Original videos

These are the original videos recorded in field (Thoropa taophora) and in the laboratory (Cycloramphus boraceiensis)

Filogeografia de Thoropa grupo miliaris (Anura: Cycloramphidae)

A Mata Atlântica, uma formação florestal com alta diversidade e ameaçada por ação antrópica, é foco de interesse de vários estudos sobre diversificação de espécies. Este estudo teve como objetivo principal entender a história evolutiva das espécies de Thoropa grupo miliaris (Anura: Cycloramphidae), que inclui T. miliaris, T. taophora, T. saxatilis e T. megatympanum. Utilizei sequências de DNA mitocondrial dos fragmentos 16S, ND2 e COI de indivíduos das quatro espécies (N = 487), distribuídos em um total de 98 localidades. Realizei análises de agrupamento para os três fragmentos separados, e posteriormente realizei análises filogenéticas sob Inferência Bayesiana, Máxima Verossimilhança e Máxima Parcimônia com os fragmentos concatenados. Além disso, fiz redes de haplótipos com as sequências de 16S, e calculei diversidades genéticas, além das divergências genéticas intra e interclados. Por fim, estimei tempos de divergência por meio de análises coalescentes (t MRCA) e das divergências genéticas (dA ). Encontrei a diversidade genética distribuída em oito clados distintos. Thoropa saxatilis e T. megatympanum são grupos monofiléticos bem estruturados. A primeira localiza-se no nordeste do Rio Grande do Sul e sudeste de Santa Catarina, e a segunda ocorre na Serra do Espinhaço. Thoropa miliaris inclui cinco grupos parafiléticos em relação à T. taophora, e ocorrem desde o sudeste da Bahia até o sudeste do Rio de Janeiro, e sobrepõem-se no centro-sul do Espírito Santo e centro-norte do Rio de Janeiro. Thoropa taophora inclui populações do extremo sudeste do estado do Rio de Janeiro e do litoral do estado de São Paulo. Alguns clados de Thoropa miliaris são bem estruturados, e os outros formam, juntamente com T. taophora, um agrupamento...The Atlantic Forest, a forest formation with high diversity and threatened by human action, is the subject of interest of many studies on species diversification. This study is based on the evolutionary history of the Thoropa miliaris group (Anura: Cycloramphidae), which includes T. miliaris, T. taophora¸ T. saxatilis and T. megatympanum. I used sequences of mitochondrial DNA fragments of 16S, ND2 and COI from individuals of the four species (N = 487), distributed in 98 localities. I performed cluster analysis for the three separated fragments, and after that, phylogenetic analyzes with Bayesian Inference, Maximum Likelihood and Maximum Parsimony with the concatenated fragments. In addition, I made haplotype networks using the 16S fragment, and also calculated genetic diversity and genetic divergences within and between clades. Finally, I estimated times of divergence using coalescent analysis (t MRCA) and genetic divergence (dA ). I found the genetic diversity distributed in eight distinct clades. Thoropa saxatilis and T. megatympanum are monophyletic and structured groups. The first located in northeastern Rio Grande do Sul and southeast Santa Catarina and the second occurs at Serra do Espinhaço. Thoropa miliaris includes five paraphyletic groups that occur from southern Bahia to southern Rio de Janeiro, and these clades overlap in the center- south of the Espírito Santo and north-central Rio de Janeiro. Thoropa taophora includes populations from the extreme southeastern of the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the coast of the São Paulo state. Some clades of Thoropa miliaris are structured, and the others form, along with T. taophora, a group with low genetic diversity. Thoropa miliaris group possibly began its diversification in the Miocene (tempo de divergência: 8.5 to 3.7 My) and most recent common ancestors are from... (Complete abstract click electronic access below

