1
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Dehling JM, Sinsch U. Amphibians of Rwanda: Diversity, Community Features, and Conservation Status. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15040512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The diversity and distribution of the amphibians in Rwanda was critically reviewed to provide a reliable species inventory for informed conservation management. The checklist of the amphibian species of Rwanda is based on results of our own fieldwork, historical records compiled from the literature, and examination of voucher specimens in museum collections. A total of 62 species are recorded, and 22 further species listed in field guides and open-access data bases are discussed, identified as erroneous records, and consequently not included in the country list. We provide diagnostic characters of external morphology and the advertisement call for each validated species, and a short synopsis of geographic distribution, altitudinal range, occurrence in the provinces of Rwanda, and habitat preference. We provide keys to all genera, and all taxonomically described species based on morphological characters and additional keys based on features of the advertisement calls. We discuss features of amphibian communities including local community structure and delimitation of altitudinal metacommunities. Based on the IUCN red list assessment and our field surveys, we propose for the first time a national red list of amphibians in Rwanda.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Maximilian Dehling
- Department of Biology, Institute of Integrated Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sinsch
- Department of Biology, Institute of Integrated Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
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2
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Isingoma J, Sande E, Kityo R, Hughes DF. Amphibian communities along a forest degradation gradient in an East African forest reserve. ECOL INFORM 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
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3
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Laudor J, Schulze A, Veith M, Viertel B, Elle O, Lötters S. Morphology of lentic and lotic tadpoles from Madagascar. BMC ZOOL 2021; 6:28. [PMID: 37170302 PMCID: PMC10127085 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-021-00091-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The morphology of anuran larvae is suggested to differ between species with tadpoles living in standing (lentic) and running (lotic) waters. To explore which character combinations within the general tadpole morphospace are associated with these habitats, we studied categorical and metric larval data of 123 (one third of which from lotic environments) Madagascan anurans.
Results
Using univariate and multivariate statistics, we found that certain combinations of fin height, body musculature and eye size prevail either in larvae from lentic or lotic environments.
Conclusion
Evidence for adaptation to lotic conditions in larvae of Madagascan anurans is presented. While lentic tadpoles typically show narrow to moderate oral discs, small to medium sized eyes, convex or moderately low fins and non-robust tail muscles, tadpoles from lotic environments typically show moderate to broad oral discs, medium to big sized eyes, low fins and a robust tail muscle.
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4
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Santos BS, Marques MP, Bauer AM, Ceraco LMP. Herpetological results of Francisco Newtons Zoological Expedition to Angola (19031906): a taxonomic revision and new records of a forgotten collection. Zootaxa 2021; 5028:1-80. [PMID: 34811149 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5028.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Francisco Newtons zoological expedition to Angola undertaken between 1903 and 1906 is one of the least studied of the naturalists life. Only three major papers regarding the herpetofauna collected in this expedition have been published, and a significant part of the specimens remains unstudied since the 1900s. Here we review the extant herpetological specimens of this expedition, present an updated taxonomic revision, and provide new insights on their taxonomic status. The extant collection is constituted by 329 specimens (155 amphibians and 174 reptiles), corresponding to 73 species, 39 genera and 22 families, and it is presently housed in the Museu de Histria Natural e da Cincia da Universidade do Porto (MHNC-UP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna S Santos
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Cincias da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 1021, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal .
| | - Mariana P Marques
- Centro de Investigao em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genticos (CIBIO - (InBIO), University of Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairo, 4485-661 Porto, Portugal. Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de Histria Natural e da Cincia, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politcnica 56-58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA.
| | - Luis M P Ceraco
- Museu de Histria Natural e da Cincia da Universidade do Porto, Pra Gomes Teixeira, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal. Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de Histria Natural e da Cincia, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politcnica 56-58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal .
