Species Of Anuran Amphibians Research Articles

Sexual dimorphism of the Pallas spadefoot toad (Pelobates vespertinus: Anura, Pelobatidae) metamorphs is reduced when tadpoles are developed in an overheated water body

Our survey was carried out in five local populations of Pelobates vespertinus (Pallas, 1771) in the floodplain of the Medveditsa river (Russia, Saratov region, Lysogorsky district) in 2009–2018. We have found that the sexual dimorphism in body length (SDIL) and weight (SDIW) of males and females of the Pallas spadefoot toad is a widespread feature of populations of this anuran amphibian species, characteristic not only among sexually mature individuals, but also among metamorphs. In metamorph populations, sexual dimorphism averages 3% and 9% in body length and live weight, respectively. It is less pronounced in metamorphs than in sexually matured individuals (by 3 and 4.5 times, respectively). The sexual dimorphism development level may undergo a significant transformation by temperature conditions during the tadpole development period in the spawning lake. The threshold value of the average temperature for the period of development up to the stage of metamorphosis (MDT90), at which any differences between males and females in body length are lost in metamorphs, is 18.2ºС. Against the background of climate warming over the past decade (2011–2020), there has been a significant expansion of the range area of this species, which is exposed to abnormally high water temperatures. Nevertheless, size–weight sexual dimorphism, even at the stage of metamorphosis, should hardly be excluded from the list of diagnostic characters of the species.

Interspecific cytogenomic comparison reveals a potential chromosomal centromeric marker in Proceratophrys frog species.

Among the repetitive elements, satellite DNA (SatDNA) emerges as extensive arrays of highly similar tandemly repeated units, spanning megabases in length. Given that the satDNA PboSat01-176, previously characterized in P. boiei, prompted our interest for having a high abundance in P. boiei and potential for centromeric satellite, here, we employed various approaches, including low coverage genome sequencing, followed by computational analysis and chromosomal localization techniques in four Proceratophrys species and, investigating the genomic presence and sharing, as well as its potential for chromosomal centromere marker in Proceratophrys frog species. Our findings demonstrate that PboSat01-176 exhibits high abundance across all four Proceratophrys species, displaying distinct characteristics that establish it as the predominant repetitive DNA element in these species. The satellite DNA is prominently clustered in the peri/centromeric region of the chromosomes, particularly in the heterochromatic regions. The widespread presence of PboSat01-176 in closely related Proceratophrys species reinforces the validity of the library hypothesis for repetitive sequences. Thus, this study highlighted the utility of the satDNA family PboSat01-176 as a reliable centromeric marker in Proceratophrys species, with potential to be applied in other species of anuran amphibians. The observed sharing and maintenance of this sequence within the genus suggest possibilities for future research, particularly through expanded sampling to elucidate parameters that underlie the library hypothesis and the evolutionary dynamics of satDNA sequences.

Фенология начала нерестовых миграций бесхвостых амфибий (Anura, Amphibia) в долинах рек Саратовского Правобережья

The intra-century dynamics of the spawning migrations start of the three most numerous species of anuran amphibians (Pelobates vespertinus, Bombina bombina and Pelophylax ridibundus) was analyzed. Local populations of the above anurans in the valley of the middle course of the Medveditsa River (Don Basin, Saratov region) were the object of the study. From 1892 to 2023 the phenological norm of this phase of the annual cycle shifted to earlier dates by an average of 7 days for each species in a climate warming. By 2023, the henological norm of the spawning migration start of P. vespertinus, B. bombina and P. ridibundus was April 14, April 21, and April 22, respectively. In addition, the change rate of this phenological parameter in the model species was similar as well, about 8 days/100 years. The absolute value of the phenological norm change, as well as the rate of its transformation, is comparable among the three species of anuran amphibians, despite any differences in their thermobiological characteristics. The early snow clearence in the Northern Lower Volga region may be one of the reasons for shifting the start dates of amphibian spawning migrations to earlier dates. The continued phenological changes in the spring phase of the annual cycle require continued monitoring of this process. This will allow forming scientifically based forecasts of local population dynamics in the future. Possible consequences of this transformation of the spring phenology of anuran amphibians are increased probability of metamorph survival in low water availability in the floodplain, and spawning migration development in the false spring scenario and susceptibility to return cold weather. This is discussed in relation to the changes identified.

Pregastrular Development of Amphibians: Ontogenetic Diversity and Eco-Devo

Comparative and ecological aspects of the reorganizations of early development in the class Amphibia are analyzed. We used data on the developmental diversity in a number of families belonging to the orders Anura and Caudata, in which many species had lost their connection with the aquatic environment. Model representatives of the class Amphibia (Ambystoma mexicanum, Rana temporaria, and Xenopus laevis) have small eggs (no more than 2.5 mm in diameter). In these species, the slowdown in the rate of cell divisions and the loss of synchrony occur at the midblastula stage. However, phylogenetically basal amphibian species (Ascaphus truei, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) are characterized by the large (4–6 mm in diameter) yolky eggs and a short series of synchronous blastomere divisions (the synchrony is already lost at the 8-cell stage of cleavage). They do not have a “midblastula transition”, which is characteristic of the above model species. On the other hand, many evolutionarily advanced non-model species of caudate and anuran amphibians (for example, Desmognathus fuscus, Gastrotheca riobambae, Philoria sphagnicolus), as well as the basal species, are characterized by the large, yolk-rich eggs and the early loss of cell division synchrony. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the cleavage pattern of the most extensively studied amphibians, the Mexican axolotl (Caudata) and the African clawed frog (Anura), represents a homoplasy. The midblastula transition, which is characteristic of these two species, might have evolved convergently in these two orders of amphibians as an embryonic adaptation to development in lentic water.

Nuptial pad (“breeding gland”) morphology is related to non‐random mating in wild male common frogs (Rana temporaria)

AbstractAndrogen levels are closely linked with breeding in male amphibians. Development of the nuptial pad is driven by androgens and is believed to have importance for determining mating success in anurans, but this has not been tested in wild populations. We investigated the association between nuptial pad morphology (length, colour) and mating (amplexus) success in wild male common frogs (Rana temporaria) in the UK (Devon in Southern England and central Scotland). Once active breeding had been confirmed, pond water (25 L) was placed in 1–6 replicate mesocosms (66 cm diameter circular, black plastic tubs) in situ. Eight male and two female frogs were placed into each mesocosm, and success observed by identifying the male frog(s) in amplexus. The length of nuptial pads for male frogs observed in amplexus was greater than those that did not achieve amplexus. There was no difference in the absolute dark colour of nuptial pads (determined by red/green/blue analysis, Adobe photoshop©) for male frogs observed in amplexus versus those that did not achieve amplexus. However, within each mesocosm, the nuptial pad was relatively darker for winning male frogs compared to losing male frogs. Overall, 91% of winning male frogs from Devon, and 89% winning male frogs from Scotland, possessed either a longer and/or a darker nuptial pad, compared with frogs that did not achieve amplexus. These data suggest that features of nuptial pad morphology are associated with amplexus (and thus mating) success in male common frogs. Given that nuptial pads have been identified in all anuran amphibian species analysed to date, nuptial pad morphology may contribute to non‐random mating strategies across a broad range of species.

False spring in the spawning migrations of Spadefoot toads (Pelobates, Anura): Distribution in the European Russia and the phenomenon scale in 2020

The 2020 spring processes in the European Russia were developing according to the type of false spring. The absence or weak development of snow cover, as well as its early descent in the last decade of February, determined the rapid warming of the soil profile. A certain complex of meteorological factors led to an abnormally early start of spawning migrations of the common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus (Laurenti, 1768)) and Pallas's spadefoot toad (Pelobates vespertinus (Pallas, 1771)) over a vast territory which included the northwestern, western, central and southeastern parts of the species habitat in the region. Analysis of the snow cover dynamics and the temperature course according to the data of the network of meteorological stations made it possible to assess the phenology of these species of anuran amphibians within this region using the method of reconstructing the reproductive period events of the spadefoot toads. The duration of the period between the start dates of false and true spawning migrations was more than 40 days in the west, in the center and in the south-east of the European Russia. The abnormally early formation of the 2020 false spring phenomenon in the spawning migrations of spadefoot toads is currently registered as a precedent which may have a significant impact on the reproduction success of the species of this genus.