Anurans of a riparian forest in São Carlos, state of São Paulo, Brazil

No presente estudo foi realizado um inventário das espécies de anfíbios anuros que ocorrem em um fragmento de mata ciliar do Córrego do Espraiado, localizado na Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Município de São Carlos, estado de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. Durante os meses de março de 2009 a fevereiro de 2010 foram realizadas saídas de campo semanais nas quais foram registradas 13 espécies de anuros. A atividade reprodutiva das espécies de anuros componentes da comunidade estudada mostrou-se sazonal, sendo que houve correlação positiva e significativa entre o número de espécies em atividade reprodutiva e o fotoperíodo. Verificamos que a comunidade estudada mostrou-se mais semelhante a comunidades de anuros de florestas de transição entre Mata Atlântica e Cerrado do que a fragmentos de Cerrado próximos da região.We surveyed anuran amphibians in a riparian forest fragment of the Córrego do Espraiado, located at the Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), Municipality of São Carlos, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. During March 2009 and February 2010 we did weekly surveys in which we recorded 13 anuran species. The species showed a seasonal reproductive activity. In addition, we found a positive correlation between the number of reproductively active species and photoperiod. We also found that the studied community was more similar to those of transitional areas between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado than those of the nearby Cerrado fragments

Amphibian parasites of the Order Dermocystida (Ichthyosporea): current knowledge, taxonomic review and new records from Brazil

Amphibian parasites of the Order Dermocystida (Ichthyosporea) are widespread pathogens known mainly from Europe and North America, which cause primarily a disease of skin and subcutaneous tissue in their hosts. The taxonomy of these organisms has been problematic given their conserved morphology, similar clinical disease and pathology. Currently recognized taxa belong to the three closely related genera, Amphibiocystidium, Amphibiothecum, and Rhinosporidium, whereas species of Dermocystidium and Sphaerothecum destruens include fish parasites. Here, we review the taxonomy of Dermocystida based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis, principally of amphibian parasites, including DNA sequences obtained from amphibian hosts collected in the central-eastern region of South America. A new taxonomic arrangement is proposed, which includes the designation of type material for Dermocystidium pusula, synonymization of Amphibiothecum with Dermocystidium, and the restriction of Amphibiocystidium to its type species A. ranae. We also review the taxonomic status of Dermosporidium hylarum until the present work included in the synonymy of the human and animal pathogen R. seeberi, and considered herein as a valid taxon, however. In addition, a new species of Sphaerothecum parasitic to amphibians is described, being the first record of this genus in the southern hemisphere and in an amphibian host.Fil: Borteiro, Claudio. Universidad de la República; Uruguay. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; UruguayFil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Maronna, Maximiliano M.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Pontes Baêta Da Costa, Délio. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Sabbag, Ariadne Fares. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Kolenc, Francisco. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural; UruguayFil: Debat, Claudio Martínez. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Haddad, Célio F. B.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Cruz, Juan Carlos. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Verdes, José Manuel. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Ubilla, Martín. Universidad de la República; Urugua

Life on the edge: Tadpoles of Cycloramphidae (Amphibia; Anura), anatomy, systematics, functional morphology, and comments on the evolution of semiterrestrial tadpoles

The evolutionary success of anurans can be partially explained by the occurrence of free-living larvae. Tadpoles occupy several distict habitats, including the terrestrial environment. Semiterrestriality appears to have evolved seven times in anurans, and tadpoles of distantly related lineages have converged in a set of phenotypic characters, such as a depressed body, ventral mouth, massive, well-keratinized and laterally compressed jaw sheaths, low fins, and well-developed hind limbs. The semiterrestrial tadpoles of the South American family Cycloramphidae remain poorly studied. In this work, we perform a comparative analysis of the external and internal morphology of these larvae, we comment on the systematic and evolutionary implications for the family, and finally, we discuss the convergent evolution of semiterrestrial tadpoles in anurans. We studied the external, buccopharyngeal, and musculoskeletal morphology of semiterrestrial tadpoles of 14 species of Cycloramphidae. These tadpoles are highly modified and present several character-states associated with semiterrestrial life. Most of them are unique and restricted to the family, such as the novel configuration of the muscles subarcualis rectus I, rectus abdominis, and levator arcuum branchialium III. We propose 13 new synapomorphies for Cycloramphidae and one for Thoropa. The presence of similar, homoplastic, character-states in all semiterrestrial tadpoles of unrelated phylogenetic lineages seems to suggest that these character-states are adaptations for semiterrestriality.Fil: Dos Santos Dias, Pedro Henrique. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Vera Candioti, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Fares Sabbag, Ariadne. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Colaco, G. Universidade Federal Rural Do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Da Silva, Helio Ricardo. Universidade Federal Rural Do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Baptista Haddad, Célio Fernando. Unesp-universidade Estadual Paulista; BrasilFil: Carvalho e Silva, Ana Maria Paulino Telles De. Universidade Federal Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Grant, Taran. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi