Four new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs of the genus Phrynopus (Anura: Terrarana: Craugastoridae) from Río Abiseo National Park, Peru

Researchers have identified four new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs within the genus Phrynopus, significantly expanding the known diversity of this group. These discoveries, made on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental near and within Río Abiseo National Park in Peru, include Phrynopus anancites, P. capitalis, P. dumicola, and P. personatus, each exhibiting distinct morphological traits such as coloration, skin texture, and habitat preferences. Notably, one specimen of P. dumicola was found infected with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a fungal pathogen linked to amphibian declines. The study highlights the biodiversity richness of Río Abiseo National Park, which harbors these frogs in diverse habitats ranging from wet montane grasslands to tropical montane rain forests at elevations between 2800 and 3850 meters.

RODRIGUEZ, L. O., & CATENAZZI, A. (2017). Four new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs of the genus Phrynopus (Anura: Terrarana: Craugastoridae) from Río Abiseo National Park, Peru. Zootaxa, 4273(3). https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4273.3.4