[ The species was described as new to science by Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia and Roy W. McDiarmid in the journal Zootaxa.] Type locality
Collected along a small stream, tributary of the Jambue River, ca. 16 km S from Zamora, Podocarpus National Park (ca. 04º15’S, 78º56’W, 1820 m), on the western slope of Contrafuerte de Tzunantza, Cordillera Oriental, eastern slopes of the Andes, Zamora-Chinchipe Province, Republic of Ecuador.[2]
Diagnostic characters
Chimerella mariaelenae is diagnosed from other species of the family Centrolenidae by the combination of the following characters:[2][4] (1) vomerine teeth absent; (2) bones white in preservative (unknown in life); (3) parietal peritoneum clear without guanophores in a bib-like fashion; guanophores covering on the pericardial, hepatic and visceral peritonea, except for the clear gall bladder; (4) color in preservative, dorsal and flank surfaces cream with many small dark lavender punctuations and scattered larger dark flecks; (5) webbing absent between fingers I and II, basal between fingers II and III, outer fingers III2½-2½IV; (6) webbing on feet I2-–2½II2-3III2-3IV2b-1bV; (7) snout bluntly truncate in dorsal view and truncate in profile; notch in lower lip absent; nostrils elevated, indentation between the nostrils; loreal region concave; (8) dorsal skin shagreen; (9) no dermal folds on hands, forearms, feet, or tarsus; (10) humeral spine present in male holotype; (11) tympanum oriented posterolaterally with light dorsal inclination; tympanic annulus rather indistinct; supratympanic fold weak; (12) snout-vent length in male holotype 19.0 mm; females unknown; (13) prepollical spine not protruding externally; unpigmented nuptial excrescence Type I; (14) pair of large, round, flat tubercles on ventral surfaces of thighs below vent; other anal ornamentation absent, ventral skin granular and not enameled; (15) first finger longer than second, (16) liver apparently bulbous (but see Discussion); (17) eye diameter larger than width of disc on finger III; (18) iris grey in preservative; (19) melanophores absent on fingers and toes except for a few at the base of Toe V; (20) the advertisement call is unknown for this species.
Etymology
The specific name of Chimerella mariaelenae is a noun in the genitive case and a patronym for María Elena Heredia, mother of one of the authors that described the species.[2]
Distribution
Centrolene mariaelenae is known from several localities on montane forest on eastern Ecuador and northeastern Peru. It inhabits in old secondary-growth and primary Low Montane Evergreen Forest.[2][4] References
1. ^IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2018. Chimerella mariaelenae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T135968A516500. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T135968A516500.en. Downloaded on 21 December 2018.
2. ^1 2 3 4 Cisneros-Heredia, D.F. & McDiarmid, R.W. (2006). A new species of the genus Centrolene (Amphibia: Anura: Centrolenidae) from Ecuador with comments on the taxonomy and biogeography of Glassfrogs. Zootaxa 1244: 1-32 - Description of Centrolene mariaelenae. (PDF of the abstract available by clicking here)
3. ^Cisneros-Heredia, D.F. & Guayasamin, J.M. (2006). Amphibia, Anura, Centrolenidae, Centrolene mariaelenae: Distribution extension, Ecuador. Check List 2(3): 93-95. - Expansion on the distribution of Centrolene mariaelenae in Ecuador. (PDF of the abstract available by clicking here)
4. ^1 2 {{Cite journal|last=Cisneros-Heredia|first=Diego F.|last2=McDiarmid|first2=Roy W.|date=2007|title=Revision of the characters of Centrolenidae (Amphibia: Anura: Athesphatanura), with comments on its taxonomy and the description of new taxa of glassfrogs|url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01572p082.pdf|journal=Zootaxa|volume=1572|pages=1–82|doi=10.11646/zootaxa.1572.1.1}}