Multi-taxon inventory and landscape characterization in an agrosystem of the Brazilian Midwest targeted for payment for environmental services

Abstract: The replacement of natural landscapes by anthropic environments has led to habitat loss and consequently, to the decline and extinction of many species populations. Several strategies, such as the creation of protected areas (PAs) and payment for ecosystem services have been adopted to mitigate the consequences of this biodiversity crisis. In Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil, a Water Producer Program (WPP) was established, which provides payment for ecosystem services for the maintenance of riparian vegetation in the region of the Ribeirão Abóbora, a river which supplies the city and metropolitan area. In the absence of environmental diagnostic studies in the region, this present study contributes to reducing some knowledge gaps, through the: (i) characterization of the landscape in the WPP area, (ii) characterization of species of fauna (amphibians, birds, fish, and medium and large terrestrial mammals) and woody flora that occur in this area, and (iii) comparison of species diversity (fauna and flora) found in our study area with the diversity observed in the Cerrado protected area network. Our results reveal a low native vegetation cover (~21% of total area), but we recorded 300 total species: 20 species of anuran amphibians, 100 birds, 10 fish, 16 terrestrial mammals (medium and large), and 154 woody plants. Our sample comprises species considered endemic to the Cerrado (e.g., Anuran - Barycholos terntezi and Mammal - Callithrix penicillata), threatened species (e.g., Mammals - Herpailurus yagouaroundi, Myrmecophaga tridactyla and Tapirus terrestris), and exotic invasive species (Mammal - Sus scrofa). The results presented in this study are relevant and may help in the proposal of management actions within the scope of this important program of payment for environmental services.

Распространение чесночницы Палласа (Pelobates vespertinus (Pallas, 1771)) и жерлянки краснобрюхой (Bombina bombina L., 1761) (Anura, Amphibia) на территории Саратовской области и сопредельных территорий

New data on the geographical distribution of Pelobates vespertinus and Bombina bombina in the Saratov region and adjacent districts of the Volgograd, Voronezh, Penza and Ulyanovsk regions are presented. The habitation of B. bombina and P. vespertinus populations in 25 and 22 localities, respectively, was established. Most modern populations of these species of anuran amphibians have been recorded near water bodies in river valleys.

A summary of reptile and anuran amphibian species from Brazilian sandy coastal plains: 31 years of sampling efforts of the "Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro".

Although currently there is already a set of studies regarding ecological aspects of some particular reptile and amphibian species living in Brazilian sandy coastal plains (including the so-called "restinga" and "campo nativo" habitats), there is comparatively few information on the species composition usually associated to these environments. During 31 years (1988-2019) of herpetological studies carried out in sandy coastal plains environments by our research team of the Laboratory of Vertebrate Ecology (Department of Ecology, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, in Rio de Janeiro Brazil) we have surveyed reptile and amphibian communities and performed different studies with similar methods in 70 sites from 10 different states along the Brazilian coast. Our surveys resulted in records of 87 species of reptile (five turtles, two crocodylians, six amphisbaenians, 36 lizards and 39 snakes) from 24 families, and 77 species of anuran amphibians from nine families. We have studied multiple natural history topics for anurans and reptiles which resulted in the publication of some specific ecological studies, especially regarding some species, encompassing population and community ecology, foraging and feeding habits, species activity, thermoregulation, reproduction, use of microhabitats, and parasitism by ecto and endoparasites. Our results along these three decades have also contributed for the description of four new lizard species (Ameivula nativo, Glaucomastix littoralis, G. abaetensis and G. itabaianensis). Our studies constitute an important contribution to the knowledge of the ecology of anuran amphibians and reptiles in these ecosystems, as well as to the conservation of sandy coastal plains environment. The checklist presented in this study, based on our records of sandy coastal plains herpetofauna, provides for many localities along the Brazilian coast, the needed knowledge on species occurrence, including the presence of endemic and/or endangered species, which can be of value for many conservation actions.

