On the Monophyly and Relationships of Several Genera of Hylini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae), with Comments on Recent Taxonomic Changes in Hylids

Abstract

We present a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the hylid tribe Hylini, with the goals of testing the monophyly of the genera Duellmanohyla, Isthmohyla, and Ptychohyla and providing a discussion on the monophyly of Bromeliohyla, Charadrahyla, Ecnomiohyla, Exerodonta, Megastomatohyla, and Sarcohyla. Our results indicate the paraphyly of Ptychohyla, with Bromeliohyla and Duellmanohyla nested within it, and, as in previous analyses, the paraphyly of Duellmanohyla (due to Ptychohyla legleri and P. salvadorensis being nested within it). To resolve this situation, we restrict the contents of Ptychohyla, redelimit those of Duellmanohyla and Bromeliohyla, and erect two new genera, one to include the former Ptychohyla panchoi and P. spinipollex, and the other for the former Ptychohyla acrochorda, P. sanctaecrucis, P. zoque, and tentatively, P. erythromma. Exerodonta as currently defined is not monophyletic, inasmuch as Exerodonta juanitae is nested within Charadrahyla. Consequently, we transfer this species and, tentatively, E. pinorum to Charadrahyla. Also, we discuss some possible taxonomic problems within Exerodonta. Our results indicate that Isthmohyla is polyphyletic, the bromeliad-dwelling Isthmohyla melacaena being the sister taxon of our only exemplar of Bromeliohyla, B. bromeliacia. For this reason, we transfer I. melacaena to Bromeliohyla, rendering Isthmohyla monophyletic. The former Isthmohyla pictipes Group is shown to be paraphyletic due to having the non-monophyletic I. pseudopuma Group within it. Accordingly, we recognize a redelimited I. pseudopuma Group (contents: I. infucata and I. pseudopuma), an I. zeteki Group (contents: I. picadoi and I. zeteki), and a newly defined I. tica Group (contents: I. angustilineata, I. calypsa, I. debilis, I. graceae, I. lancasteri, I. pictipes, I. tica, I. rivularis, and, tentatively, I. insolita and I. xanthosticta). The three groups of Isthmohyla are supported by molecular evidence with jackknife support values > 90%, and two of them by putative morphological synapomorphies. We discuss the recognition of Dryophytes, Hyliola, Rheohyla, and Sarcohyla and whether it is useful to recognize Anotheca, Diaglena, and Triprion as three distinct, monotypic genera. Finally, we discuss a recent taxonomic proposal involving changes in rank and from ranked to unranked names in hylids that overall we consider to have been poorly justified and only superficially discussed.

Larval anatomy of Dendropsophus decipiens (A. Lutz 1925) (Anura: Hylidae: Dendropsophini) with considerations to larvae of this genus

“…[1,3,6,8]). However, the phylogenetic relationships of the tribe Dendropsophini ( Dendropsophus + Xenohyla ; sensu [2]) within Hylidae remain controversial. It is recovered as sister taxon of Sphaenorhynchini, closely related to Pseudini and Scinaxini [3] or alternatively, as sister taxon of Pseudini, distantly related to Scinaxini and Sphaenorhynchini (e.g.…”

“…Dendropsophini is a well-supported tribe of hylid treefrogs composed of the genera Dendropsophus and Xenohyla [1,2]. The relationships of Dendropsophini with other hylid tribes remain uncertain; it is poorly supported as sister taxon of Sphaenorhynchini [3] or as sister taxon of Pseudini [1,4–8].…”

A total evidence analysis of the phylogeny of hatchet‐faced treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae: Sphaenorhynchus)

“…There are densely sampled hypotheses for several groups at different taxonomic levels (e.g. Phyllomedusinae, Cophomantini, Hylini, Osteocephalus , Pseudis ; Faivovich et al., ; Jungfer et al., ; Pinheiro et al., ; Faivovich et al., ). Nevertheless, the internal relationships of the South American hatchet‐faced treefrogs, Sphaenorhynchus , remain poorly known.…”

“…In a recent molecular phylogenetic analysis of Hylini, Faivovich et al. () discussed the problem of recognizing a subfamily (Scinaxinae) for a clade with unstable relationships and chose to restrict Scinaxini to Scinax , erect the tribe Sphaenorhynchini for Sphaenorhynchus , and recognize Dendropsophini for Dendropsophus + Xenohyla , and Pseudini for Scarthyla , Lysapsus and Pseudis .…”

Chromosome evolution in Lophyohylini (Amphibia, Anura, Hylinae)

“…Treefrogs of the subfamily Hylinae are essential components of Neotropical anuran diversity, currently comprising 724 species [1], arranged in seven tribes [2]: Cophomantini, Dendropsophini, Hylini, Lophyohylini, Pseudini, Scinaxini, and Sphaenorhynchini. Lophyohylini consists of 87 species that are widely distributed in Middle and South America [1,3].…”