Ecnomiohyla bailarina Batista, Hertz, Mebert, Köhler, Lotzkat, Ponce & Vesely, 2014, sp. nov.

Ecnomiohyla bailarina sp. nov.

Holotype. SMF 97398 (original field number AB297; Fig. 3–4), an adult male from the north slope of the Jingurudó mountain range (Fig. 5), about 14.6 km S from Pavarandó village (7.70903°N, - 78.04882°W, 750 m a.s.l.), Sambú, Comarca Emberá-Wounaan N°2, Darién, Panama, collected by Abel Batista and Milan Vesely on 25 September 2011 at 21:27 hrs.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized Ecnomiohyla (single known specimen is an adult male 68.1 mm in SVL; Figs. 3–4), differing from other known species in the genus by the following combination of characters: 1) finger webbing extensive, web reaching the finger disk on at least one side on two fingers (Fig. 4); 2) toes extensively webbed as well, web reaching the toe disk at least on one side of four toes (Fig. 4); 3) skin on dorsum strongly tuberculate; 4) cranial and dorsal osteoderms present; 5) skin on upper surface of head not co-ossified with underlying cranial elements; 6) humerus without enlarged crista lateralis; 7) prepollex distinct, obtuse, with bony prepollical projection rounded distally, bluntly pointed at side adjacent to thumb; 8) two clusters of nuptial spines at the distal end of prepollical tubercle and at the end of the first phalanx of the thumb; 9) a distinct scalloped fringe with pointed tubercles on a ventral surface of heel flaps, continuing almost to the disc of the 5th toe; 10) dorsal coloration in life green with scattered brownish or black flecks.

Comparison with other species of Ecnomiohyla. Ecnomiohyla bailarina can be distinguished from other species of Ecnomiohyla by the following characters (with contrasting features for E. bailarina in parentheses, see Table 3 for more details): Ecnomiohyla minera, E. thysanota (see Fig. 6) and E. rabborum are easily distinguished from the new species by having smooth heels without a scalloped fringe (triangular serrate fringe with pointed tubercles on a ventral surface of heel flaps); E. rabborum and E. minera are further distinct in having a humeral projection in males (no humeral projection); E. rabborum has a substantial webbing on one finger only, reaching base of disk on one finger (webbing extensive reaching base of disk on two fingers); E. echinata, E. fimbrimembra, E. minera, E. salvaje and E. valancifer lack of cranial or dorsal osteoderms (well developed cranial and dorsal osteoderms); the type locality of the only known specimen of E. thysanota, a female collected at Cerro Malí, Darién (Duellman 1966), is only 100 km northeast of the type locality of E. bailarina, but E. thysanota lacks cranial and dorsal osteoderms (well developed cranial and dorsal osteoderms, see Figs. 3−4, and 6), skin on dorsum is granular (strongly tuberculate), coloration in life is reported to be uniformly green (green with scattered brown or blackish flecks); in addition, these potentially sympatric species would probably differ also in size, as the E. thysanota specimen is a female that is much larger (95 mm vs 68.1 mm SVL, see Table 3) than our male E. bailarina; males in Ecnomiohyla spp. tend to be bigger or at least the same size as females (Table 3, Savage & Kubicki 2010), and hence, an adult male E. thysanota is presumed to be considerably larger than the adult male holotype of E. bailarina; E. fimbrimembra (see Fig. 9), E. miliaria, and E. phantasmagoria also lack a fringe on heels (present), but have pointed heel tubercles; in addition, males of E. miliaria and E. phantasmagoria have a sharp prepollical spine directed laterally (prepollical spine vestigial, bluntly pointed and directed to the thumb); E. fimbrimembra and E. salvaje have the skin on the head co-ossified with the cranium, (Fig. 9 E–H) (skin not coossified with cranium); males of E. miliaria, E, phantasmagoria, E. sukia, E. tuberculosa and E. valancifer have no nuptial black spines on prepollex (numerous small black keratinized spines present on prepollex); E. miotympanum lacks of scalloped dermal fringes on the outer margin of the forearm and foot, large digital disks, and enlarged prepollices (present in E. bailarina); E. tuberculosa does not have a prepollical projection in adult males (prepollical projection present); in E. sukia, the prepollical spine has a similar size and direction, but is rather spade-like, not forming a sharp spine as in E. bailarina; E. veraguensis (sp. nov., see below) can be distinguished from E. bailarina by having only a few large, widely spaced nuptial black keratinized spines, dorsolaterally on the base of the pollex and none on the prepollex in adult males (thickly clustered smaller spines on prepollex and pollex; Fig. 10); further, it has a finely tuberculated dorsum (strongly tuberculated dorsum), and keratinized tubercles on the ventral side of the scalloped fringe on the heels are absent (present in E. bailarina).