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5
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Tillack F, de Ruiter R, Rödel MO. A type catalogue of the reed frogs (Amphibia, Anura, Hyperoliidae) in the collection of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (ZMB) with comments on historical collectors and expeditions. ZOOSYST EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.68000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a commented catalogue of the type specimens of the Afro-Malagasy frog family Hyperoliidae at the herpetological collection of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (ZMB). In current publications and databases, many names based on ZMB primary types are listed as synonyms of other species, the types often declared as lost. Consequently, the respective names are often no longer considered in current taxonomic work. We traced 146 nominal taxa of the family Hyperoliidae in the ZMB collection of which currently 130 are presented by primary types (88 holotypes, 10 lectotypes and 32 taxa based on syntype series); 50 of these taxa are currently considered as valid. Primary types of nine taxa could not be located during our inventory of the collection holdings. Seven taxa are exclusively represented by secondary types (paratypes). Many of these types comprise taxa where types have been thought to be lost. As a further service to the community, we provide important details about collectors and their travel routes, as well as respective documents stored in the collection of the Department of Historical Research at ZMB. This should make it easier to potentially compare the ZMB types in future taxonomic revisions.
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6
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Nečas T, Badjedjea G, Vopálenský M, Gvoždík V. Congolius, a new genus of African reed frog endemic to the central Congo: A potential case of convergent evolution. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8338. [PMID: 33863953 PMCID: PMC8052363 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87495-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The reed frog genus Hyperolius (Afrobatrachia, Hyperoliidae) is a speciose genus containing over 140 species of mostly small to medium-sized frogs distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. Its high level of colour polymorphism, together with in anurans relatively rare sexual dichromatism, make systematic studies more difficult. As a result, the knowledge of the diversity and taxonomy of this genus is still limited. Hyperolius robustus known only from a handful of localities in rain forests of the central Congo Basin is one of the least known species. Here, we have used molecular methods for the first time to study the phylogenetic position of this taxon, accompanied by an analysis of phenotype based on external (morphometric) and internal (osteological) morphological characters. Our phylogenetic results undoubtedly placed H. robustus out of Hyperolius into a common clade with sympatric Cryptothylax and West African Morerella. To prevent the uncovered paraphyly, we place H. robustus into a new genus, Congolius. The review of all available data suggests that the new genus is endemic to the central Congolian lowland rain forests. The analysis of phenotype underlined morphological similarity of the new genus to some Hyperolius species. This uniformity of body shape (including cranial shape) indicates that the two genera have either retained ancestral morphology or evolved through convergent evolution under similar ecological pressures in the African rain forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadeáš Nečas
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Gabriel Badjedjea
- Biodiversity Monitoring Centre, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity of Aquatic Resources, University of Kisangani, Avenue Munyororo 550, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Michal Vopálenský
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Prosecká 76, 190 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Gvoždík
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Květná 8, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Zoology, National Museum, Cirkusová 1740, 193 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
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7
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Ayoro HJ, Segniagbeto GH, Hema EM, Penner J, Oueda A, Dubois A, Rödel MO, Kabré GB, Ohler A. List of amphibian species (Vertebrata, Tetrapoda) of Burkina Faso. ZOOSYSTEMA 2020. [DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2020v42a28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Halamoussa Joëlle Ayoro
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Ecologie Animales, UFR/SVT, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, 3 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 3 (Burkina Faso)
| | | | - Emmanuel Midibahaye Hema
- Laboratoire de Biologie et écologie Animales, UFR/SVT, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, 3 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 3 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Johannes Penner
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology & Management, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Strasse 4, 79106 Freiburg (Germany)
| | - Adama Oueda
- Laboratoire de Biologie et écologie Animales, UFR/SVT, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, 3 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 3 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Alain Dubois
- Institut de Systématique, évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, UA, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 30, F-75005, Paris (France)
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin (Germany))
| | - Gustave Boureima Kabré
- Laboratoire de Biologie et écologie Animales, UFR/SVT, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, 3 BP 7021 Ouagadougou 3 (Burkina Faso)
| | - Annemarie Ohler
- Institut de Systématique, évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB) Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, UA, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 30, F-75005, Paris (France)
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8
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Portik DM, Blackburn DC, McGuire JA. Macroevolutionary Patterns of Sexual Size Dimorphism Among African Tree Frogs (Family: Hyperoliidae). J Hered 2020; 111:379-391. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is shaped by multiple selective forces that drive the evolution of sex-specific body size, resulting in male or female-biased SSD. Stronger selection on one sex can result in an allometric body size scaling relationship consistent with Rensch’s rule or its converse. Anurans (frogs and toads) generally display female-biased SSD, but there is variation across clades and the mechanisms driving the evolution of SSD remain poorly understood. We investigated these topics in a diverse family of African treefrogs (Hyperoliidae). Hyperoliids display traits considered rare among amphibians, including sexual dichromatism and protogynous sex change. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we tested if adult ecology, sexual dichromatism, and sex change were predictors of body size or SSD. We also tested whether hyperoliids displayed allometric interspecific body size scaling relationships. We found a majority of hyperoliid taxa display female-biased SSD, but that adult ecology and sexual dichromatism are poor predictors of sex-specific body size and SSD. Regardless of the groupings analyzed (partitioned by clades or traits), we found support for isometric body size scaling. However, we found that sex change is a significant predictor of SSD variation. Species in the Hyperolius viridiflavus complex, which putatively display this trait, show a significant reduction in SSD and are frequently sexually monomorphic in size. Although protogynous sex change needs to be validated for several of these species, we tentatively propose this trait is a novel mechanism influencing anuran body size evolution. Beyond this association, additional factors that shape the evolution of anuran body size and SSD remain elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Portik
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
| | - David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Jimmy A McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA
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9
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Bwong BA, Barratt CD, Loader SP, Nyamache JO, Menegon M, Malonza PK, Nagel P, Lawson LP. Systematics of Hyperolius mitchelli Loveridge, 1953 and Hyperolius rubrovermiculatus Schiøtz, 1975 (Anura: Hyperoliidae) and assignment of populations from northern Tanzania. AFR J HERPETOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2020.1768155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beryl A Bwong
- Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Christopher D Barratt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon P Loader
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michele Menegon
- Science Museo of Trento, Via della Scienza e del lavoro, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Peter Nagel
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucinda P Lawson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States
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10
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Ernst R, Lautenschläger T, Branquima MF, Hölting M. At the edge of extinction: a first herpetological assessment of the proposed Serra do Pingano Rainforest National Park in Uíge Province, northern Angola. ZOOSYST EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.51997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We systematically assess the herpetofaunal diversity of the Serra do Pingano Forest Ecosystem (SPFE) and additional localities throughout the northern Angolan province of Uíge during four independent Rapid Assessment (RA) field campaigns held between 2013 and 2019. These assessments represent the first systematic surveys of amphibians and reptiles from the province, and thus we provide the first province-wide species list. We collected data on the status and current threats to amphibians and reptiles in the proposed Serra do Pingano Rainforest National Park and were able to document 33 species of reptiles from Uíge province. Of the 33 species recorded from the province, 10 species are exclusively found in the SPFE. Amphibian surveys yielded 47 amphibian species from the province. These include 14 new country records and additional records that may represent undescribed species. This raises the amphibian count for Angola to at least 133 species, which includes 18 species exclusively found within the SPFE. Species-richness estimators indicate that more species should be detected if survey efforts are intensified. The species composition in the SPFE is unique and consists of a high proportion of forest specialists with restricted ranges and species found nowhere else in the country. This emphasizes today’s paramount importance of the SPFE, which is threatened by increasing agricultural encroachment and uncontrolled timber extraction and charcoal production. These principal factors need to be controlled and/or abandoned in already impacted areas. Conservation strategies should particularly consider the strict protection of remaining intact forests and both lentic and lotic aquatic systems. They are not only crucial for safeguarding a significant number of species that depend on these habitats for reproduction; they also provide key ecosystem services to the local population. Angola, and Uíge province in particular, is at a crossroads concerning decisions and trade-offs among utilization, conservation, and preservation of its forests and, thus, substantial parts of the country’s biodiversity. The establishment of a National Protected Area in the Serra do Pingano Ecosystem is therefore a necessary and urgently needed first step towards protecting Angola’s national biodiversity heritage.
