High Species Richness of Scinax Treefrogs (Hylidae) in a Threatened Amazonian Landscape Revealed by an Integrative Approach.
Rising habitat loss is one of the main drivers of the global amphibian decline. Nevertheless, knowledge of amphibian diversity needed for effective habitat protection is still highly inadequate in remote tropical regions, the greater part of the Amazonia. In this study we integrated molecular, morphological and bioacoustic evidence to evaluate the species richness of the treefrogs genus Scinax over a 1000 km transect across rainforest of the Purus-Madeira interfluve, and along the east bank of the upper Madeira river, Brazilian Amazonia. Analysis revealed that 82% of the regional species richness of Scinax is still undescribed; two nominal species, seven confirmed candidate species, two unconfirmed candidate species, and one deep conspecific lineage were detected in the study area. DNA barcoding based analysis of the 16s rRNA gene indicates possible existence of three discrete species groups within the genus Scinax, in addition to the already-known S. rostratus species Group. Quantifying and characterizing the number of undescribed Scinax taxa on a regional scale, we provide a framework for future taxonomic study in Amazonia. These findings indicate that the level to which Amazonian anura species richness has been underestimated is far greater than expected. Consequently, special attention should be paid both to taxonomic studies and protection of the still-neglected Amazonian Scinax treefrogs.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Miquéias
M
Ferrão
Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Olavo
O
Colatreli
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Rafael
R
de Fraga
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Igor L
IL
Kaefer
Department of Zoology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic.
Jiří
J
Moravec
Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Albertina P
AP
Lima
D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D001001:Anura / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001938:Brazil; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D017753:Ecosystem; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D065947:Rainforest; D013045:Species Specificity
D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S