Pristimantis incertus ( Lutz 1927 )

Barrio-Amorós, César L., Rojas-Runjaic, Fernando J. M. & Señaris, J. Celsa, 2019, Catalogue of the amphibians of Venezuela: Illustrated and annotated species list, distribution, and conservation, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 180) 13 (1), pp. 1-198 : 117

Pristimantis incertus ( Lutz 1927) *

Holotype: AL-MNRJ 1190.

Type locality: Mamo, near La Guaira, Vargas State, Venezuela.

Distribution: Region 2. Restricted to central Cordillera de la Costa in Aragua, Carabobo, Distrito Capital, Miranda, and Vargas States, and western Cordillera de la Costa in Nirgua massif, Yaracuy State, 20– 1,500 m asl.

Remarks: Hylodes anonymus was first mentioned by Lutz (1927: 40) as a new species, but description lacked designation of a type specimen. Later in same paper, two illustrations appear on Plate 13 (Image 256A) but associated text refers to Hylodes incertus , here assumed to be a lapsus and unjustified emendation for H. anonymus . These names appear alternatively in recent checklists ( La Marca 1992; Barrio-Amorós 1998, 2004, 2009), but none are identified with identifiable specimens or vouchers. Hylodes anonymus is therefore a nomen nudum under Article 12 of the Code ( ICZN 1999), whereby names without illustration or diagnosis coined prior to 1931 are not valid for the purposes of nomenclature. The case of Hylodes incertus is different. Since Adolpho Lutz’s material was stored at Museum of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (MNRJ), the current number assigned to the holotype of H. incertus is AL-MNRJ 1190. Having received photos of the specimen thanks to Dr. José Pombal and, despite the complete fading of the color (Image 256B), it clearly belongs to a member of the Pristimantis conspicillatus species group. Members of this group are easily distinguished by finger I being equal or longer than finger II, clearly visible in Image 256C. Pristimantis terraebolivaris ( Rivero 1961) is the only species in Cordillera de la Costa in the P. conspicillatus species group and is abundant in the central sector of the Cordillera de la Costa in Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, and Yaracuy States and Distrito Capital. Mamo, near La Guaira (Vargas State), the type locality of H. incertus , is at 85 m asl. The previously known altitudinal range of P. terraebolivaris was 800– 1,500 m (Barrio-Amorós 2004); at MHNLS specimens are from 20– 1,500 m. Comparing the photos and illustration of Hylodes incertus with specimens and the description of Pristimantis terraebolivaris ( Rivero 1961) indicate those are conspecific and Hylodes incertus Lutz, 1927 is a senior synonym of Eleutherodactylus terraebolivaris Rivero, 1961 ; the color pattern of H. incertus holotype corresponds with the stripped morph recognized by Barrio-Amorós (2006c). Despite the poor conservation status of the H. incertus holotype, it does match with Pristimantis terraebolivaris in having the head longer than wide; long snout (longer than eye diameter), acuminate in dorsal view; canthus rostralis straight and transversely angular; loreal region vertical, finger I equal to finger II, fingers and toes with lateral keels; tip of toe III not reaching the middle subarticular tubercle of toe IV, and tip of toe V just passing the middle subarticular tubercle of toe IV. No other Pristimantis species in the Cordillera de la Costa matches with this combination of characters. Thus, all previous references to Pristimantis terraebolivaris must be now attributed to Pristimantis incertus . In Pristimantis conspicillatus species group ( Hedges et al. 2008; Padial et al. 2014). Barrio-Amorós (2006c) showed some chromatic variation of the species.

Selected references: All references mentioning Eleutherodactylus or Pristimantis terraebolivaris . Lutz (1927); Rivero (1961, 1964a,d); Heatwole (1963a); Tello (1968); Lynch (1976, 1979b); Barrio-Amorós (1996a, 2006c); Lotzkat (2007).