Transcriptomic signature of extinction learning in the brain of the fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis

Insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of learning and memory from a diverse array of taxa contributes to our understanding of the evolution of these processes. The fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis, is a basal anuran amphibian model species who could help us describe shared and divergent characteristics of learning and memory mechanisms between amphibians and other vertebrates, and hence answer questions about the evolution of learning. Utilizing next generation sequencing techniques, we profiled gene expression patterns associated with the extinction of prey-catching conditioning in the brain of the fire-bellied toad. For this purpose, gene expression was at first compared between toads sacrificed after acquisition and extinction of the conditioned response. A second comparison was done between toads submitted to extinction following either short or long acquisition training, which results in toads displaying response extinction or resistance to extinction, respectively. We analyzed brain tissue transcription profiles common to both acquisition and extinction learning, or unique to extinction learning and resistance to extinction, and found significant overlap in gene expression related to molecular pathways involving neuronal plasticity (e.g. structural modification, transcription). However, extinction learning induced a unique GABAergic transcriptomic signal, which may be responsible for suppression of the original response memory. Further, when comparing extinction learning in short- and long-trained groups, short training engaged many pathways related to neuronal plasticity, as expected, but long training engaged molecular pathways related to the suppression of learning through epigenetic mediated transcriptional suppression and inhibitory neurotransmission. Overall, gene expression patterns associated with extinction learning in the fire-bellied toad were similar to those found in mammals submitted to extinction, although some divergent profiles highlighted potential differences in the mechanisms of learning and memory among tetrapods.

Safety Bubbles: A Review of the Proposed Functions of Froth Nesting among Anuran Amphibians

The adults of several anuran amphibian species deposit their eggs externally in mucus secretions that are purposely aerated to produce a froth nest. This type of clutch structure has evolved independently several times in this group and has been proposed to serve a variety and often simultaneous adaptive functions associated with protecting offspring from sub-optimal conditions during embryogenesis and later stages after hatching has occurred. These functions range from buffering offspring from sub-optimal temperatures and desiccation, to defending against predation and improving oxygenation. This versatility has likely helped facilitate the reduced reliance of egg development on water and thus the penetration of anurans into environments where permanent aquatic systems are not always available. In this paper, I review the hypothesised functions of the anuran froth nest as a mucus-based solution to the environmental challenges offspring face during development, with consideration of the functions of froth nest breakdown and communal froth nesting, as well.

Sex Determination in Two Species of Anuran Amphibians by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound Techniques.

Simple SummaryAmphibians are of critical importance among vertebrates. They play a critical role in their ecosystems, are commonly used as environmental health indicators and are also considered as exotic pets throughout the world. Among amphibians, many anuran species are included in active conservation programs as they are listed as endangered species. Thus, it is important for veterinarians and biologists to examine their sanitary status and to find a non-invasive tool to evaluate the health status of these individuals, particularly the state of their reproductive system and to be able to carry out a sex determination in case of no sexual dimorphism. For the first time, we demonstrate that benchtop magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution ultrasound are suitable non-invasive imaging techniques for an accurate sex determination of two anuran species. Both techniques allowed the identification of ovaries and testes. Therefore, our data constitute an important contribution for clinical diagnostic and conservation purposes in amphibians, as it is possible to distinguish males and females in a quick, safe and relatively easy way.The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether gender determination in two amphibian species (Kaloula pulchra and Xenopus laevis) can be reliably carried out by means of magnetic resonance imaging (benchtop magnetic resonance imaging; BT-MRI) or ultrasound (high-resolution ultrasound; HR-US) techniques. Two species of healthy, sexually mature anurans have been used in the present study. Eight Kaloula (blind study) and six Xenopus were used as controls. Magnetic resonance imaging experiments were carried out on a low-field (1 Tesla) benchtop-MRI (BT-MRI) system. HR-US examination was performed with high-resolution equipment. Low-field BT-MRI images provided a clear and quantifiable identification of all the sexual organs present in both genders and species. The HR-US also allowed the identification of testes and ovaries in both species. Results indicate that BT-MRI allowed a very precise sex identification in both anuran species, although its use is limited by the cost of the equipment and the need for anesthesia. HR-US allowed an accurate identification of ovaries of both species whereas a precise identification of testes is limited by the ultrasonographer experience. The main advantages of this technique are the possibility of performing it without anesthesia and the higher availability of equipment in veterinary and zoo institutions.

