Three new species of the Synapturanus rabus complex (Microhylidae: Otophryninae) in Colombia with a review of the genus Synapturanus.

The Neotropical microhylid genus Synapturanus was represented by only three species for almost five decades and remains poorly known. Recently two new species were described from the Eastern Guyana Shield, one from Peru, and one from Brazil. We describe three new species related to the S. rabus species complex with known distribution only in western Amazonia, Colombia. The S. rabus complex consists of the smallest species in the genus; one of the new species is slightly larger than S. rabus and we describe its full osteology; the other two new species are smaller than S. rabus. We also described the call and larvae of one of the new species. We provide an updated diagnosis and review the available molecular and phenotypic data for the genus.

Larval morphology of Amazonia foam-nesting frogs of the genus Engystomops (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae).

The highly differentiated anuran larvae make them an interesting and complementary source of information to understand anuran evolution. Among neotropical foam-nesting frogs, the available information on tadpole morphology for the subfamily Leiuperinae remains largely incomplete and variably reported among genera; in the monophyletic genus Engystomops it is still incipient. Herein, we summarize available information on larval morphology for five of the nine known species of Engystomops, three of them for the first time, reporting external morphology, buccopharyngeal cavity, and skeleton. The tadpoles of the genus have an overall generalized morphology and many traits are conserved across species. Nevertheless, many characters are systematically informative and some are diagnostic for some species, as the paravertebral gland in Engystomops petersi and the dorsally directed spiracle in Engystomops puyango. Other characters provide support for some subclades within the genus. Moreover, some traits, such as the direction of the vent tube, supports the close relationship between Engystomops and Physalaemus, whereas other support the existence of these two as distinct genera, such as the overall shape of the lateral ridge papillae and the presence of a processus pseudopterygoideus.

Larval chondrocranial and internal oral morphology of the neotropical treefrog Boana crepitans (Wied-Neuwied, 1824; Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae).

We describe the internal oral morphology and chondrocranial anatomy for Boana crepitans tadpoles, and compare them with available descriptions for other species in the subfamily Cophomantinae. Among species of the Boana faber group, the chondrocranial anatomy has been reported only for one species internal oral morphology and cranial anatomy are similar to other described species of Boana and Cophomantinae. B. crepitans lacks unique features in the oral cavity and chondrocranium that would distinguish it from other congeneric species. We identify six characters from the internal oral anatomy of tadpoles unique for Cophomantinae. In addition, Boana has infralabial papillae projections, buccal floor arena papillae, and lateral ridge papillae projections shorter than those described for Aplastodiscus and Bokermannohyla.

Tadpole of the Amazonia frog Edalorhina perezi (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with description of oral internal and chondrocranial morphology.

The genus Edalorhina consists of two species of small forest-floor frogs inhabiting the Amazon basin. The tadpole of Edalorhina perezi, the most widely distributed species, was previously described based on a single and early stage (Gosner 25) individual. Herein, we provide a description of the tadpole in Gosner stages 35-36 including internal morphology data (i.e., buccopharyngeal cavity and larval skeleton) based on samples from two populations from Ecuador. Edalorhina shares a generalized morphology with most members of its closely related taxa; however, it is distinguished from the other species by having an almost terminal oral disc. The presence of a dextral vent tube is considered a synapomorphy for the clade consisting of Edalorhina, Engystomops, and Physalaemus. Within this clade, the combination of two lingual papillae, a filiform median ridge, and the lack of buccal roof papillae are diagnostic of E. perezi and putative autapomorphies of Edalorhina. Chondrocranial anatomy provides characteristics, that is, presence of and uniquely shaped processus pseudopterygoideus and cartilago suprarostralis with corpora and alae joined by dorsal and ventral connections that readily differentiates the genus from other Leiuperinae.

Analysis of ultraconserved elements supports African origins of narrow-mouthed frogs.

Narrow-mouthed frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) are globally distributed and molecular data suggest the rapid evolution of multiple subfamilies shortly after their origin. Despite recent progress, several subfamilial relationships remain unexplored using phylogenomic data. We analysed 1,796 nuclear ultraconserved elements, a total matrix of 400,664 nucleotides, from representatives of most microhylid subfamilies. Summary method species-tree and maximum likelihood analyses unambiguously supported Hoplophryninae as the earliest diverging microhylid and confirm Chaperininae as a junior synonym of Microhylinae. Given the emerging consensus that subfamilies from mainland Africa diverged early, microhylids have likely occupied the continent for more than 66 million years.

The unique traits of the subgenus Unicus within Chiasmocleis Méhely, 1094 (Anura: Microhylidae).