Description of the holotype. An adult male, as indicated by the presence of keratinized nuptial spines. Measurements of the holotype are shown in Table 4. Head rounded in dorsal view, slightly wider than long (HL/ HW = 91.3%); snout truncate in dorsal and lateral views; nearly terminal nostrils directed laterally; top of head flat; canthus rostralis concave; loreal region concave; skin on dorsal surface of head and body tuberculate, tubercles formed by osteoderms; tubercles on upper lip, loreal and supraorbital area tipped with tiny blunt keratinous spines; lower eyelid with transparent upper part; a well-developed supratympanic fold running from midpoint of posterior margin of eye above the upper margin of tympanum, slightly curved around its upper posterior edge, tympanum prominent, opaque, smooth, 51.5% of ED, separated from eye by 3.20 mm; upper surfaces of body and limbs tuberculate, intermixed with scattered larger tubercles, cluster of tubercles above the insertion of arms; a triangular serrate-like fringe extends from the elbow along the ventrolateral margin of the forearm and continues along the outer edge of Finger IV to the base of the disk; serrate fringe largest on forearm, less evident serration along fingers; hands moderate in length (HAL/SVL = 31.1%); Finger lengths I<II<IV<III, terminal disk on Finger I 79 % of diameter of disks on Fingers II–IV; which are almost the same size as tympanum (3FD/TD 1.04 times); distal subarticular tubercles on Fingers I–III large, rounded; bifid at Finger IV, larger than proximal subarticular tubercles on Fingers III–IV; indistinct supernumerary tubercles; prepollex enlarged and rounded; bony prepollical projection rounded distally, bluntly pointed at side adjacent to thumb; two clusters of nuptial spines at the distal end of prepollical tubercle and at the end of the first phalanx of the thumb; fingers extensively webbed, web extending to base of disk on at least two fingers; webbing formula: I 1 3/4–2 II 3 /4–1 1/2 III 1 1/2–1 1/ 4 IV; legs relatively long and slender (TL/SVL = 52.6%), heels of adpressed limbs overlapping about 1/4 length of tibia, thigh 30.00 mm long; distinct fleshy, triangular serrate like fringe begins on heel by a striking flap and extends along ventrolateral margin of tarsus and outer margin of Toe V to base of disk; scallops deeply incised and pointed, largest on tarsus, smaller along toe; small tubercles with keratinized tips present on dorsal and ventral surface of fringe on heel; tarsal fold and outer metatarsal tubercle absent, inner metatarsal tubercle moderately large (same size as 3TD), ovoid, flat, and spadelike distally; toe lengths I<II<III=V<IV; disks on toes 75% of diameter of those on fingers, equal on Toes III–V, decreasing in size on toes II–I; subarticular tubercles rounded; supernumerary tubercles indistinct; toes extensively webbed, webs extending to base of disks on at least four toes; webbing formula: I 3 /4–1 1/4 II 3 /4–1 1/4 III 3 / 4–1 IV 1 1/4–¾ V; gular area and venter strongly granulate, fine granulation on undersides of arms and proximal thighs, smooth skin on anterior surfaces of thighs and ventral parts of legs; cloacal opening directed posteriorly at mid-level of thighs, two distinct granular dermal folds under the vent; tongue slightly cordiform; vomerine ridges transverse, narrowly separated medially, placed between the posterior margins of the moderately large ovoid choanae; vomerine teeth 12–13; vocal slits not present.

