A new species of Proceratophrys Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 (Anura, Odontophrynidae) of the P. bigibbosa species group from Southern Brazil

The monophyletic Proceratophrys bigibbosa species group has a stable taxonomic history. Despite the increasing number of Proceratophrys described in the last decades, the P. bigibbosa group, for a long time, has consisted of four species distributed in south of South America; except for P. palustris that occurs in southeastern Brazil. Herein, based on concordant evidence of morphology and mtDNA barcoding, we describe a new species of Proceratophrys for specimens assigned to the P. bigibbosa group collected in Tibagi municipality, Parana state, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by its small size, snout rounded in dorsal view, palpebral ridge with small and rounded tubercles, small postocular swellings, presence of a line of small and round tubercles on dorso-lateral region of body, and dorsal region covered by small, sparse, and rounded tubercles. We also highlight the potential occurrence of the new species in other areas along the Campos Gerais of Parana, given the strong association of the species with this vegetational formation in South Brazil.

Automated summary

The newly discovered Proceratophrys species has a small size and unique characteristics, with potential occurrences in other areas along the Campos Gerais of Parana, Brazil.