Pattern of Gonadal Sex Differentiation in the Rice Field Frog Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Anura: Dicroglossidae).

Sex differentiation during gonadal development is diversified among anuran amphibian species. In this study, the anuran experimental species Hoplobatrachus rugulosus was examined. The pattern of gonadal sex differentiation was observed by morphological and histological approaches. The gonad was observed morphologically at Gosner stage 33, while distinct testis and ovary were evident from 3-4 weeks after metamorphosis ended. Histological analysis showed that genital ridge formation began at stage 25 and ovarian differentiation began at stage 36. The developing ovary appeared with numerous primary oogonia, which developed into oocytes, while the medulla regressed to form an ovarian cavity. During metamorphosis, only an ovary was observed. Testicular differentiation seemed to begin later, during the first week after metamorphosis, and occurred via an intersex condition. The intersex gonads contained developing testicular tissue with both normal and atretic oocytes. The fully developed testis was first identified at 6 weeks after metamorphosis. Comparing the times of gonadal differentiation and somatic development revealed that the ovary exhibited a basic rate of differentiation while the testis exhibited a retarded one. These results establish that males of this species develop later than do females, and the testis develops through an intersex gonad, as is evident from its seminiferous cord formation, the presence of testis-ova, and atretic oocytes in the tissue. Thus, the pattern of gonadal sex differentiation in H. rugulosus is an undifferentiated type, in which only female gonads are observed during metamorphosis and intersex and male gonads are observed later. These results are crucial for further research on the sexual development of anurans.

Living among thorns: herpetofaunal community (Anura and Squamata) associated to the rupicolous bromeliad Encholirium spectabile (Pitcairnioideae) in the Brazilian semi-arid Caatinga

Bromeliads are important habitats for reptiles and amphibians, and are constantly used as shelter, refuge, foraging or thermoregulation sites due to their foliar architecture, which allows for constant maintenance of humidity and temperature. This study aimed to identify the herpetofauna inhabiting the non-phytotelmata rupicolous bromeliad Encholirium spectabile Mart. ex Schult. & Schult.f. and to analyze the microhabitat usage of these bromeliads by different species in the Caatinga of northeastern Brazil. From January 2011 to August 2012, we collected data by active search throughout three paralel transects in a rock outcrop in the municipality of Santa Maria, state of Rio Grande do Norte. We recorded four species of anuran amphibians, six lizards, and seven snakes in the bromeliads. The average air temperature was lower and air humidity higher inside than outside the bromeliads, and bromeliads at the rock outcrop borders had lower temperatures and higher humidity than those at the center. We found a significant difference in the distribution of individuals throughout the rock outcrop, with most specimens found at the borders. We also found significant differences regarding the use of each microhabitat by the taxonomic groups, with lizards and snakes using green leaves and dry leaves evenly, along with fewer records in inflorescence stems, and anurans mainly using green leaves, with few records on dry leaves, and no records in the inflorescence stems. This study highlights rupicolous bromeliads as key elements in the conservation and maintenance of amphibians and reptiles in the rock outcrops of Brazilian semi-arid Caatinga.

An investigation of the prevalence of Giardia agilis in anuran amphibians from fourteen areas in China.