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11
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Portik DM, Bell RC, Blackburn DC, Bauer AM, Barratt CD, Branch WR, Burger M, Channing A, Colston TJ, Conradie W, Dehling JM, Drewes RC, Ernst R, Greenbaum E, Gvoždík V, Harvey J, Hillers A, Hirschfeld M, Jongsma GFM, Kielgast J, Kouete MT, Lawson LP, Leaché AD, Loader SP, Lötters S, Meijden AVD, Menegon M, Müller S, Nagy ZT, Ofori-Boateng C, Ohler A, Papenfuss TJ, Rößler D, Sinsch U, Rödel MO, Veith M, Vindum J, Zassi-Boulou AG, McGuire JA. Sexual Dichromatism Drives Diversification within a Major Radiation of African Amphibians. Syst Biol 2020; 68:859-875. [PMID: 31140573 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syz023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that sexually dimorphic traits under strong sexual selection, particularly those involved with intersexual signaling, can accelerate speciation and produce bursts of diversification. Sexual dichromatism (sexual dimorphism in color) is widely used as a proxy for sexual selection and is associated with rapid diversification in several animal groups, yet studies using phylogenetic comparative methods to explicitly test for an association between sexual dichromatism and diversification have produced conflicting results. Sexual dichromatism is rare in frogs, but it is both striking and prevalent in African reed frogs, a major component of the diverse frog radiation termed Afrobatrachia. In contrast to most other vertebrates, reed frogs display female-biased dichromatism in which females undergo color transformation, often resulting in more ornate coloration in females than in males. We produce a robust phylogeny of Afrobatrachia to investigate the evolutionary origins of sexual dichromatism in this radiation and examine whether the presence of dichromatism is associated with increased rates of net diversification. We find that sexual dichromatism evolved once within hyperoliids and was followed by numerous independent reversals to monochromatism. We detect significant diversification rate heterogeneity in Afrobatrachia and find that sexually dichromatic lineages have double the average net diversification rate of monochromatic lineages. By conducting trait simulations on our empirical phylogeny, we demonstrate that our inference of trait-dependent diversification is robust. Although sexual dichromatism in hyperoliid frogs is linked to their rapid diversification and supports macroevolutionary predictions of speciation by sexual selection, the function of dichromatism in reed frogs remains unclear. We propose that reed frogs are a compelling system for studying the roles of natural and sexual selection on the evolution of sexual dichromatism across micro- and macroevolutionary timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Portik
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Rayna C Bell
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560-0162, USA
| | - David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Christopher D Barratt
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 0413, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 0413, Germany
| | - William R Branch
- Port Elizabeth Museum, P.O. Box 11347, Humewood 6013, South Africa.,Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Marius Burger
- African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.,Flora Fauna & Man, Ecological Services Ltd. Tortola, British Virgin, Island
| | - Alan Channing
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.,Zoological Natural History Museum, Addis Ababa University, Arat Kilo, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Werner Conradie
- Port Elizabeth Museum, P.O. Box 11347, Humewood 6013, South Africa.,School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela University, George Campus, George 6530, South Africa
| | - J Maximilian Dehling
- Department of Biology, Institute of Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Robert C Drewes
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Raffael Ernst
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, Dresden 01109, Germany.,Department of Ecology, Technische Universität Berlin, Rothenburgstr. 12, Berlin 12165, Germany
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Václav Gvoždík
- The Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Zoology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Annika Hillers
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Biodiversity Dynamics, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany.,Across the River - A Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 164 Dama Road, Kenema, Sierra Leone
| | - Mareike Hirschfeld
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Biodiversity Dynamics, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Gregory F M Jongsma
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jos Kielgast
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Marcel T Kouete
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Lucinda P Lawson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, 614 Rieveschl Hall, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA.,Life Sciences, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Adam D Leaché
- Department of Biology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Simon P Loader
- Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Stefan Lötters
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, Trier 54296, Germany
| | - Arie Van Der Meijden