Coloration of holotype in life (Fig. 3). Dorsal ground colour Light Grass Green (color 109 of Köhler 2012) with irregular Vandyke Brown (281) flecks scattered all over the head and body giving the animal a “moss cryptic” appearance; Raw Umber (22) bands present on dorsal surfaces of arms and legs, edges of scalloped fringes on arms and fleshy flaps on heels Cream Color (12); toe webbing Tawny Olive (17); tops of some dorsal granules and tubercles Orange-Rufous (56). After metachrosis (day and night coloration), ground coloration faded to Pale Emerald Green (141), brown areas to Dark Salmon color (59), pattern did not change; throat, chest, venter and ventral surfaces of arms and legs Cream Color (12) grading into Salmon (83) ventrolaterally and Orange Yellow (8) on anterior surface of thigh; a few small dark blotches on the edge of lower lip; iris Light Yellow Ocher (13), finely reticulated with Dark Brownish Olive (127); tympanum Pale Mauve (204) with scattered irregular Vinaceous Pink (245) blotches.

Coloration in preservative (Fig. 4). Dorsal surfaces Glaucous (272) with Sepia (279) mottling on upper surfaces of hind limbs; tympanum Pratt’s Payne’s Gray (293) with scattered irregular Maroon (39) blotches, cloacal region Pratt’s Payne’s Gray (293) dorsally and Cream (12) ventrally; posterior surfaces of thighs Light Yellow Ocher (13); ventral surfaces of body and limbs Cream (12); toe webbing Amber (51).

Distribution and natural history. Ecnomiohyla bailarina is known only from the type locality, in the eastern Panamanian montane forest (Fund & Hogan 2012; Fig. 5 A-D). The potential area of distribution of E. bailarina comprises the vicinities of Jingurudó and Sapo mountain ranges, between 400 to 1400 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1). Although the type locality is in a primary forest, there are some open areas with successional secondary forest. The area is on a ridge, so the trees could be affected by strong winds. In the surroundings we saw four fallen large trees probably overthrown by the wind that left clearings in the otherwise pristine forest. The largest trees in this area reached more than 20 m in height having branches in the canopy covered by bromeliads and other epiphytes (e. g., orchids and Lorantaceae), Tree trunks were almost bare or with just a little epiphytic growth. In the understory, palms and vines were predominant. The holotype was found on a ridge in a water conserving posture (see Fig 1 B in Pough et al. 1983) on the bark of a small tree (Fig. 5 A), approximately 1.5 m above the ground. The day before the night of the capture was dry except for a drizzle that had fallen in the afternoon between 14:00–15:00 hrs. During the encounter, a slight breeze was blowing. Other amphibian species observed in the area that day were: Colostethus aff. pratti (Boulenger, 1899), Craugastor opimus (Savage and Myers, 2002), Pristimantis cruentus (Peters, 1873), P. taeniatus (Boulenger, 1912), Rhinella alata (Thominot, 1884), and Sachatamia ilex (Savage, 1967).

Etymology. The name bailarina is a noun in apposition in reference to the hill where the specimen was found. The indigenous people of the Embera call it “Cerro Bailarín”, in addition, the English translation of “ bailarina ” is ballerina, so the name also refers to the resemblance of the fringes on arms and feet of the frog to the tutu skirt that a ballerina wears.

Conservation status. The secretive habits of Ecnomiohyla bailarina make the assessment of the population size difficult, as in other Ecnomiohyla species. Considering that the status of the E. bailarina population is unknown, the data deficient (DD) criterion, according the IUCN (IUCN 2013), seems appropriate for this species, until data on its population trend become available. Moreover, due to fact that E. bailarina and E. thysanota occur in a region affected by social problems and political conflicts along the border between Panama and Colombia, it is unlikely that there will be sufficient opportunity to visit the region to assess population sizes in the near future.