Chiasmocleis is the most speciose genus of Neotropical microhylids. The genus consists of three monophyletic clades that were recently recognized as subgenera. Within Chiasmocleis, the subgenus Unicus has a basal position in the phylogeny and contains a single species that occurs in the North Atlantic Forest of Brazil, isolated from the ranges of other Chiasmocleis. However, the subgenus Unicus lacked a formal description and consequently so far was a nomen nudum. Herein, we provide a diagnosis (i.e., morphological and molecular apomorphies) of the subgenus Unicus de Sá, Tonini, van Huss, Long, Cuddy, Forlani, Peloso, Zaher and Haddad, 2019b; for convenience, the name has also been registered in ZooBank.

Multiple connections between Amazonia and Atlantic Forest shaped the phylogenetic and morphological diversity of Chiasmocleis Mehely, 1904 (Anura: Microhylidae: Gastrophryninae).

Chiasmocleis is the most species-rich genus of Neotropical microhylids. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive multilocus phylogeny for the genus, including all but 3 of the 34 recognized species and multiple individuals per species. We discuss cryptic speciation, species discovery, patterns of morphological evolution, and provide a historical biogeographic analysis to account for the current distribution of the genus. Diversification of Chiasmocleis from other New World microhylids began during the Eocene, app. 40 mya, in forested areas, and current diversity seems to be a product of recurrent connections between the Atlantic Forest and Amazonia. Small-sized species evolved independently three times in Chiasmocleis. Furthermore, the extremely small-bodied (i.e. miniaturized) species with associated loss of digits, phalanges, and pectoral girdle cartilages evolved only once and are restricted to Amazonia. Using the phylogeny, we recognized three subgenera within Chiasmocleis: Chiasmocleis Méhely, 1904, Relictus subg. nov., and Syncope Walker, 1973. The recognition of the subgenus Syncope informs future research on patterns of miniaturization in the genus, and the subgenus Relictus highlights isolation of an endemic and species-poor lineage to the Atlantic Forest, early (about 40 mya) in the history of Chiasmocleis.

Molecular insights into the phylogenetic placement of the poorly known genus Niceforonia Goin Cochran, 1963 (Anura: Brachycephaloidea).

Among New World direct-developing frogs belonging to the clade Brachycephaloidea (= Terraranae), there are several genera with uncertain phylogenetic placements. One notable example is the genus Niceforonia Goin Cochran 1963, which includes three species that are endemic to Colombia. Three specimens of the species Niceforonia nana were collected and for the first time the genus is included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial (mtDNA; 12S and 16S) and nuclear (nucDNA; TYR and RAG1) markers. Molecular phylogenetic inference based on concatenated and separate mtDNA and nucDNA analyses recovered Niceforonia nana nested within Hypodactylus Hedges et al. 2008, rendering the latter genus paraphyletic. Consequently, herein we place the genus Hypodactylus in the synonymy of Niceforonia to resolve the paraphyly and place Niceforonia in the subfamily Hypodactylinae. Based on our revised concept of the genus Niceforonia we conducted preliminary morphological comparisons using specimens and literature descriptions. Finally, Nicefornia nana is quite divergent from other species of Niceforonia (uncorrected genetic distances of ca. 10% 16S and 7% TYR) suggesting that further taxonomic revision may be warranted.

Leptodactylus validus Garman, 1888 in Colombia: its distribution and identification.

Leptodactylus validus is reported for the first time for Colombia, corresponding to the tenth species of the L. melanonotus species group occurring in the country. In collections, all L. validus specimens were identified as L. colombiensis. Morphological, coloration, and ecological characters are provided to differentiate the two species in Colombia. Furthermore, the distribution of L. validus is expanded based on the examination of specimens in both collections and literature records. In addition, the advertisement call of L. validus from Colombia is compared with those reported for other continental and insular populations; the calls are slightly more similar to those of insular populations.

A global community effort to decipher the unique biology of annual killifish.

Over the past 50 years, annual killifishes arose as alternative model organisms for studies of vertebrate biology. The annual fish offers exceptional advantages for studies of genetics, genomics, developmental biology, population dynamics, ecology, biogeography, and evolution. They inhabit extremely variable freshwater environments in Africa and South America, have a short lifespan and a set of unique and fascinating developmental characteristics. Embryos survive within the dry substrate during the dry season, whereas the adult population dies. Thus, the survival of the populations is entirely dependent on the buried embryos that hatch the next rainy season. Although Old and New World species share similarities in their life cycle, they also have different adaptive responses associated with climate-related selective pressures. Therefore, contrasting different species from these areas is essential to understand unique adaptations to heterogeneous environment. A network of laboratories (United States, Czech Republic, Italy, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay) is working and collaborating on many aspects of the biology of annual fishes. Participating researchers share projects and cross-training undergraduate and graduate students. These efforts resulted in two International Symposia (2010 and 2015) that took place in Montevideo and an international book. Herein, we summarize the progress made by this global community of scientists. Developmental Dynamics 246:807-811, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Molecular and morphological data reveal three new cryptic species of Chiasmocleis (Mehely 1904) (Anura, Microhylidae) endemic to the Atlantic Forest, Brazil.