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrario de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, No. 7, 4485-661 Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Michele Menegon
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, Science Museum of Trento, Corso del lavoro e della Scienza 3, Trento 38122, Italy
| | - Susanne Müller
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, Trier 54296, Germany
| | - Zoltán T Nagy
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Annemarie Ohler
- Département Origines et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, UMR 7205 ISYEB, 25 rue Cuvier, Paris 75005, France
| | | | - Daniela Rößler
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, Trier 54296, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sinsch
- Department of Biology, Institute of Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Biodiversity Dynamics, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - Michael Veith
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, Trier 54296, Germany
| | - Jens Vindum
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou
- Institut National de Recherche en Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, Brazzaville BP 2400, République du Congo
| | - Jimmy A McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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12
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Dehling JM, Sinsch U. Partitioning of morphospace in larval and adult reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae: Hyperolius) of the Central African Albertine Rift. ZOOL ANZ 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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13
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Abstract
The Shimba Hills ecosystem along the south coast of Kenya is a key East African biodiversity hotspot. Historically, it is biogeographically assignable to the East African coastal biome. We examined the current Shimba Hills herpetofauna and their zoogeographical affinities to the coastal forests and nearby Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity hotspots. The key studied sites included the Shimba Hills National Reserve, forest reserves, Kaya forests, and adjacent private land. Data on herpetofaunal richness were obtained from recent field surveys, literature, and specimens held at the National Museums of Kenya, Herpetology Section Collection, Nairobi. The Makadara, Mwele, and Longo-Mwagandi forests within the Shimba Hills National Reserve hosted the highest number of unique and rare species. Generally, the forest reserves and Kaya forests were important refuges for forest-associated species. On private land, Mukurumudzi Dam riparian areas were the best amphibian habitat and were host to three IUCN (Red List) Endangered-EN amphibian species, namely, Boulengerula changamwensis, Hyperolius rubrovermiculatus, and Afrixalus sylvaticus, as well as one snake species Elapsoidea nigra. Using herpetofauna as zoogeographic indicators, the Shimba Hills were determined to be at a crossroads between the coastal forests (13 endemic species) and the Eastern Arc Mountains (seven endemic species). Most of the Eastern Arc Mountains endemic species were from recent records, and thus more are likely to be found in the future. This 'hybrid' species richness pattern is attributable to the hilly topography of the Shimba Hills and their proximity to the Indian Ocean. This has contributed to the Shimba Hills being the richest herpetofauna area in Kenya, with a total of 89 and 36 reptile and amphibian species, respectively. Because of its unique zoogeography, the Shimba Hills ecosystem is undoubtedly a key biodiversity area for conservation investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick K Malonza
- Section of Herpetology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 40658-00100, Kenya. ; .,Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nairobi 40658-00100, Kenya
| | | | - Joash O Nyamache
- Section of Herpetology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 40658-00100, Kenya. ;
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Deichmann JL, Mulcahy DG, Vanthomme H, Tobi E, Wynn AH, Zimkus BM, McDiarmid RW. How many species and under what names? Using DNA barcoding and GenBank data for west Central African amphibian conservation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187283. [PMID: 29131846 PMCID: PMC5683629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Development projects in west Central Africa are proceeding at an unprecedented rate, often with little concern for their effects on biodiversity. In an attempt to better understand potential impacts of a road development project on the anuran amphibian community, we conducted a biodiversity assessment employing multiple methodologies (visual encounter transects, auditory surveys, leaf litter plots and pitfall traps) to inventory species prior to construction of a new road within the buffer zone of Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. Because of difficulties in morphological identification and taxonomic uncertainty of amphibian species observed in the area, we integrated a DNA barcoding analysis into the project to improve the overall quality and accuracy of the species inventory. Based on morphology alone, 48 species were recognized in the field and voucher specimens of each were collected. We used tissue samples from specimens collected at our field site, material available from amphibians collected in other parts of Gabon and the Republic of Congo to initiate a DNA barcode library for west Central African amphibians. We then compared our sequences