Among the world’s smallest vertebrates: a new miniaturized flea-toad (Brachycephalidae) from the Atlantic rainforest

Abstract

The genus Brachycephalus includes miniaturized toadlets with two distinct morphotypes: brightly colored species with a bufoniform phenotype and smaller, cryptic species with a leptodactyliform phenotype. The diversity of leptodactyliform species is still underappreciated, and we generally lack fundamental information about their biology. Recent sampling efforts, including DNA analyses and recordings of advertisement calls, have improved our understanding of this group. In the present study, we describe a new species of Brachycephalus, one of the smallest vertebrates known. This new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of morphological, bioacoustic, and genetic data. Despite being among the smallest frogs globally (the second smallest amphibian species), it exhibits skeletal traits typical of larger frogs, such as the presence of cranial bones that are lost or fused in other miniature frogs, including other Brachycephalus. Our description underscores how new discoveries within the megadiverse fauna of the Atlantic Forest—a rich biodiversity hotspot—can provide insights into phenotypic variation, including vertebrate body size. By describing this new species, we also aim to revisit the hypothesis that the type series of B. hermogenesi includes two species, potentially including individuals of the species described here.

Keywords

• Brachycephalus
• Brachycephalidae
• Miniaturization
• Neotropical biodiversity
• Pumpkin toads
• Taxonomy