@article{RuthsatzScherzVences2021,
  author    = {Ruthsatz, Katharina and Scherz, Mark D. and Vences, Miguel},
  title     = {Dissecting the tree of life},
  series = {Zootaxa : an international journal of zootaxonomy ;},
  volume    = {5016},
  journal   = {Zootaxa : an international journal of zootaxonomy ;},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Magnolia Press},
  address   = {Auckland},
  issn      = {1175-5326},
  doi       = {10.11646/zootaxa.5016.3.10},
  pages     = {448 -- 450},
  year      = {2021},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{VencesLyraKuenemanetal.2016,
  author    = {Vences, Miguel and Lyra, Mariana L. and Kueneman, Jordan G. and Bletz, Molly C. and Archer, Holly M. and Canitz, Julia and Handreck, Svenja and Randrianiaina, Roger-Daniel and Struck, Ulrich and Bhuju, Sabin and Jarek, Michael and Geffers, Robert and McKenzie, Valerie J. and Tebbe, Christoph C. and Haddad, CLio F. B. and Glos, Julian},
  title     = {Gut bacterial communities across tadpole ecomorphs in two diverse tropical anuran faunas},
  series = {The science of nature},
  volume    = {103},
  journal   = {The science of nature},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {Heidelberg},
  issn      = {0028-1042},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00114-016-1348-1},
  pages     = {68 -- 73},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Animal-associated microbial communities can play major roles in the physiology, development, ecology, and evolution of their hosts, but the study of their diversity has yet focused on a limited number of host species. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of partial sequences of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to assess the diversity of the gut-inhabiting bacterial communities of 212 specimens of tropical anuran amphibians from Brazil and Madagascar. The core gut-associated bacterial communities among tadpoles from two different continents strongly overlapped, with eight highly represented operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in common. In contrast, the core communities of adults and tadpoles from Brazil were less similar with only one shared OTU. This suggests a community turnover at metamorphosis. Bacterial diversity was higher in tadpoles compared to adults. Distinct differences in composition and diversity occurred among gut bacterial communities of conspecific tadpoles from different water bodies and after experimental fasting for 8 days, demonstrating the influence of both environmental factors and food on the community structure. Communities from syntopic tadpoles clustered by host species both in Madagascar and Brazil, and the Malagasy tadpoles also had species-specific isotope signatures. We recommend future studies to analyze the turnover of anuran gut bacterial communities at metamorphosis, compare the tadpole core communities with those of other aquatic organisms, and assess the possible function of the gut microbiota as a reservoir for protective bacteria on the amphibian skin.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{VencesKoehlerCrottinietal.2022,
  author    = {Vences, Miguel and K{\"o}hler, J{\"o}rn and Crottini, Angelica and Hofreiter, Michael and Hutter, Carl R. and du Preez, Louis and Preick, Michaela and Rakotoarison, Andolalao and Rancilhac, Lo{\"i}s and Raselimanana, Achille P. and Rosa, Gon{\c{c}}alo M. and Scherz, Mark D. and Glaw, Frank},
  title     = {An integrative taxonomic revision and redefinition of Gephyromantis (Laurentomantis) malagasius based on archival DNA analysis reveals four new mantellid frog species from Madagascar},
  series = {Vertebrate zoology},
  volume    = {72},
  journal   = {Vertebrate zoology},
  publisher = {Senckenberg Gesellschaft f{\"u}r Naturforschung},
  address   = {Frankfurt am Main},
  issn      = {1864-5755},
  doi       = {10.3897/vz.72.e78830},