with material in GenBank for the genera recorded at the study site to assist in identifications. The resulting COI and 16S barcode library allowed us to update the number of species documented at the study site to 28, thereby providing a more accurate assessment of diversity and distributions. We caution that because sequence data maintained in GenBank are often poorly curated by the original submitters and cannot be amended by third-parties, these data have limited utility for identification purposes. Nevertheless, the use of DNA barcoding is likely to benefit biodiversity inventories and long-term monitoring, particularly for taxa that can be difficult to identify based on morphology alone; likewise, inventory and monitoring programs can contribute invaluable data to the DNA barcode library and the taxonomy of complex groups. Our methods provide an example of how non-taxonomists and parataxonomists working in understudied parts of the world with limited geographic sampling and comparative morphological material can use DNA barcoding and publicly available sequence data (GenBank) to rapidly identify the number of species and assign tentative names to aid in urgent conservation management actions and contribute to taxonomic resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Deichmann
- Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Daniel G. Mulcahy
- Global Genome Initiative, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Hadrien Vanthomme
- Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Elie Tobi
- Center for Conservation and Sustainability, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Addison H. Wynn
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Amphibians and Reptiles, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Breda M. Zimkus
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Roy W. McDiarmid
- USGS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, United States of America
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Bwong BA, Nyamache JO, Malonza PK, Wasonga DV, Ngwava JM, Barratt CD, Nagel P, Loader SP. Amphibian Diversity in Shimba Hills National Reserve, Kenya: A Comprehensive List of Specimens and Species. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.2982/028.106.0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beryl A. Bwong
- Biogeography Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences University of Basel, 4056 Basel , Switzerland
- Herpetology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya P.O Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joash O. Nyamache
- Herpetology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya P.O Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya ,
| | - Patrick K. Malonza
- Herpetology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya P.O Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya ,
| | - Domnick V. Wasonga
- Herpetology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya P.O Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya ,
| | - Jacob M. Ngwava
- Herpetology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya P.O Box 40658, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya ,
| | - Christopher D. Barratt
- Biogeography Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences University of Basel, 4056 Basel , Switzerland ;
| | - Peter Nagel
- Biogeography Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences University of Basel, 4056 Basel , Switzerland ;
| | - Simon P. Loader
- Biogeography Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences University of Basel, 4056 Basel , Switzerland
- Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
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Barratt CD, Bwong BA, Onstein RE, Rosauer DF, Menegon M, Doggart N, Nagel P, Kissling WD, Loader SP. Environmental correlates of phylogenetic endemism in amphibians and the conservation of refugia in the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D. Barratt
- Biogeography Research Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; University of Basel; Basel Switzerland
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED); University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Beryl A. Bwong
- Biogeography Research Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; University of Basel; Basel Switzerland
- Herpetology Section; National Museums of Kenya; Nairobi Kenya
| | - Renske E. Onstein
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED); University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Dan F. Rosauer
- Research School of Biology and Centre for Biodiversity Analysis; Australian National University; Acton ACT Australia
| | - Michele Menegon
- Tropical Biodiversity Section; Museo delle Scienze; Trento Italy
| | - Nike Doggart
- Tanzania Forest Conservation Group; Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Peter Nagel
- Biogeography Research Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; University of Basel; Basel Switzerland
| | - W. Daniel Kissling
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED); University of Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Simon P. Loader
- Biogeography Research Group; Department of Environmental Sciences; University of Basel; Basel Switzerland
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Roehampton; London UK
- Department of Life Sciences; Natural History Museum; London UK
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17
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Taboada C, Brunetti AE, Alexandre C, Lagorio MG, Faivovich J. Fluorescent Frogs: A Herpetological Perspective. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00029.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Taboada
- División Herpetología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Andrés E. Brunetti
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil
| | - César Alexandre
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA 45662-900, Brazil
| | - María G. Lagorio
- Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Julián Faivovich
- División Herpetología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1405DJR, Argentina
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Argentina
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Lehr E, Dehling JM, Greenbaum E, Sinsch U. Embryogenesis and tadpole description of Hyperolius castaneus Ahl, 1931 and H. jackie Dehling, 2012 (Anura, Hyperoliidae) from montane bog pools. Zookeys 2016:125-52. [PMID: 26798309 PMCID: PMC4714350 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.546.6044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tadpoles of Hyperoliuscastaneus and Hyperoliusjackie were found in the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda and adjacent areas. Tadpoles of both species were identified by DNA-barcoding. At the shore of a bog pool three clutches of Hyperoliuscastaneus of apparently different age, all laid on moss pads (Polytrichumcommune, Isotachisaubertii) or grass tussocks (Andropogonshirensis) 2–5 cm above the water level, were found. One clutch of Hyperoliuscastaneus was infested by larval dipterid flies. The most recently laid clutch contained about 20 eggs within a broad egg-jelly envelope. The eggs were attached to single blades of a tussock and distributed over a vertical distance of 8 cm. A pair of Hyperoliuscastaneus found in axillary amplexus was transported in a plastic container to the lab for observation. The pair deposited a total of 57 eggs (15 eggs attached to the upper wall of the transport container, 42 eggs floated in the water). Embryogenesis of the clutch was monitored in the plastic container at 20 ± 2 °C (air temperature) and documented by photos until Gosner Stage 25. The description of the tadpole of Hyperoliuscastaneus is based on a Gosner Stage 29 individual from a series of 57 tadpoles (Gosner stages 25–41). The description of the tadpole of Hyperoliusjackie is based on a Gosner Stage 32 individual from a series of 43 tadpoles (Gosner stages 25–41). Egg laying behavior and embryogenesis are unknown for Hyperoliusjackie. The labial tooth row formula for both species is 1/3(1) with a narrow median gap of the tooth row. Variation in external morphology was observed in size and labial tooth row formula within the species. With the tadpole descriptions of Hyperoliuscastaneus and Hyperoliusjackie, 36 tadpoles of the 135 known Hyperolius species have been described, including five of the eleven Hyperolius species known from Rwanda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Lehr
- Department of Biology, Illinois Wesleyan University, P.O. Box 2900, Bloomington, IL 61701, USA; Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - J Maximilian Dehling
- Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Ulrich Sinsch
- Institute of Integrated Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universitätsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz, Germany
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Ohler A, Frétey T. Going Back to Rovuma: The Frog Fauna of a Coastal Dry Forest, and a Checklist of the Amphibians of Mozambique. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.2982/028.103.0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Annemarie Ohler
- Département Systématique et Evolution, UMR 7205 ISYEB, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thierry Frétey
- Association RACINE, 5 allée des cygnes, 35750 Saint Maugan, France
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Hirschfeld M, Blackburn DC, Burger M, Greenbaum E, Zassi-Boulou AG, Rödel MO. Two new species of long-fingered frogs of the genus Cardioglossa (Anura: Arthroleptidae) from Central African rainforests. AFR J HERPETOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2015.1052102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Hirschfeld
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Marius Burger
- African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
- Flora Fauna & Man, Ecological Services Ltd. Tortola, British Virgin Islands
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou
- Institut National de Recherche en Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, BP 2400 Brazzaville, République du Congo
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
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Barej MF, Penner J, Schmitz A, Rödel MO. Multiple genetic lineages challenge the monospecific status of the West African endemic frog family Odontobatrachidae. BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:67. [PMID: 25928080 PMCID: PMC4425868 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0346-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Correct species identification is crucial in different fields of biology, and in conservation. The endemic West African frog family Odontobatrachidae currently contains a single described species, Odontobatrachus natator. From western Guinea to western Côte d'Ivoire it inhabits forests around waterfalls or cascades. Based on more than 130 specimens from 78 localities, covering the entire distribution, we investigated the molecular diversity of these frogs. Results Our analyses included