaphum, CHESTNUT-COLLARED SWALLOW Petrochelidon rufocollaris, WHITE-CAPPED DIPPER Cinclus leucocephalus, CASQUED OROPENDOLA Clypicterus oseryi, LESSER GOLDFINCH Carduelis psaltria, ORANGE-BELLIED EUPHONIA Euphonia xanthogaster.

Notes for: Andean Guan Penelope montagnii, Rufescent Tiger-heron Tigrisoma lineatum, Andean Condor Vultur gryphus, White Hawk Leucopternis albicollis, Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata, Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna, Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin, Great Potoo Nyctibius grandis, Rufous Potoo N. bracteatus, Golden-headed Quetzal Pharomachrus auriceps, Pacific Hornero Furnarius cinnamomeus, Blackish Tapaculo Scytalopus latrans, Tufted Tittyrant Anairetes parulus, Tumbesian Tyrannulet Phaeomyias tumbezana, White-tailed Shrike-tyrant Agriornis andicola, Masked Water-tyrant Fluvicola nengeta, Black-crowned Tityra Tityra inquisitor, White-thighed Swallow Neochelidon tibialis, Great Thrush
Turdus fuscater, Hooded Mountain-tanager Buthraupis montana, Cinereous Conebill Conirostrum cinereum, Titlike Dacnis Xenodacnis parina, Glossy Flowerpiercer Diglossa lafresnayii, Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola, Yellow-breasted / Rufous-naped Brush-finch Atlapetes latinuchus, Russet-crowned Warbler Basileuterus coronatus, Hooded Siskin Carduelis magellanica.

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New Eleutherodactylus from Amazonian Ecuador

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A new species of frog of the Eleutherodactylus lacrimosus assemblage (Leptodactylidae) from the Western Amazon basin, with comments on the utility of canopy surveys in lowland rainforest

Abstract. We describe a new species of Eleutherodactylus from the lowlands of the western Amazon Basin. The new species is referred to the Eleutherodactylus unistrigatus group, lacrimosus assemblage. It differs from other members of the group by having a dorsal olive-green coloration with an interorbital creamy yellow stripe that extends posterolaterally and reaches the level of the sacrum, and low ulnar and tarsal tubercles. The new species inhabits western Amazon tropical rainforests and has been found in arboreal bromeliads by day and on vegetation by night. We discuss the effect of lack of sampling in the forest canopy in our understanding of tropical amphibian communities. Based on work conducted at two localities in Ecuadorian Amazonia, we find that even limited sampling effort in the canopy can greatly improve efficiency of biological inventories.

Cita / Citation: Guaysamin, J. M., S. R. Ron, D. F. Cisneros-Heredia, W. Lamar & S. F. McCracken. 2006. A new species of frog of the Eleutherodactylus lacrimosus assemblage (Leptodactylidae) from the Western Amazon basin, with comments on the utility of canopy surveys in lowland rainforest. Herpetologica 62(2): 191-202.

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