Publications
List of bats register at high altitudes in Río Abiseo National Park
Researchers have documented 16 bat species at unusually high altitudes within Río Abiseo National Park, exceeding previously reported altitudinal ranges for four of them. This finding challenges assumptions about the distribution limits of bats, which typically avoid elevations above 2000 meters. The study, conducted through four expeditions between 1987 and 1990, collected data on species from the Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae families, providing a critical baseline for comparison with other high-altitude bat populations globally.
A new species of Petracola (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from Río Abiseo National Park, San Martín, Peru
Researchers have identified a new species of lizard, belonging to the genus Petracola within the family Gymnophthalmidae, from Río Abiseo National Park in Peru. This discovery contributes to the biodiversity documentation of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is renowned for its unique geological formations and high species diversity. The study employed morphological analysis to distinguish this new species from its known relatives, focusing on key characteristics such as scalation patterns and body structure. The findings highlight the importance of Río Abiseo National Park as a critical area for conservation and further exploration of its rich faunal diversity.
Four new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs of the genus Phrynopus (Anura: Terrarana: Craugastoridae) from Río Abiseo National Park, Peru
Researchers have identified four new species of terrestrial-breeding frogs within the genus Phrynopus, significantly expanding the known diversity of this group. These discoveries, made on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental near and within Río Abiseo National Park in Peru, include Phrynopus anancites, P. capitalis, P. dumicola, and P. personatus, each exhibiting distinct morphological traits such as coloration, skin texture, and habitat preferences. Notably, one specimen of P. dumicola was found infected with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a fungal pathogen linked to amphibian declines. The study highlights the biodiversity richness of Río Abiseo National Park, which harbors these frogs in diverse habitats ranging from wet montane grasslands to tropical montane rain forests at elevations between 2800 and 3850 meters.
A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Río Abiseo National Park, Peru
Researchers have identified a new species of Pristimantis frog within the Río Abiseo National Park, Peru. This discovery, documented through morphological analysis, highlights distinctive features such as a broad, fleshy snout process and unique coloration patterns, including rusty reddish-brown dorsum with lighter blotches or tannish-brown chevrons. The new species differs significantly from its closest relative, P. phoxocephalus, in size, presence of dentigerous processes on the vomers, inner tarsal folds, heel tubercles, and groin mottling. Specimens were collected at elevations ranging from 2650 to 3000 meters, with adult females measuring 24.9–34.2 mm and males 15.3–23.5 mm in snout-vent length. This finding contributes to the biodiversity documentation of the Río Abiseo National Park.
A New Species of Marsupial Frog (Anura: Hemiphractidae: Gastrotheca) from the Río Abiseo National Park in Peru
Researchers have identified a new species of marsupial frog, Gastrotheca phelloderma, within the Río Abiseo National Park in Peru. This discovery, based on 29 specimens collected between 1989 and 1999, distinguishes the species by its unique dorsal markings—two reddish-brown paravertebral ridges with prominent warts—and granular venter. Unlike other Gastrotheca species, it lacks integumentary-cranial co-ossification and produces tadpoles rather than exhibiting direct development. The study highlights its close resemblance to G. phalarosa but differentiates it through distinct skin texture, coloration, and anatomical features such as a palmar tubercle and inner tarsal fold. This finding contributes to the understanding of biodiversity in the Andes and underscores the importance of protecting such unique species within UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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