mitochondrial and nuclear genes, with a concatenated alignment of 3527 base pairs. We detected high level of genetic differentiation with five distinct lineages or operational taxonomic units (OTUs). These OTUs were also identified by two different species delimitation approaches, Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) and cluster algorithm. All OTUs occur in parapatry in the Upper Guinean forests. One OTU, assigned to the “true” Odontobatrachus natator, covers the largest distribution, ranging from the border region of western Sierra Leone-Guinea to eastern Liberia. Two OTUs are restricted to western Guinea (Fouta Djallon and foothills), while two others occur in eastern Guinea and the border region of Guinea-Liberia-Côte d'Ivoire. The OTU representing O. natator consists of two divergent subclades: one restricted to the Freetown Peninsula (Sierra Leone) and the other covering all populations further inland. Environmental niche models indicated that the restricted Freetown Peninsula population is separated by unsuitable habitat from remaining populations. Conclusion Geographic isolation of OTUs and molecular differences comparable to species level differentiation in other frog families indicate that O. natator contains cryptic species diversity. Respective distribution patterns most probably resulted from repeated changes of forest cover (contraction and expansion) over evolutionary timescales. The survival within forest refugia that have persisted through multiple drier periods and subsequent dispersal during wetter times may best explain the observed geographic distributions of OTUs. According to the IUCN Red List range criteria each OTU should be classified as “Endangered.” If the Freetown Peninsula “natator” population is recognized as a distinct species it would warrant recognition as “Critically Endangered.” The identification of cryptic lineages highlights the urgent need to protect these frogs, all of which are endemic to small areas within the Upper Guinean biodiversity hotspot. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0346-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Barej
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Johannes Penner
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andreas Schmitz
- Department of Herpetology and Ichthyology, Natural History Museum of Geneva, CP 6434, 1211, Geneva 6, Switzerland.
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, D-10115, Berlin, Germany.
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Biodiversity of frog haemoparasites from sub-tropical northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2015; 4:135-41. [PMID: 25830113 PMCID: PMC4356870 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Since South Africa boasts a high biodiversity of frog species, a multispecies haemoparasite survey was conducted by screening the blood from 29 species and 436 individual frogs. Frogs were collected at three localities in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for frog diversity. Twenty per cent of the frogs were infected with at least one of five groups of parasites recorded. Intraerythrocytic parasites comprising Hepatozoon, Dactylosoma, and viral or bacterial organisms, as well as extracellular parasites including trypanosomes and microfilarid nematodes were found. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in the prevalence of parasitaemia was found across species, those semi-aquatic species demonstrating the highest, followed by semi-terrestrial frog species. None of those species described as purely terrestrial and aquatic were infected. Hepatozoon and Trypanosoma species accounted for most of the infections, the former demonstrating significant differences in intensity of infection across species, families and habitat types (P = 0.028; P = 0.006; P = 0.007 respectively). Per locality, the first, the formally protected Ndumo Game Reserve, had the highest biodiversity of haemoparasite infections, with all five groups of parasites recorded. The other two sites, that is the area bordering the reserve and the Kwa Nyamazane Conservancy, had a lower diversity with no parasite infections recorded and only Hepatozoon species recorded respectively. Such findings could be ascribed to the anthropogenic impact on the latter two sites, the first by the rural village activities, and the second by the bordering commercial sugar cane agriculture. Future studies should include both morphological and molecular descriptions of the above parasites, as well as the identification of potential vectors, possibly clarifying the effects human activities may have on frog haemoparasite life cycles and as such their biodiversity.
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Dehling JM, Sinsch U. Diversity of Ridged Frogs (Anura: Ptychadenidae: Ptychadena spp.) in wetlands of the upper Nile in Rwanda: Morphological, bioacoustic, and molecular evidence. ZOOL ANZ 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Trimble MJ, van Aarde RJ. A note on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe traps for sampling vegetation-dwelling frogs in South Africa. Afr J Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan J. Trimble
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit; Department of Zoology & Entomology; University of Pretoria; Private Bag X20; Hatfield Pretoria; 0028; South Africa
| | - Rudi J. van Aarde
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit; Department of Zoology & Entomology; University of Pretoria; Private Bag X20; Hatfield Pretoria; 0028; South Africa
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