Chec List

Check List 9(1): 133–135, 2013

© 2013 Check List and Authors
ISSN 1809-127X (available at www.checklist.org.br) Journal of species lists and distribution

Lepidobatrachus asper Budgett,1899 (Amphibia: Anura:

Geographic Distribution

Ceratophryidae): New country record, distribution map and

natural history notes
José Luiz Massao Moreira Sugai 1*, Gabriel Paganini Faggioni 1, Liliana Piatti 2, Anderson Aparecido
Lemos 3, Franco Leandro Souza 2 and Cynthia Peralta de Almeida Prado 4
on

1 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação.
CEP 79070-900. Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
Notes

2 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde. CEP 79070-900. Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
3 Rua Manoel Silva Neto, 122 Parque São Lucas. CEP 03237-000. São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
4 Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e
Veterinárias. CEP 14884-900. Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
* Corresponding author. E-mail: jlmassao@gmail.com

Abstract: Lepidobatrachus asper is a large to medium frog known from the Chaco lowlands of Paraguay and Argentina.
We provide the first species record for the Brazilian Chaco, which extends the species geographical distribution ca. 73 km
northeast from Puerto Casado, Alto Paraguay Departament, Paraguay. We also provide a distribution map and information
about the species habitat conditions and diet. The Brazilian Chaco is still poorly surveyed, and the rapid environmental
degradation can lead to local extinctions of certain species.

Lepidobatrachus asper is known from the Chaco similar to other species in the genus (Cei 1980). According
lowlands of Paraguay (Central, Boquerón, Presidente to the IUCN Red List, this species is considered as “Near
Hayes, and Alto Paraguay Departments) and Argentina Threatened” because its remaining distribution range
(Formosa, Salta, Chaco, Santa Fé, Santiago del Estero, is estimated to reach no more than 20,000 km² and
Cordoba and Corrientes Provinces) (Aquino et al. 1996; populations may be at risk due to fires and over-grazing by
2004; Brusquetti and Lavilla 2006; Frost 2011). It is a livestock (Aquino et al. 2004).
large to medium frog (max. male SVL = 70 mm; max. We collected four individuals of L. asper (Figure 1A
female SVL = 90 mm), with stout body that differs from and B; collecting permit provided by ICMBio number
the other two Lepidobatrachus species (L. laveis and L. 19269-1) on February 10, 2012, in two temporary ponds
llanensis) by a combination of rhomboidal pupil, vertebral (pond 1: 21°41’25”S, 57°43’16”W; pond 2: 21°41’17”S,
shield prominent and a spindle-like plate on the back (Cei 57°43’16”W; Figure 2 and 3B) located in the Patolá farm,
1980). Breeding activity occurs during the rainy season municipality of Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul State,
mainly in temporary ponds with clay soil, where it remains Central Western Brazil. All individuals were deposited
underground without feeding during the dry/cold season at the Coleção Zoológica de Referência da Universidade

Figure 1. Lepidobatrachus asper collected in Febuary 2012 at the Patolá farm, Porto Murtinho municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. A) Dorsal
view of the four individuals. B) Detailed view of individual ZUFMS 02641. Photo by Paulo Robson de Souza

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water temperature was 32.9° C, air temperature was 26.8°