Giardia agilis is a Giardia species which is morphological distinguishable for its very narrow and elongated trophozoite. Although there were a few studies about its morphology since its first report in 1882, none investigations about its prevalence have ever been reported to date. We investigated the prevalence of G. agilis in 25 anuran amphibian species from five provinces of China using both morphological and molecular methods. Of the 463 tested samples, 195 (42.1%) were positive. The 195 positive samples were from nine species, which are scatteredly distributed in four anuran amphibian families. The statistical prevalence among adults of different frog species showed no significant difference, and so did among tadpoles. Thus, G. agilis is probably able to infect all anuran amphibians without species-bias. More interestingly, the prevalence in the tadpoles is significantly higher than in their adults. The prevalence in Kaloula verrucosa tadpoles from the same area showed no significant differences between none-legged stage and two-legged stage, but the prevalence in these two developmental stages is significantly higher than in the four-legged stage. And the prevalence in four-legged stage is still much higher than in adults. A turning point of prevalence appeared in the period of tadpole tail degeneration. Moreover, all the positive samples were from the areas with relatively high altitude (more than 870 m). The fact that G. agilis tends to easily infect the frogs living in high altitude areas indicated it has evolved the ability to adapted the dramatic temperature change in poikilothermal animals. Therefore, G. agilis has evolved some special successful parasitism strategies for parasitizing the poikilothermal hosts with metamorphosis such as anuran amphibians.

Tadpole bioacoustics: Sound processing across metamorphosis.

Many species of anuran amphibians (frogs and toads) undergo metamorphosis, a developmental process during which external and internal body morphologies transform dramatically as the animal transitions to a new ecosystem (from aquatic to terrestrial) and develops new behavior patterns (from filter-feeding to active pursuit of moving prey; from mostly mute to highly vocal). All sensory systems transform to some extent during metamorphosis, even in those "primitive" anuran species that remain fully aquatic in adult life. In this article, I review what is known about the development of the auditory system in anuran tadpoles. I identify crucial developmental windows for major maturational events in the ear and brainstem that showcase the structural and physiological reorganization of the substrates for hearing airborne sounds as the animal navigates the metamorphic transition. I argue that auditory development is dynamic and nonlinear, and I point out areas for future investigation. Understanding metamorphosis can shed light on how organisms adapt to major environmental challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Integrating alpha, beta, and phylogenetic diversity to understand anuran fauna along environmental gradients of tropical forests in western Ecuador.

The study of current distribution patterns of amphibian species in South America is of particular interest in areas such as evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. These patterns could be playing an important role in biological interactions, population size, and connectivity, and potential extinction risk in amphibians. Here, we tested the effects of spatial and environmental factors on the variation, turnover, and phylogenetic diversity of anuran amphibian species in tropical forests of western Ecuador. Data for presence/absence of 101 species of 34 genera and 10 families registered in 12 sites (nested in four biogeographic units) were obtained through fieldwork, museum collections, and literature records. We examined the influence of geographical, altitudinal, temperature, and precipitation distances on differences in anuran composition between sites. We found significant positive correlations among all of these variables with anuran distribution. The greatest alpha diversity (species richness) was found in the Equatorial Chocó biogeographic unit. Equatorial Pacific biogeographic unit could act as a transition zone between the Equatorial Chocó and Equatorial Tumbes. The western Andes (Western Cordillera biogeographic unit) was the most dissimilar and exhibited a higher species turnover rate than the other biogeographic units. Our results suggest that precipitation and elevation play a key role in maintaining the diversity of amphibian species in western Ecuador.

Assessing Genotoxicity and Mutagenicity of Three Common Amphibian Species Inhabiting Agroecosystem Environment.