  pages     = {271 -- 309},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The subgenus Laurentomantis in the genus Gephyromantis contains some of the least known amphibian species of Madagascar. The six currently valid nominal species are rainforest frogs known from few individuals, hampering a full understanding of the species diversity of the clade. We assembled data on specimens collected during field surveys over the past 30 years and integrated analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded genes of 88 individuals, a comprehensive bioacoustic analysis, and morphological comparisons to delimit a minimum of nine species-level lineages in the subgenus. To clarify the identity of the species Gephyromantis malagasius, we applied a target-enrichment approach to a sample of the 110 year old holotype of Microphryne malagasia Methuen and Hewitt, 1913 to assign this specimen to a lineage based on a mitochondrial DNA barcode. The holotype clustered unambiguously with specimens previously named G. ventrimaculatus. Consequently we propose to consider Trachymantis malagasia ventrimaculatus Angel, 1935 as a junior synonym of Gephyromantis malagasius. Due to this redefinition of G. malagasius, no scientific name is available for any of the four deep lineages of frogs previously subsumed under this name, all characterized by red color ventrally on the hindlimbs. These are here formally named as Gephyromantis fiharimpe sp. nov., G. matsilo sp. nov., G. oelkrugi sp. nov., and G. portonae sp. nov. The new species are distinguishable from each other by genetic divergences of >4\% uncorrected pairwise distance in a fragment of the 16S rRNA marker and a combination of morphological and bioacoustic characters. Gephyromantis fiharimpe and G. matsilo occur, respectively, at mid-elevations and lower elevations along a wide stretch of Madagascar's eastern rainforest band, while G. oelkrugi and G. portonae appear to be more range-restricted in parts of Madagascar's North East and Northern Central East regions. Open taxonomic questions surround G. horridus, to which we here assign specimens from Montagne d'Ambre and the type locality Nosy Be; and G. ranjomavo, which contains genetically divergent populations from Marojejy, Tsaratanana, and Ampotsidy.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BelluardoScherzSantosetal.2022,
  author    = {Belluardo, Francesco and Scherz, Mark D. and Santos, Barbara and Andreone, Franco and Antonelli, Alexandre and Glaw, Frank and Munoz-Pajares, A. Jesus and Randrianirina, Jasmin E. and Raselimanana, Achille P. and Vences, Miguel and Crottini, Angelica},
  title     = {Molecular taxonomic identification and species-level phylogeny of the narrow-mouthed frogs of the genus Rhombophryne (Anura: Microhylidae: Cophylinae) from Madagascar},
  series = {Systematics and biodiversity},
  volume    = {20},
  journal   = {Systematics and biodiversity},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Routledge, Taylor \& Francis Group},
  address   = {Abingdon},
  issn      = {1477-2000},
  doi       = {10.1080/14772000.2022.2039320},
  pages     = {1 -- 13},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The study of diamond frogs (genus Rhombophryne, endemic to Madagascar) has been historically hampered by the paucity of available specimens, because of their low detectability in the field. Over the last 10 years, 13 new taxa have been described, and 20 named species are currently recognized. Nevertheless, undescribed diversity within the genus is probably large, calling for a revision of the taxonomic identification of published records and an update of the known distribution of each lineage. Here we generate DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene of all specimens available to us, revise the genetic data from public databases, and report all deeply divergent mitochondrial lineages of Rhombophryne identifiable from these data. We also generate a multi-locus dataset (including five mitochondrial and eight nuclear markers; 9844 bp) to infer a species-level phylogenetic hypothesis for the diversification of this genus and revise the distribution of each lineage. We recognize a total of 10 candidate species, two of which are identified here for the first time. The genus Rhombophryne is here proposed to be divided into six main species groups, and phylogenetic relationships among some of them are not fully resolved. These frogs are primarily distributed in northern Madagascar, and most species are known from only few localities. A previous record of this genus from the Tsingy de Bemaraha (western Madagascar) is interpreted as probably due to a mislabelling and should not be considered further unless confirmed by new data. By generating this phylogenetic hypothesis and providing an updated distribution of each lineage, our findings will facilitate future species descriptions, pave the way for evolutionary studies, and provide valuable information for the urgent conservation of diamond frogs.},
  language  = {en}
}