Three new cryptic species of Chiasmocleis from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil are described. Two of these species occur in the northeastern states of Sergipe and Bahia, whereas the third species is found in the southeastern state of São Paulo. The new species can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the molecular data, as evidenced in the phylogeny, and by a combination of morphological characters including: size, foot webbing, dermal spines, and coloration patterns. Chiasmocleis species differ in osteological traits, therefore we also provide an osteological description of each new species and comparsions with data reported for other species in the genus.

Mechanisms Underlying Adaptation of Respiratory Network Activity to Modulatory Stimuli in the Mouse Embryo.

Breathing is a rhythmic behavior that requires organized contractions of respiratory effector muscles. This behavior must adapt to constantly changing conditions in order to ensure homeostasis, proper body oxygenation, and CO2/pH regulation. Respiratory rhythmogenesis is controlled by neural networks located in the brainstem. One area considered to be essential for generating the inspiratory phase of the respiratory rhythm is the preBötzinger complex (preBötC). Rhythmogenesis emerges from this network through the interplay between the activation of intrinsic cellular properties (pacemaker properties) and intercellular synaptic connections. Respiratory activity continuously changes under the impact of numerous modulatory substances depending on organismal needs and environmental conditions. The preBötC network has been shown to become active during the last third of gestation. But only little is known regarding the modulation of inspiratory rhythmicity at embryonic stages and even less on a possible role of pacemaker neurons in this functional flexibility during the prenatal period. By combining electrophysiology and calcium imaging performed on embryonic brainstem slice preparations, we provide evidence showing that embryonic inspiratory pacemaker neurons are already intrinsically sensitive to neuromodulation and external conditions (i.e., temperature) affecting respiratory network activity, suggesting a potential role of pacemaker neurons in mediating rhythm adaptation to modulatory stimuli in the embryo.

High genetic diversity but low population structure in the frog Pseudopaludicola falcipes (Hensel, 1867) (Amphibia, Anura) from the Pampas of South America.

Relative to South America's ecoregions, the temperate grasslands of the Pampas have been poorly studied from a phylogeographic perspective. Based on an intermediate biogeographic setting between subtropical forest (Atlantic Forest) and arid ecosystems (Chaco and Patagonia), Pampean species are expected to show unstable demographic histories due to the Quaternary climatic oscillations. Herein, we investigate the phylogenetic relatedness and phylogeographic history of Pseudopaludicola falcipes, a small and common frog that is widely distributed across the Pampean grasslands. First, we use molecular data to assess if P. falcipes represents a single or multiple, separately evolving cryptic lineages. Because P. falcipes is a small-size species (<20mm) with extensive coloration and morphological variation, we suspected that it might represent a complex of cryptic species. In addition, we expected strong genetic and geographic structuring within Pseudopaludicola falcipes due to its large geographic distribution, potentially short dispersal distances, and multiple riverine barriers. We found that P. falcipes is a single evolutionary lineage with poor geographic structuring. Furthermore, current populations of P. falcipes have a large effective population size, maintain ancestral polymorphisms, and have a complex network of gene flow. We conclude that the demographic history of P. falcipes, combined with its ecological attributes and the landscape features of the Pampas, favored a unique combination among anurans of small body size, large population size, high genetic variability, but high cohesiveness of populations over a wide geographic distribution.

Comments on the type locality, type series, and geographic distribution of Pseudopaludicola falcipes (Hensel, 1867) (Amphibia, Anura).

The genus Pseudopaludicola was erected by Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 to accommodate Liuperus falcipes Hensel, 1867a. Currently, there are 18 recognized species of Pseudopaludicola, with 45% of the species described since 2003. Although Pseudopaludicola falcipes is the type species, Hensel's description lacked designation of type specimens for that species; furthermore, it was based on a series of 30 individuals (without collection numbers or indication of where were they deposited) from "Provinz S[ão]. Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul" (today Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil).

A new species of Chiasmocleis (Microhylidae, Gastrophryninae) from the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo State, Brazil.

Among Neotropical microhylids, the genus Chiasmocleis is exceptionally diverse. Most species of Chiasmocleis were described in recent years based on external morphology, but recent studies using molecular data did not support the monophyly of the species groups clustered based on feet webbing. Furthermore, a phylogeographic study of C. lacrimae estimated high genetic divergence and low gene flow among populations across small geographic ranges. Increasing the molecular and geographic sampling, and incorporating morphological data, we identified new cryptic species. Herein, we used novel genetic and morphological data to describe a new species of Chiasmocleis.

