Among the Andean poison frogs, two species remained enigmatic for decades. They hadn't been seen alive since their original discovery, and they didn't match well with known species groups. While collected relatively near one another in Peru, they mostly resembled species from Brazil and Colombia which were not close relatives. Several years ago, one of these was rediscovered alive, and shortly thereafter, so was the other. This allowed for better studies to take place, which placed both species as close relatives and an early offshoot of the Andean "thumbnail" poison frogs [Ranitomeya]. As a unique branch, they were soon assigned their own genus, and are now known as Excidobates captivus and Excidobates mysteriosus. Other "thumbnail" poison frogs remained Ranitomeya, although last year these were divided by recognition of Andinobates.

 In a study published on Friday, a third species discovered in the Cordillera Condor of Ecuador is described as Excidobates condor. There appear to be no physical traits shared exclusively by these three species, but they are genetically identified as close kin. The new species is similar in color to certain Andinobates (E.captivus most resembles certain Ranitomeya or Adelphobates quinquevittatus; E.mysteriosus resembles certain Oophaga and Dendrobates). Its identified habitat is so far estimated as about 7 square kilometers over an 18km distance.

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/paz/v52n32/a01v52n32.pdf

ALMENDARIZ C, Ana; RON, Santiago R and BRITO M, Jorge. Una especie nueva de rana venenosa de altura del género Excidobates (Dendrobatoidea: Dendrobatidae) de la Cordillera del Cóndor. Pap. Avulsos Zool. (São Paulo) [online]. 2012, vol.52, n.32, pp. 387-399. ISSN 0031-1049.