Santa Fe Dwarf Frog

Diagnosis a smaller paludicoline frog, almost identical to the sibling species P. biligonigerus from which especially diverges by the mating call and some little evident morphological characters.

Present in the provinces of Santa Fe, Corrientes and Chaco in Argentina.

óleo

Adult morphology Snout-vent up to 34 mm. Very similar to P. biligonigerus. Besides its smaller size, it also differs in the head somewhat larger; in the sharply truncate and more protunding snout; in the length of the indleg, the heel reaching beyond the shoulder when hindleg is adpressed; in the more glandulous skin, and some osteological features. Larval morphology Ten tadpoles in Stages 35-40 (Gosner, 1960). The body of the tadpole is ovoid, slightly depressed, total length = 24.04 mm (SD = 1.70, N = 4) at Stage 38. Maximum width of body is greater than width at eye level; eyes dorsolateral; snout rounded in dorsal and lateral views; oral disc subterminal, with marginal papillae in single row and wide rostra1 gap; row of intramarginal papillae in infraangular area; labial teeth strongly keratinized and pigmented with serrated free margins; upper beak wider than high and curved; lower beak V-shaped; tooth row formula 2(1)/2(1); nostrils dorsal, oval, and separated by a distance of 0.66 times interocular distance; spiracle sinistral with opening directed dorsally; diameter of opening is less than tube diameter; venter transparent. Tail length 66% of total length. Dorsal fin originates at tail-body junction; ventral fin originates on abdominal region; dorsal fin higher than ventral fin; tip of tail slightly curved; anal tube dextral, opening in line with ventral fin. In preserved specimens, dorsum lightly pigmented brown with major concentration of pigment in interocular zone, near nostrils, and convering epaxial musculature up to origin of dorsal fin; fins and remainder of tail lightly pigmented; limbs pigmented dorsally.

LC. Least Concern.