Bones and all: a new critically endangered Pantepui species of Stefania (Anura: Hemiphractidae) and a new osteological synapomorphy for the genus.

ABSTRACT: The hemiphractid frog genus Stefania is one of the many ancient (near-) endemic lineages of vertebrates inhabiting the biodiverse Pantepui biogeographical region in the Guiana Shield Highlands of northern South America-the famous "Lost World" of Arthur Conan Doyle. Previous molecular analyses of the genus Stefania have indicated that species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships are often incongruent with morphological traits in that clade. A substantial number of "taxonomically cryptic" species, often microendemic, remain to be described. This is notably the case for an isolated population from the summit of Wei-Assipu-tepui, a small table-top mountain at the border between Guyana and Brazil. That population was previously known as Stefania sp. 6 and belongs to the S. riveroi clade. T

SUBMITTER: Kok PJR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10210337 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature