Body size, habitat, and sexual selection affect call evolution in Cophomantini treefrogs (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae) - In press
-March 2024- This contribution published in Biological Journal of the Linnean Society results from the Bachelor Thesis of Daniel Nakamura. We study the correlation between spectral traits of the vocalizations in Cophomantini and sexual size dimorphism and habitat aiming to better understand their evolution in this group. |
A new species of Crossodactylodes from the Espinhaço Mountain Range, Southeastern Brazil (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Paratelmatobiinae)
-June 2023- In this paper in of my great friend and band partner, Marcus Thadeu, a new species of these tiny frogs' genus is described. It is the second species of Crossodactylodes from the "campos rupestres" ecosystem. The new species inhabits bromeliads and it is known only from the natural reserve where it has been collected, the Parque Estadual da Serra Negra, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The paper was published in Herpetologica. |
Evolution of terrioriality in Hylinae treefrogs: Ecological and morphological correlates and lineage diversification
-June 2023- This paper led by Ricardo Luría-Manzano is actually the first one of his PhD at Universidade de São Paulo. As a member of his progress evaluation commitee, I had the oportunity to colaborate and participate in this work. So, congratulations and thank you, Ricardo! In this work published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology, we used the anuran subfamily Hylinae to study the evolutionary dynamics of two territorial-behaviour traits: territorial call and physical combat. We found that they are associated with reproduction in lentic waters and that diversification rates are negatively correlated with physical combat. |
Interactive key for identification of both adults and tadpoles of anurans of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, southeastern Brazil
-November 2021- In this month was released the app we have developed for identification of anurans of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero. The app includes interactive keys for identification of adults and tadpoles of the species that occur in the region. The Quadrilátero Ferrífero (Iron Quadrangle) is a region rich in deposits of iron in the soil. Because of that, it is havely exploited by mining activities. As a consequence, its rich fauna and flora is very threatened. The app aims to help biologists conducting research and environmental consultancy in the region, so as to entertain nature lovers. The app can be found for free in both GooglePlay and AppleStore, and also in the site of the project Anfíbios do Quadrilátero. |
Prepollex diversity and evolution in Cophomantini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylini)
-October 2021- Cophomantini is a group of neotropical tree frogs in which the prepollex (a carpal bone) evolved into a protruding spine at least two times, being the structure present in 130 of the 190 species of this group. This spine is used by males in territorial combats. In this paper, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, we describe the morphological variation of the prepollex in Cophomantini, including the associated musculature and sexual dimorphism, and discuss its evolutionary history and functional and behaviorial aspects. Photo on top, left: two males of Boana faber wrestling (credits: Leandro Drummond). |
The taxonomic impediment: a shortage of taxonomists, not the lack of technical approaches
-September 2021-
With the biodiversity crisis, taxonomic researches are needed more then ever. However, the Taxonomy itself faces difficulties in being recognized as a science, even by researchers colleagues from other areas. This fact summed to the devaluation of science in general, and the lack of investment in researches throughout the world are important threats to Taxonomy. These topics are discussed in this letter published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society aiming to call attention for the need of investment in taxonomic researches and capacitation of new taxonomists before it becomes too late.
-September 2021-
With the biodiversity crisis, taxonomic researches are needed more then ever. However, the Taxonomy itself faces difficulties in being recognized as a science, even by researchers colleagues from other areas. This fact summed to the devaluation of science in general, and the lack of investment in researches throughout the world are important threats to Taxonomy. These topics are discussed in this letter published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society aiming to call attention for the need of investment in taxonomic researches and capacitation of new taxonomists before it becomes too late.
Congratulations, Daniel!!!
-July 2021-
-July 2021-
Daniel presented his Bachelor's Thesis on last July, as required for acquiring his Bachelor Degree at USP. His thesis, called "Advertisement call evolution in Cophomantini (Anura: Hylidae)", and his presentation received both good critics from the referees and we are now super excited to see his work be transformed into a published paper! Congratulations, man!!! And thank you very much for letting me be part of this experience! !!!
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A new cryptic species of the Aplastodiscus albosignatus group (Anura: Hylidae)
-February 2021-
-February 2021-
On the February issue of Salamandra, came out our paper describing this beautiful new species of green treefrog: Aplastodiscus heterophonicus. The name "heterophonicus" (distinct voice, sound) is due to the species' vocalization be totally distinct from all other congeners. On the paper we provide the phylogenetic placement of the new species, describe adult and tadpoles morphology, and the advertisement vocalization. Besides the known populations of A. heterophonicus be from places close to some natural reserves, there is no known populations protected by any preserved area. Because of that, the new species might be threatened by anthropogenic actions common in the region, such as extensive agropastoral use, logging, opencast mining, and uncontrolled urbanization.
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Phylogenetic relationships of the Boana pulchella Group (Anura: Hylidae)
-February 2021-
-February 2021-
In this paper, which came out on the volume 155 of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, we present a phylogenetic analysis of the treefrogs of the Boana pulchella Group with the goals of providing a rigorous test its monophyly and exploring the relationships of the several species not included in previous analyses. The analyses included specimens of 37 of the 38 species currently included in the group, besides the outgroup. The dataset included eight mitochondrial genes and five nuclear genes. The phylogenetic analyses recover the monophyly of the B. pulchella Group. Within it, the inclusion of almost all species of the group had little impact on previous notions of its phylogeny, except for the rejection of the hypothesized B. polytaenia Clade (B. goiana and B. phaeopleura are nested in the clade here called the B. prasina Clade), which is redefined. Phylogenetic support is strong for five major clades, which collectively include all but three of the species sampled: the B. balzani Clade, the redefined B. polytaenia Clade, the B. prasina Clade , the B. riojana Clade (B. callipleura, B. marianitae, B. riojana), and the B. semiguttata Clade. We discuss the phenotypic evidence supporting the monophyly of the B. pulchella Group, and the taxonomy of several species, identifying three new synonyms of Boana polytaenia, one new synonym of Boana goiana, and one new synonym of B. riojana.
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High-throughput DNA sequencing of a Hyla claresignata museum specimen reveals surprising results
- June 2020 -
- June 2020 -
From the highly diverse tribe Cophomantini, the only group of species that remained without being tested in a phylogenetic analysis, was the group including Hyla claresignata and Hyla clepsydra (tentatively allocated in Bokermannohyla). This is due to the fact that this small group of gladiator tree frogs, with highly modified tadpoles, have not been found in nature for about 40 years. Thanks to modern techniques of high-throughput DNA sequencing of museum specimens we could access a sample of a tadpole of Hyla claresignata. The result is that the species is the sister taxon of the Boana pulchella Group, and does not belong to Bokermannohyla as previously thought. This new phylogenetic hypothesis changed our views of tadpoles and egg-coloration evolution in Cophomantini, which are discussed in the paper recently published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
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