C, and the relative air humidity was 85%. Both individuals
were also juveniles, with SVL of 39.05 mm and 34.35 mm.
The four juveniles had empty stomachs, but material
was found in the intestines and identified to order level.
Plant material (flower, seed and sticks) and grains of sand
were found in the intestines of two individuals (ZUFMS
02641 and ZUFMS 02640), which probably represent
unintentional ingestion when preying on arthropods.
Remains of aquatic coleopteran were found in the
intestines of individuals ZUFMS 02638 and ZUFMS 02639.
Terrestrial coleopteran was found in ZUFMS 02638.
Araneae was found only in ZUFMS 02640, and Acari and
Blattodea were found only in ZUFMS 02638.
The distribution map shown in Figure 3A was made
Figure 2. Temporary pond surrounded by pasture and Chacoan based on records gathered from four sources (Faivovich
vegetation, at the Patolá farm, which represents the general aspect of
the two temporary ponds where the juveniles of L. asper were collected.
1994; Aquino et al. 1996; 2004; Brusquetti and Lavilla
Photo by Gabriel Paganini Faggioni 2006) in addition to the new record (red circles on Figure
3A and B). Faivovich (1994) compiled 23 localities where
Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (acronym ZUFMS), Campo the species occur in the Argentinean Provinces of Chaco,
Grande, Brazil. This is the first record of L. asper for Brazil, Córdoba, Corrientes, Santa Fé and Santiago del Estero, and
which extends the species distribution ca. 73 km northeast three in the Paraguayan Departments of Alto Paraguay,
from Puerto Casado, Alto Paraguay Departament, Paraguay Presidente Hayes and Central (Figure 3A, white circles;
(22°18’0.00”S, 57°58’0.00”W; Figure 3). Two individuals for details of the localities see Faivovich 1994). Aquino
(ZUFMS 02640 and ZUFMS 02641) were collected in pond et al. (1996) registered the species in four localities
1 at 20:15 h. Both were found underwater at about 10 cm in Paraguay (Figure 3A, diamonds): two in Filadelfia,
deep in contact with the bottom. The area of pond 1 was Boquerón Departament, and other two at Parque Nacional
1347 m2, water temperature was 30.7° C, air temperature Defensores del Chaco, Alto Paraguay Departament. Aquino
was 27.3° C, and the relative air humidity was 69%. Both et al. (2004) also registered L. asper in ten localities
individuals were juvenile, with SVL (snout vent length) (Figure 3A, squares): two in Paraguay (Presidente Hayes
of 37.05 mm and 37.85 mm. The other two individuals Departament) and eight in Argentina (two in Formosa
(ZUFMS 02638 and ZUFMS 02639) were collected in pond Province, one in Salta Province, one in Chaco Province,
2 at 20:50 h, also underwater at about 10 cm deep in two in Santa Fé Province and two in Santiago del Estero
contact with the bottom. The area of pond 2 was 1643 m2, Province). Brusquetti and Lavilla (2006) registered the

Figure 3. Map showing the known distribution of Lepidobatrachus asper. A) Distribution map in South America: literature records are represented
by white circles (Faivovich 1994), squares (Aquino et al. 2004), triangles (Brusquetti and Lavilla 2006) and diamonds (Aquino et al. 1996), while new
records are represented by red circles. B) Detail of the new records (red circles) in Mato Grosso do Sul state (MS), Brazil, showing the closest record
in Paraguay (black triangle; Brusquetti and Lavilla 2006) and vegetation type in 2007 according to MMA (Ministério do Meio Ambiente; shapefile
downloaded from http://mapas.mma.gov.br/i3geo/datadownload.htm). Note the large amount of altered areas, which probably have increased since
2007.

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 Sugai et al. | Lepidobatrachus asper in Brazil

species at three localities in Paraguay (Figure 3A, triangles): Aquino, L., I. Tada and J. Faivovich. 2004. Lepidobatrachus asper. IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. Electronic Database
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Estancia Juan de Salazar, Presidente Hayes Departament, 2012.
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Acknowledgments: C.P.A. Prado acknowledges FAPESP (JP - proc. Grosso do Sul, Brasil). Atualidades Ornitologicas 134: 1-27.
2009/12013-4) and CNPq (proc. 471106/2010-0) for financial support. Strüssmann, C., Prado, C.P.A., Ferreira, V.L. and Kawashita-Ribeiro,
F.L. Souza receives researcher grant from CNPq (301071/2011-0). R. 2011. Diversity, ecology, management and conservation of
J.L.M.M. Sugai thanks CAPES for the scholarship. G.P. Faggioni thanks amphibians and reptiles of the Brazilian Pantanal: a review; p. 497-
CNPq for the scholarship. We are also grateful to P.R. Souza for the 521 In W.J. Junk, C.J. da Silva, C.N. Cunha and K.M. Watntzen (eds.). The
pictures of L. asper individuals. Pantanal: Ecology, biodiversity and sustainable management of a large
neotropical seasonal wetland. Sofia-Moscow: Pensoft Publishers.
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