Taxonomic revision of Rhinella granulosa species group (Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae), with a description of a new species

Abstract

An extensive review of Rhinella granulosa species group was conducted based on external morphological and morphometrical characteristics. Data set included 8700 specimens deposited in 35 collections, representing 865 localities, from South and Central America. Twelve species were recognized for the group, one described as new; they are: Rhinella granulosa (Northeastern Brazil), R. pygmaea (Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil), R. bergi (Paraguay, Northwestern Argentina, and Mato Grosso State, Brazil), R. major (Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and North and Western Brazil), R. mirandaribeiroi (Central Brazil and Bolivia), R. azarai (Provincia de Misiones, Argentina, Paraguay, and Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil), R. nattereri (Venezuela, Guiana, Roraima State, Brazil), R. fernandezae (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil), R. dorbignyi (Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil), R. merianae (Venezuela, Surinam, Guiana, and Brazilian States of Amazonas and Roraima), R. humboldti (Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam, Guiana, Trinidad), R. centralis sp. n. (Panama). External morphological characters, such as head and snout shape, type of cephalic crests, size of tympanum, size and shape of parotoid gland, and skin granulation, are some of the traits used to identify the species. For each species, comparative diagnosis, description, and summaries of distribution are provided. An artificial key to species is also presented. The geographic distributions of species of Rhinella are largely associated with the open habitats of South America and Panama.