Phylogeny and Classification of Poison Frogs (Amphibia: Dendrobatidae), Based on Mitochondrial 16S and 12S Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequences

Vences, Miguel; Kosuch, Joachim; Lötters, Stefan; Widmer, Alex; Jungfer, Karl-Heinz; Köhler, Jörn; Veith, Michael

doi:10.1006/mpev.1999.0738

Cited by 117 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Phylogenetic analyses of characters other than DNA (13,19) also proposed a single origin of toxicity. These findings were supported by an analysis of DNA sequences (20), although other smaller datasets (21) had suggested the possibility of convergence. Here we show, based on a more comprehensive taxon sample, that the association of conspicuous bright coloration and toxicity appeared not once, but several times, within poison frogs.…”

supporting

confidence: 66%

Multiple, recurring origins of aposematism and diet specialization in poison frogs

Santos

Coloma

Cannatella

2003

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

271

286

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Aposematism is the association, in a prey organism, of the presence of a warning signal with unprofitability to predators. The origin of aposematism is puzzling, because of its predicted low probability of establishment in a population due to the prey's increased conspicuousness. Aposematism is a widespread trait in invertebrate taxa, but, in vertebrates, it is mostly evident in amphibians, reptiles, and fishes. Poison frogs (Dendrobatidae) are one of the most well known examples of the co-occurrence of warning coloration and toxicity. This monophyletic group of mostly diurnal leaf-litter Neotropical anurans has both toxic͞colorful and palatable͞cryptic species. Previous studies suggested a single origin of toxicity and warning coloration, dividing the family in two discrete groups of primitively cryptic and more derived aposematic frogs. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses using mostly aposematic taxa supported this conclusion and proposed a single tandem origin of toxicity and conspicuous warning coloration. By using expanded taxon and character sampling, we reexamined the phylogenetic correlation between the origins of toxicity and warning coloration. At least four or five independent origins of aposematism have occurred within poison frogs; by using simulations, we rejected hypotheses of one, two, or three origins of aposematism (P < 0.002). We also found that diet specialization is linked with the evolution of aposematism. Specialization on prey, such as ants and termites, may have evolved independently at least two times.

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supporting

confidence: 66%

Multiple, recurring origins of aposematism and diet specialization in poison frogs

Santos

Coloma

Cannatella

2003

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

271

286

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“…There are a variety of species of Dendrobates in Amazonia and this genus forms a substantial part of the family Dendrobatidae (Clough and Summers, 2000;Myers, 1987;Vences et al, 2000). Early descriptions of Amazonian Dendrobates included Dendrobates quinquevittatus (Fitzinger in Steindachner, 1864), Dendrobates reticulatus Boulenger (1883), Dendrobates fantasticus Boulenger (1883), Dendrobates galactonotus (Fitzinger in Steindachner, 1864) and Dendrobates ventrimaculatus Shreve (1935).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular systematics and phylogeography of Amazonian poison frogs of the genus Dendrobates

Symula

Schulte

Summers

2003

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

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“…Primers used for ampliWcation were those described by Salducci et al (2005) for 16S and 12S, by Bossuyt and Milinkovitch (2000) for tyrosinase, and by Miquelis et al (2000) for 18S rDNA. The chosen molecular markers previously have been used successfully to assess the relationships among orders, families and species of amphibians (Hay et al, 1995;Ruvinsky and Maxson, 1996;Vences et al, 2000). For nuclear markers it is of foremost importance to ascertain that orthologous and not paralogous genes are analysed.…”

Section: Dna Protocolsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revealing cryptic diversity using molecular phylogenetics and phylogeography in frogs of the Scinax ruber and Rhinella margaritifera species groups

Fouquet

Vences

Salducci³

et al. 2007

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

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134

143

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Few studies to date have examined genetic variability of widespread tropical amphibian species over their distributional range using diVerent kinds of molecular markers. Here, we use genetic data in an attempt to delimit evolutionary entities within two groups of Neotropical frogs, the Scinax ruber species group and the Rhinella margaritifera species group. We combined mitochondrial and nuclear markers for a phylogenetic (a total of »2500 bp) and phylogeographic study (»1300 bp) to test the reliability of the currently accepted taxonomic assignments and to explore the geographic structure of their genetic variation, mainly based upon samples from the French Guianan region. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated the polyphyly of Scinax ruber and Rhinella margaritifera. S. ruber consists of six lineages that may all merit species status. ConXicting signals of mitochondrial and nuclear markers indicated, among some Scinax lineages and species, the possibility of ongoing hybridization processes. R. margaritifera consisted of 11 lineages which might represent distinct species as well. Phylogeographic analyses added further information in support of the speciWc status of these lineages. Lineages of low divergence were found in sympatry and were reciprocally monophyletic for mitochondrial as well as nuclear genes, indicating the existence of young lineages that should be awarded species status. Our results highlight the utility of combining phylogenetic and phylogeographic methods, as well as the use of both mitochondrial and nuclear markers within one study. This approach helped to better understand the evolutionary history of taxonomically complex groups of species. The assessment of the geographic distribution of genetic diversity in tropical amphibian communities can lead to conclusions that diVer strongly from prior analyses based on the occurrence of currently recognized species alone. Such studies, therefore, hold the potential to contribute to a more objective assessment of amphibian conservation priorities in tropical areas.

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Phylogeny and Classification of Poison Frogs (Amphibia: Dendrobatidae), Based on Mitochondrial 16S and 12S Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequences

Cited by 117 publications

References 29 publications

Multiple, recurring origins of aposematism and diet specialization in poison frogs

Multiple, recurring origins of aposematism and diet specialization in poison frogs

Molecular systematics and phylogeography of Amazonian poison frogs of the genus Dendrobates

Revealing cryptic diversity using molecular phylogenetics and phylogeography in frogs of the Scinax ruber and Rhinella margaritifera species groups

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