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Womack MC, Steigerwald E, Blackburn DC, Cannatella DC, Catenazzi A, Che J, Koo MS, McGuire JA, Ron SR, Spencer CL, Vredenburg VT, Tarvin RD. State of the Amphibia 2020: A Review of Five Years of Amphibian Research and Existing Resources. ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1643/h2022005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Molly C. Womack
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322; . ORCID: 0000-0002-3346-021X
| | - Emma Steigerwald
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611; . ORCID: 0000-0002-1810-9886
| | - David C. Cannatella
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712; . ORCID: 0000-0001-8675-0520
| | | | - Jing Che
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Security of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; . ORCID: 0000-0003-4246-6
| | - Michelle S. Koo
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Jimmy A. McGuire
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Santiago R. Ron
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador; . ORCID: 0000-0001-6300-9350
| | - Carol L. Spencer
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Vance T. Vredenburg
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
| | - Rebecca D. Tarvin
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; (ES) ; (MSK) ; (JAM) ; (CS) ; (VTV) ; and (RDT)
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Nameer P, M.S. Syamili, A.F. Katakath, U.S. Amal, M.S. Abhin, A. Devarajan, S. Sajitha, T. Arun, J. Jobin. Database of amphibian vouchers and records available at the Kerala Agricultural University Natural History Museum in Thrissur and an updated checklist of amphibians of Kerala, India. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2021. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.6671.13.10.19391-19430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The amphibian database of the Centre for Wildlife Studies of Kerala Agricultural University has the data that are either available as voucher specimens with the Kerala Agricultural University Natural History Museum (KAUNHM) or as photo vouchers and other opportunistic records from Kerala part of the southern Western Ghats between 2008 and 2020. This repository holds information on 91 species of amphibians belonging to 10 families, of which 87% are endemic to the Western Ghats and 34% are classified under the IUCN Red List threatened categories. This study highlights the significance of such digital databases that can serve as an immense source of regional biodiversity data, and therefore, biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
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Hebbar P, Anand A, K.V G. DNA barcoding indicates the range extension in an endemic frog Nyctibatrachus jog, from the Western Ghats, India. Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2021; 6:2468-2474. [PMID: 34368447 PMCID: PMC8317943 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2021.1955765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The frogs of genus Nyctibatrachus from the Western Ghats are endemic, with some taxa showing a narrow distribution range. Nyctibatrachus jog was known only from the type locality, Jog falls from Sharavathi river basin suggesting a restricted distribution. In this study, using DNA barcoding, we studied the distribution patterns of N. jog by sampling multiple river basins. 16S rRNA and Cytochrome b genes were used to distinguish N. jog from its congeners as well as to infer intra-species relationships. The results from the 16S rRNA gene showed 99% similarity of the collected individuals with the type specimen from Jog Falls confirming the identity of N. jog. The results indicate that N. jog has wide distribution extending its range in multiple river basins in the Western Ghats, India. This study also provides the Area of Occurrence and Extent of Occurrence of N. jog which could help in developing strategies for its conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priti Hebbar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Anisha Anand
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Gururaja K.V
- Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore, India
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Joshi J, Agarwal I. Integrative Taxonomy in the Indian Subcontinent: Current Progress and Prospects. J Indian Inst Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41745-021-00244-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Marjanović D. The Making of Calibration Sausage Exemplified by Recalibrating the Transcriptomic Timetree of Jawed Vertebrates. Front Genet 2021; 12:521693. [PMID: 34054911 PMCID: PMC8149952 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.521693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular divergence dating has the potential to overcome the incompleteness of the fossil record in inferring when cladogenetic events (splits, divergences) happened, but needs to be calibrated by the fossil record. Ideally but unrealistically, this would require practitioners to be specialists in molecular evolution, in the phylogeny and the fossil record of all sampled taxa, and in the chronostratigraphy of the sites the fossils were found in. Paleontologists have therefore tried to help by publishing compendia of recommended calibrations, and molecular biologists unfamiliar with the fossil record have made heavy use of such works (in addition to using scattered primary sources and copying from each other). Using a recent example of a large node-dated timetree inferred from molecular data, I reevaluate all 30 calibrations in detail, present the current state of knowledge on them with its various uncertainties, rerun the dating analysis, and conclude that calibration dates cannot be taken from published compendia or other secondary or tertiary sources without risking strong distortions to the results, because all such sources become outdated faster than they are published: 50 of the (primary) sources I cite to constrain calibrations were published in 2019, half of the total of 280 after mid-2016, and 90% after mid-2005. It follows that the present work cannot serve as such a compendium either; in the slightly longer term, it can only highlight known and overlooked problems. Future authors will need to solve each of these problems anew through a thorough search of the primary paleobiological and chronostratigraphic literature on each calibration date every time they infer a new timetree, and that literature is not optimized for that task, but largely has other objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Marjanović
- Department of Evolutionary Morphology, Science Programme “Evolution and Geoprocesses”, Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz Institute for Evolutionary and Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
