Consequences of parallel miniaturisation in Microhylinae (Anura, Microhylidae), with the description of a new genus of diminutive South East Asian frogs
- The genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 includes 52 species and is one of the most diverse genera of the family Microhylidae, being the most species-rich taxon of the Asian subfamily Microhylinae. The recent, rapid description of numerous new species of Microhyla with complex phylogenetic relationships has made the taxonomy of the group especially challenging. Several recent phylogenetic studies suggested paraphyly of Microhyla with respect to Glyphoglossus Gunther, 1869, and revealed three major phylogenetic lineages of mid-Eocene origin within this assemblage. However, comprehensive works assessing morphological variation among and within these lineages are absent. In the present study we investigate the generic taxonomy of Microhyla-Glyphoglossus assemblage based on a new phylogeny including 57 species, comparative morphological analysis of skeletons from cleared-and-stained specimens for 23 species, and detailed descriptions of generalized osteology based on volume-rendered micro-CT scans for five speciesal-together representing allThe genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 includes 52 species and is one of the most diverse genera of the family Microhylidae, being the most species-rich taxon of the Asian subfamily Microhylinae. The recent, rapid description of numerous new species of Microhyla with complex phylogenetic relationships has made the taxonomy of the group especially challenging. Several recent phylogenetic studies suggested paraphyly of Microhyla with respect to Glyphoglossus Gunther, 1869, and revealed three major phylogenetic lineages of mid-Eocene origin within this assemblage. However, comprehensive works assessing morphological variation among and within these lineages are absent. In the present study we investigate the generic taxonomy of Microhyla-Glyphoglossus assemblage based on a new phylogeny including 57 species, comparative morphological analysis of skeletons from cleared-and-stained specimens for 23 species, and detailed descriptions of generalized osteology based on volume-rendered micro-CT scans for five speciesal-together representing all major lineages within the group. The results confirm three highly divergent and well-supported clades that correspond with external and osteological morphological characteristics, as well as respective geographic distribution. Accordingly, acknowledging ancient divergence between these lineages and their significant morphological differentiation, we propose to consider these three lineages as distinct genera: Microhyla sensu stricto, Glyphoglossus, and a newly described genus, Nanohyla gen. nov.…
Author details: | Vladislav A. GorinORCiD, Mark D. ScherzORCiDGND, Dmitry V. KorostORCiD, Nikolay A. PoyarkovORCiD |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.97.57968 |
ISSN: | 1860-0743 |
ISSN: | 1435-1935 |
Title of parent work (English): | Zoosystematics and evolution : Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin |
Publisher: | Pensoft Publishers |
Place of publishing: | Sofia |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2021/01/12 |
Publication year: | 2021 |
Release date: | 2024/07/08 |
Tag: | Amphibians; Nanohyla gen. nov; integrative taxonomy; micro-computed tomography; narrow-mouthed frogs; osteology; sexual dimorphism; taxonomic revision |
Volume: | 97 |
Issue: | 1 |
Number of pages: | 34 |
First page: | 21 |
Last Page: | 54 |
Funding institution: | Russian Foundation of Basic ResearchRussian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) [19-34-90167]; NSFNational Science Foundation (NSF) [DBI-1701714, DBI-1702263] |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 59 Tiere (Zoologie) / 590 Tiere (Zoologie) |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
DOAJ gelistet | |
License (German): | CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |