Phylogeny of frogs from the genus Physalaemus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences

Abstract

Although some species groups have been recognized in the leiuperine genus Physalaemus, no phylogenetic analysis has previously been performed. Here, we provide a phylogenetic study based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences from 41 of the 46 species of Physalaemus. We employed the parsimony criterion using the software TNT and POY and the Bayesian criterion using the software MrBayes. Two major clades were recovered inside the monophyletic Physalaemus: (i) the highly supported Physalaemus signifer Clade, which included P. nattereri and the species previously placed in the P. deimaticus and P. signifer Groups; and (ii) the Physalaemus cuvieri Clade, which included the remaining species of Physalaemus. Five species groups were recognized in the P. cuvieri Clade: the P. biligonigerus Group, the P. cuvieri Group, the P. henselii Group, the P. gracilis Group and the P. olfersii Group. The P. gracilis Species Group was the same as that previously proposed by Nascimento et al. (2005). The P. henselii Group includes P. fernandezae and P. henselii, and was the sister group of a clade that comprised the remaining species of the P. cuvieri Clade. The P. olfersii Group included P. olfersii, P. soaresi, P. maximus, P. feioi and P. lateristriga. The P. biligonigerus Species Group was composed of P. biligonigerus, P. marmoratus, P. santafecinus and P. riograndensis. The P. cuvieri Group inferred here differed from that recognized by Nascimento et al. (2005) only by the inclusion of P. albifrons and the exclusion of P. cicada. The paraphyly of P. cuvieri with respect to P. ephippifer was inferred in all the analyses. Distinct genetic lineages were recognized among individuals currently identified as P. cuvieri and they were congruent with cytogenetic differences reported previously, supporting the hypothesis of occurrence of formally unnamed species.

Comparative analysis based on replication banding reveals the mechanism responsible for the difference in the karyotype constitution of treefrogs Ololygon and Scinax (Arboranae, Hylidae, Scinaxinae)

“…Similar integrative taxonomic approach was carried out by Lourenço et al (2015) for amphibians and Mezzasalma et al (2015) for reptiles. As already pointed out by Cardozo et al (2011) and subsequently confirmed in other works, the species of Ololygon (the former Scinax catharinae clade) have NORs in chromosome pair 6, whereas the species of Scinax (the former Scinax ruber clade) generally have this marker in the chromosome pair 11, which also indicates the conservation of this character to cytogenetically differentiate species of both groups.…”

Chromosomal analysis of Physalaemus kroyeri and Physalaemus cicada (Anura, Leptodactylidae)

“…The Physalaemus cuvieri group is the largest of the Physalaemus cuvieri clade, formed by nine described species, Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826, Physalaemus albonotatus (Steindachner, 1864), Physalaemus centralis Bokermann, 1962, Physalaemus cuqui Lobo, 1993, Physalaemus ephippifer (Steindachner, 1864), Physalaemus erikae Cruz & Pimenta, 2004, Physalaemus fischeri Boulenger, 1890, Physalaemus kroyeri (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862) and Physalaemus albifrons (Spix, 1824). In the analysis of Nascimento et al (2005), Physalaemus cicada was included in the Physalaemus cuvieri group, although the phylogenetic analyses of Lourenço et al (2015) did not confirm this asssignment.…”

“…However, an alternative approach to the phylogeny of these species, based on the analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear data, produced a new proposal, formed by two major clades, Physalaemus signifer and Physalaemus cuvieri . The Physalaemus cuvieri clade encompasses the Physalaemus cuvieri , Physalaemus biligonigerus , Physalaemus henselii , Physalaemus gracilis and Physalaemus olfersii species groups, as well as the species Physalaemus aguirrei Bokermann, 1966 and Physalaemus cicada Bokermann, 1966, whose interspecific relationships remain unclear (Lourenço et al 2015). The Physalaemus cuvieri group is the largest of the Physalaemus cuvieri clade, formed by nine described species, Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826, Physalaemus albonotatus (Steindachner, 1864), Physalaemus centralis Bokermann, 1962, Physalaemus cuqui Lobo, 1993, Physalaemus ephippifer (Steindachner, 1864), Physalaemus erikae Cruz & Pimenta, 2004, Physalaemus fischeri Boulenger, 1890, Physalaemus kroyeri (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862) and Physalaemus albifrons (Spix, 1824).…”

“…The species of the Physalaemus cuvieri group studied by C-banding (Silva et al 1999, Quinderé et al 2009, Nascimento et al 2010, Vittorazzi et al 2014b) all present a block of interstitial heterochromatin in the metacentric chromosome 5, which is a potential cytogenetic marker of the Physalaemus cuvieri group (Vittorazzi et al 2014b, Lourenço et al 2015). The chromosomal location of the PcP190 satellite DNA is known for Physalaemus cuvieri , Physalaemus centralis , Physalaemus albonotatus , Physalaemus albifrons and Physalaemus ephippifer (Vittorazzi et al 2011, Vittorazzi et al 2014a).…”

“…Given this, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the chromosomal features of these two species, in particular the presence of an interstitial heterochromatic band on chromosome 5, which is recognized as a chromosomal synapomorphy in the Physalaemus cuvieri group (Vittorazzi et al 2014b, Lourenço et al 2015). …”