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Santos RO, Laurin M, Zaher H. A review of the fossil record of caecilians (Lissamphibia: Gymnophionomorpha) with comments on its use to calibrate molecular timetrees. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Gymnophiona, popularly known as caecilians, the most poorly known major taxon of extant amphibians, are elongate and limbless tetrapods, with compact ossified skulls and reduced eyes, mainly adapted to fossorial life as adults. Caecilians are poorly represented in the fossil record, but despite the scarcity of fossil specimens described (only four named taxa, in addition to indeterminate fragmentary material), their fossils play a key role in our knowledge of the origin and evolution of Lissamphibia, as well as contribute directly to a better understanding of the phylogeny, taxonomy and biogeography of extant gymnophionan taxa. These records are scattered throughout geological time (from the Jurassic to the sub-Recent) and space (North and South America and Africa). Here, we revisit the caecilian fossil record, providing a brief description of all known extinct taxa described so far, along with general remarks about their impact on systematics, time range, and geographical distribution of the clade, as well as prospects for future research. Possible calibration constraints based on the caecilian fossil record are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michel Laurin
- Centre de Recherches sur la Paléobiologie et les Paléoenvironnements (CR2P), Centre national de la Recherche scientifique (CNRS)/Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN)/Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Hussam Zaher
- Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Britz R, Dahanukar N, Anoop VK, Philip S, Clark B, Raghavan R, Rüber L. Aenigmachannidae, a new family of snakehead fishes (Teleostei: Channoidei) from subterranean waters of South India. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16081. [PMID: 32999397 PMCID: PMC7527459 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73129-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pronounced organism-wide morphological stasis in evolution has resulted in taxa with unusually high numbers of primitive characters. These ‘living fossils’ hold a prominent role for our understanding of the diversification of the group in question. Here we provide the first detailed osteological analysis of Aenigmachanna gollum based on high-resolution nano-CT scans and one cleared and stained specimen of this recently described snakehead fish from subterranean waters of Kerala in South India. In addition to a number of derived and unique features, Aenigmachanna has several characters that exhibit putatively primitive conditions not encountered in the family Channidae. Our morphological analysis provides evidence for the phylogenetic position of Aenigmachanna as the sister group to Channidae. Molecular analyses further emphasize the uniqueness of Aenigmachanna and indicate that it is a separate lineage of snakeheads, estimated to have split from its sister group at least 34 or 109 million years ago depending on the fossil calibration employed. This may indicate that Aenigmachanna is a Gondwanan lineage, which has survived break-up of the supercontinent, with India separating from Africa at around 120 mya. The surprising morphological disparity of Aenigmachanna from members of the Channidae lead us to erect a new family of snakehead fishes, Aenigmachannidae, sister group to Channidae, to accommodate these unique snakehead fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Britz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, E01109, Dresden, Germany. .,Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW75BD, UK.
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, 411 008, India.,Zoo Outreach Organization, No. 12 Thiruvannamalai Nagar, Saravanampatti - Kalapatti Road, Coimbatore, 641 035, India
| | - V K Anoop
- School of Ocean Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, 682 506, India
| | - Siby Philip
- Department of Zoology, Nirmalagiri College, Kannur, India
| | - Brett Clark
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, 682 506, India
| | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, 3005, Bern, Switzerland.,Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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Streicher JW, Loader SP, Varela-Jaramillo A, Montoya P, de Sá RO. Analysis of ultraconserved elements supports African origins of narrow-mouthed frogs. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 146:106771. [PMID: 32087330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Narrow-mouthed frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) are globally distributed and molecular data suggest the rapid evolution of multiple subfamilies shortly after their origin. Despite recent progress, several subfamilial relationships remain unexplored using phylogenomic data. We analysed 1,796 nuclear ultraconserved elements, a total matrix of 400,664 nucleotides, from representatives of most microhylid subfamilies. Summary method species-tree and maximum likelihood analyses unambiguously supported Hoplophryninae as the earliest diverging microhylid and confirm Chaperininae as a junior synonym of Microhylinae. Given the emerging consensus that subfamilies from mainland Africa diverged early, microhylids have likely occupied the continent for more than 66 million years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey W Streicher
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Simon P Loader
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Varela-Jaramillo
- Department of Life Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Paola Montoya
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá, Colombia
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Mallik AK, Achyuthan NS, Ganesh SR, Pal SP, Vijayakumar SP, Shanker K. Discovery of a deeply divergent new lineage of vine snake (Colubridae: Ahaetuliinae: Proahaetulla gen. nov.) from the southern Western Ghats of Peninsular India with a revised key for Ahaetuliinae. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218851. [PMID: 31314800 PMCID: PMC6636718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Western Ghats are well known as a biodiversity hotspot, but the full extent of its snake diversity is yet to be uncovered. Here, we describe a new genus and species of vine snake Proahaetulla antiqua gen. et sp. nov., from the Agasthyamalai hills in the southern Western Ghats. It was found to be a member of the Ahaetuliinae clade, which currently comprises the arboreal snake genera Ahaetulla, Dryophiops, Dendrelaphis and Chrysopelea, distributed in South and Southeast Asia. Proahaetulla shows a sister relationship with all currently known taxa belonging to the genus Ahaetulla, and shares ancestry with Dryophiops. In addition to its phylogenetic position and significant genetic divergence, this new taxon is also different in morphology from members of Ahaetuliinae in a combination of characters, having 12-13 partially serrated keels on the dorsal scale rows, 20 maxillary teeth and 3 postocular scales. Divergence dating reveals that the new genus is ancient, dating back to the Mid-Oligocene, and is one of the oldest persisting monotypic lineages of snakes in the Western Ghats. This discovery adds to the growing list of ancient lineages endemic to the Agasthyamalai hills and underscores the biogeographic significance of this isolated massif in the southern Western Ghats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Kumar Mallik
- Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | | | - Saunak P. Pal
- Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Opposite Lion Gate, Fort, Mumbai, India
| | - S. P. Vijayakumar
- Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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