Amphibians are constantly exposed to pollutants and the stress of agricultural activities. We selected three anuran amphibian species Dendropsophus minutus, Boana albopunctata, and Physalaemus cuvieri, totaling 309 individuals. We collected tadpoles in 15 permanent ponds: 5 soybean crops, 3 corn crops, and 7 nonagricultural lands. Our study provides the first comparative data on the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of three common amphibian anurans. Dendropsophus minutus was the most vulnerable species compared with B. albopunctata and P. cuvieri for comet assay and micronuclei test. However, the more significant amount of DNA damage seen in D. minutus does not mean that their populations are threatened once such species adapt well to anthropogenic disturbances. Despite, P. cuvieri was less sensitive than the other two species; the DNA damage was significantly higher in soybean crops. Physalaemus cuvieri is a leptodactylidae species that deposit their eggs in foam nests, which are essential to protect eggs from dehydration. Moreover, the foam reduces the contact of eggs with water; thus, P. cuvieri eggs could be less exposed to contaminants present in pounds, compared with D. minutus and B. albopunctata, which deposit their eggs directly in the water. Therefore, this study was sufficiently sensitive to detect genotoxic and mutagenic effects in tadpoles exposed to agroecosystems. We strongly suggest D. minutus in future biomonitoring studies that involve the comparison of anthropized versus not anthropized environments. Overall, we recommend the comet assay and micronucleus test as effective methods for the detection of genotoxic damage in amphibian anurans to the environmental disturbance, especially in agricultural sites.

Anuran species composition of Cancão Municipal Natural Park, Municipality of Serra do Navio, Amapá state, Brazil.

In this study, the first survey of anuran species in the Cancão Municipal Natural Park is presented, a protected area of approximately 370 hectares of Amazonian forest located in the northwest center region of the state of Amapá, Brazil. The work was performed during the dry and rainy season, through active visual and auditory survey, totaling 216 man hours of sampling effort. Forty-nine species of anuran amphibians were recorded in the Cancão Municipal Natural Park, including three new records: Hyalinobatrachium iaspidiense, Pristimantis cf. ockendeni, and Scinax garbei. Three species, Hyalinobatrachium iaspidiense, Ameerega pulchripecta, and Anomaloglossus baeobatrachus, are listed as Data Deficient and one is listed as Vulnerable (Atelopus hoogmoedi) according red lists of IUCN. The rarefaction curve cumulative species did not reach an asymptote, indicating that site has potential for species that have not yet been recorded. Nine species were represented by only one individual and were considered rare in the studied environments, eight species were defined as common, and the 32 remaining species were classified as having intermediary abundance. Our data indicated that Cancão Municipal Natural Park contains a considerable portion of the anurans species richness of Amapá state, turn the area into a place of great importance for the conservation of the anurans of the Eastern Amazon.

Evolution of morphology and locomotor performance in anurans: relationships with microhabitat diversification.

The relationships between morphology, performance, behavior and ecology provide evidence for multiple and complex phenotypic adaptations. The anuran body plan, for example, is evolutionarily conserved and shows clear specializations to jumping performance back at least to the early Jurassic. However, there are instances of more recent adaptation to habit diversity in the post-cranial skeleton, including relative limb length. The present study tested adaptive models of morphological evolution in anurans associated with the diversity of microhabitat use (semi-aquatic arboreal, fossorial, torrent, and terrestrial) in species of anuran amphibians from Brazil and Australia. We use phylogenetic comparative methods to determine which evolutionary models, including Brownian motion (BM) and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) are consistent with morphological variation observed across anuran species. Furthermore, this study investigated the relationship of maximum distance jumped as a function of components of morphological variables and microhabitat use. We found there are multiple optima of limb lengths associated to different microhabitats with a trend of increasing hindlimbs in torrent, arboreal, semi-aquatic whereas fossorial and terrestrial species evolve toward optima with shorter hindlimbs. Moreover, arboreal, semi-aquatic and torrent anurans have higher jumping performance and longer hindlimbs, when compared to terrestrial and fossorial species. We corroborate the hypothesis that evolutionary modifications of overall limb morphology have been important in the diversification of locomotor performance along the anuran phylogeny. Such evolutionary changes converged in different phylogenetic groups adapted to similar microhabitat use in two different zoogeographical regions.