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A new species of Eleutherodactylus (Aura: Leptodactylidae) from the northwestern lowlands of Ecuador

Abstract:

A new species of Eleutherodactylus is described from the lowlands of northwestern Ecuador. The new species is a small frog (snout-vent length <23 mm) characterized by: expanded and spadate disc cover on some fingers (usually III and IV) and most toes (usually III-V); bifid palmar tubercle; and brown dorsum with dark brown W-shaped scapular mark. A detailed osteological description of the new species is provided. Some of the osteological characters include relatively large nasals, small sphenethmoid, eight procoelous presacral vertebrae, manus with six carpal elements, and pes with four tarsal elements. A small portion of the frontoparietal fontanelle is exposed between the frontoparietals. Although the new species is small, there is no loss of skull bones and phalangeal elements.