Analysis of the morphology and ontogeny of Xenoanuros herpetological collection of the museum of natural history, university of Kansas (KU) - Lawrence, Kansas, usa

• Grant number: 12/20754-7
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 14, 2013
• Effective date (End): December 13, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Grantee: Olivia Gabriela dos Santos Araújo
• Supervisor abroad: Linda Trueb
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Local de pesquisa : University of Kansas, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/04443-1 - Xenoanura phylogenetic analysis based on molecular and morphological data with emphasis on the species of the neotropical family Pipidae (Amphibia: Anura), BP.DR

Abstract

The Herpetological Collection of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas (KU) is considered the largest collection of reptiles and Neotropical amphibians and contains one of the largest collections of osteological preparations of clear and double-stained specimens for cartilage and dry skeletons. Moreover, it has the largest collection of xenoanurans in the world and a large number of amphibian larvae in various stages of development. I will analyze the external and internal morphology of adults and larvae of Xenoanura, tabulating the variations found in a phylogenetic matrix. In addition, I will describe the ontogenetic sequence of bone and cartilage in Pipa myersi and the ontogeny of cartilaginous structures in P. pipa, tabulating in a phylogenetic matrix the development of the characters found. Variations in morphology will be documented through photos and illustrations using the techniques learned from Dr. Linda Trueb. (AU)