Leptodactylus sertanejo Giaretta & Costa, 2007, a junior synonym of Leptodactylus jolyi Sazima & Bokermann, 1978 (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae)

The genus Leptodactylus currently comprises 84 species of predominantly Neotropical lowland frogs. The L. fuscus group is the most species-rich in the genus, including the nominal species L. jolyi and L. sertanejo. In a published comprehensive study, involving a total evidence analysis of molecular and non-molecular traits, the grouping of L. jolyi and L. sertanejo was very poorly supported, denoting indifferentiation, and indicated that both species cannot be reliably distinguished from each other morphologically. We analysed the overall morphology and color pattern of the specimens attributed to L. jolyi and L. sertanejo and verified that they are closely similar or even identical. The Comparative Anatomy Index did not present dissimilarities for any morphometric variable. Submitting the values to the Principal Component Analysis, we confirmed the morphometric similarity for all variables. To evaluate the discrepancy degree, the values obtained were submitted to the adherence test of the χ2 and we found that no significant morphometric differences did exist. The advertisement calls of 17 specimens attributed to L. jolyi and L. sertanejo are composed of a single harmonic note constituted by one to four pulses. There are no bioacoustic dissimilarities among the specimens analyzed. The multivariate canonical analysis did not discriminate differences among the specimens. Consequently, considering the poor molecular differentiation and based on the analysis of morphological and meristic characters and on advertisement calls, the synonymization of Leptodactylus sertanejo with L. jolyi is proposed.