On the taxonomic status of Dendropsophus koechlini (Duellman & Trueb, 1989)

Abstract

Hyla pauiniensis was described from the municipality of Pauini, Amazonas, Brazil, 45 years ago and allocated to the Hyla parviceps group. Since then, no additional information has been provided for this species. A similar taxon, Hyla koechlini, was described from the vicinity of Puerto Maldonaldo, Madre de Dios, Peru, and diagnosed from H. pauiniensis by chevrons with a more transverse orientation in H. pauiniensis and by the cream-coloured thigh spot in H. pauiniensis, which differs from the uniformly black thigh in H. koechlini. Since their description, a taxonomic revision transferred several species of Hyla with 30 chromosomes to the genus Dendropsophus, and more species were added to the Dendropsophus parviceps group. Based on the analysis of museum specimens and the direct examination of the holotype of Dendropsophus pauiniensis, combined with images of specimens of the type series of Dendropsophus koechlini, I find that these species do not differ in body size, dorsal skin texture, or body colour. Thus, I relegate D. koechlini as a synonym of D. pauiniensis.