High Genetic Variability in a Small Toad From the Brazilian Atlantic Forest / Alta Variabilidade Genética Num Pequeno Sapo Da Mata Atlântica Brasileira

Abstract

The fragmentation of the Atlantic Forest is one of the main causes of habitat loss in this important global biodiversity hotspot. Amphibians are an integral part of this biodiversity and are the most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet, with some species declining mainly due to habitat loss; therefore, they are an important parameter to understand the effects of fragmentation. One of the least known aspects of this process is how the surrounding matrix fragments influence frog diversity and gene flow among these forest remnants. Moreover, few studies have analyzed genetic variability of