Evolutionary relationships of the critically endangered frog Ericabatrachus baleensis Largen, 1991 with notes on incorporating previously unsampled taxa into large-scale phylogenetic analyses.

BACKGROUND: The phylogenetic relationships of many taxa remain poorly known because of a lack of appropriate data and/or analyses. Despite substantial recent advances, amphibian phylogeny remains poorly resolved in many instances. The phylogenetic relationships of the Ethiopian endemic monotypic genus Ericabatrachus has been addressed thus far only with phenotypic data and remains contentious. RESULTS: We obtained fresh samples of the now rare and Critically Endangered Ericabatrachus baleensis and generated DNA sequences for two mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. Analyses of these new data using de novo and constrained-tree phylogenetic reconstructions strongly support a close relationship between Ericabatrachus and Petropedetes, and allow us to reject previously proposed alternative hypotheses of a close relationship with cacosternines or Phrynobatrachus. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the implications of our results for the taxonomy, biogeography and conservation of E. baleensis, and suggest a two-tiered approach to the inclusion and analyses of new data in order to assess the phylogenetic relationships of previously unsampled taxa. Such approaches will be important in the future given the increasing availability of relevant mega-alignments and potential framework phylogenies.

Unexpected phylogenetic positions of the genera Rupirana and Crossodactylodes reveal insights into the biogeography and reproductive evolution of leptodactylid frogs.

Despite major progress in deciphering the amphibian tree of life by molecular phylogenetics, we identified two questions remaining to be answered regarding relationships within Hyloidea, the clade of South American origin that comprises most extant anuran diversity. A few genera like Rupirana and Crossodactylodes have enigmatic phylogenetic positions, and relationships among major lineages within some families like Leptodactylidae remain ambiguous. To resolve these specific questions we used two approaches (1) a complete matrix approach representing >6.6 kb, including most major Hyloidea lineages (61 terminals) combining different methods of phylogenetic reconstruction and measures of node support; and (2) a supermatrix approach >11.6 kb with a focus on Leptodactylidae. Both Rupirana and Crossodactylodes are unambiguously grouped with Paratelmatobius and Scythrophrys. The clade comprising these four genera is named Crossodactylodinae and embedded within Leptodactylidae. Crossodactylodinae is moderately supported as sister group of Leptodactylinae from (1) and as the sister group of the other Leptodactylidae from (2) with low support. Genera within Crossodactylodinae are scattered along a north-south axis in the Atlantic forest and their origins are very ancient (Paleocene). Such results stress the importance of the northern Atlantic forest in terms of conservation. Moreover, the position of Pseudopaludicola, which is well supported as the sister group to all other Leiuperinae, suggests that foam-nest building may have arisen independently in Leptodactylinae and Leiuperinae. Moreover, in spite of being of similar age, foam-nest builders are more widespread than nonfoam-nest breeders and have higher species diversity. Nevertheless, the bulk of the diversity within foam-nest breeders arose some 20 Myr later than the character itself.

The identity of Rana margaritifera Laurenti, 1768 (Anura, Bufonidae).

Rana margaritifera was described by Laurenti in 1768 and currently is associated to the genus Rhinella, under the combination Rhinella margaritifera. Currently, the R. margaritifera species group consists of 16 recognized species. Furthermore, many additional species have been suggested to exist in this group which highlights the ambiguity surrounding the identity of Rhinella margaritifera and impend further description of the species in this group. After an exhaustive bibliographic review, we concluded that the recent designation of a lectotype for R. margaritifera is invalid according with Art. 73, ICZN, 1999. Herein, we designate and provide the description of a neotype for Rana margaritifera Laurenti, 1768.

Brazilian propolis protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells against oxidative stress.

Propolis is a natural product widely used for humans. Due to its complex composition, a number of applications (antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, anesthetic, cytostatic and antioxidant) have been attributed to this substance. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a eukaryotic model we investigated the mechanisms underlying the antioxidant effect of propolis from Guarapari against oxidative stress. Submitting a wild type (BY4741) and antioxidant deficient strains (ctt1Δ, sod1Δ, gsh1Δ, gtt1Δ and gtt2Δ) either to 15 mM menadione or to 2 mM hydrogen peroxide during 60 min, we observed that all strains, except the mutant sod1Δ, acquired tolerance when previously treated with 25 µg/mL of alcoholic propolis extract. Such a treatment reduced the levels of ROS generation and of lipid peroxidation, after oxidative stress. The increase in Cu/Zn-Sod activity by propolis suggests that the protection might be acting synergistically with Cu/Zn-Sod.