title: Mitochondrial phylogeny of an Asian tree frog genus Theloderma (Anura: Rhacophoridae).
abstract: We assessed phylogenetic and systematic relationships among 17 out of 23 species of Theloderma and all three species of Nyctixalus from 2412bp sequences of the mitochondrial DNA genes of 12S rRNA, tRNA(val), and 16S rRNA using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. With the exception of T. moloch, Theloderma and Nyctixalus are confirmed to form a clade, in which each genus also forms a clade. Theloderma moloch is phylogenetically outside these clades and closer to samples from Chiromantis, Feihyla, Gracixalus, Kurixalus, Philautus, Polypedates, Raorchestes, and Rhacophorus. Within Theloderma, T. horridum and T. stellatum form the sister taxon to a clade comprising the remaining species. The basal split within the latter clade groups T. asperum, T. licin, T. petilum, and T. ryabovi as the sister to a clade comprising T. bicolor, T. chuyangsinense, T. corticale, T. gordoni, T. laeve, T. lateriticum, T. nebulosum, T. rhododiscus, and T. truongsonense. Our phylogenetic results indicate homoplastic evolution of four morphological characters: small vs. large body size, presence of vomerine teeth, presence of a vocal opening in males, and interdigital webbing on hands. The common ancestor of Theloderma and Nyctixalus is inferred to have arisen in the area including the current Sunda region.
authors: Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, Viet Nam. Electronic address: nguyenthientao@gmail.com.
authors: Tao Thien
authors: TT
authors: Nguyen
authors: Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address: fumi@zoo.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors: Masafumi
authors: M
authors: Matsui
authors: Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Kyoto University Museum, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address: koshiro.eto@gmail.com.
authors: Koshiro
authors: K
authors: Eto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012366:RNA, Transfer, Val / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012366:RNA, Transfer, Val; C075526:RNA, ribosomal, 12S
keywords: Biogeography; Character evolution; Nyctixalus; Southeast Asia; mtDNA phylogeny