Study of comparative anatomy and evolution of the prepollical spine in Anura (Chordata: Lissamphibia)

• Grant number: 18/18473-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: May 20, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Taran Grant
• Grantee: Paulo Durães Pereira Pinheiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/10000-5 - A multi-disciplinary approach to the study of amphibian diversification, AP.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/13764-5 - Filling the gaps for the spine-shaped prepollex in frogs: the carpal anatomy of Centrolenidae and Microhylidae (Chordata: Lissamphibia: Anura), BE.EP.PD 19/25061-9 - Using micro-ct scanning to study the morphology and evolution of the spine-shaped prepollex in anura (Chordata: Lissamphibia), BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The prepollex is a carpal element of the anuran skeleton that exhibits extensive morphological diversity. It has been hypothesized that this morphological diversity is related to certain functions and behaviors (e.g., territoriality, nest construction, and burrow excavation) and interactions with skin structures (e.g., carpal tubercles and nuptial pads). Among this morphological diversity, in some anuran groups the prepollex is developed into a conspicuous spine, especially in males. Due to its use in male-male combat, the prepollical spine is an important morphological structure in the reproductive biology of territorial species. The prepollical spine is known to occur in clades of five distinct families: Centrolenidae, Hylidae, Mantellidae, Microhylidae, and Ranidae. The spine is a protruding structure, associated to an elaborated musculature. However, its functional mechanisms are not totally known. The action mechanisms of the related muscles, passage of the spine through the skin, and the correlation between all this morpho-anatomical set and the social interactions of anurans seem to be a wonderful scenario for evolution studies and homology hypothesis on Anura phylogeny. The present project aims study the anatomy and histology of the prepollical spine of Anura, focusing specifically on the differences between the clades in which it occurs and clarifying the functional significance and evolutionary history of this important structure.

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LYRA, MARIANA L.; LOURENCO, ANA CAROLINA C.; PINHEIRO, PAULO D. P.; PEZZUTI, TIAGO L.; BAETA, DELIO; BARLOW, AXEL; HOFREITER, MICHAEL; POMBAL JR, JOSE P.; HADDAD, CELIO F. B.; FAIVOVICH, JULIAN. High-throughput DNA sequencing of museum specimens sheds light on the long-missing species of the Bokermannohyla claresignata group (Anura: Hylidae: Cophomantini). ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 190, n. 4, p. 1235-1255, DEC 2020. (13/50741-7, 18/18473-6, 12/25370-2, 18/15425-0)

PINHEIRO, P. A. U. L. O. D. P.; BLOTTO, B. O. R. I. S. L.; RON, S. A. N. T. I. A. G. O. R.; STANLEY, E. D. W. A. R. D. L.; GARCIA, P. A. U. L. O. C. A.; HADDAD, C. E. L. I. O. F. B.; GRANT, T. A. R. A. N.; FAIVOVICH, J. U. L. I. A. N.. Prepollex diversity and evolution in Cophomantini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae). ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 195, n. 3, p. 27-pg., 2022-06-23. (19/25061-9, 13/50741-7, 15/11237-7, 18/15425-0, 14/50342-8, 12/10000-5, 18/18473-6)

PINHEIRO, PAULO D. P.; CARRIZO, GUSTAVO R.; FAIVOVICH, JULIAN. The identity of the poorly known treefrog Hyla varelae Carrizo, 1992 (Anura: Hylidae). ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER, v. 283, p. 186-191, NOV 2019. (12/10000-5, 18/18473-6, 13/50741-7, 18/15425-0)

PINHEIRO, PAULO D. P.; PEZZUTI, TIAGO L.; BERNECK, BIANCA V. M.; LYRA, MARIANA L.; LIMA, RAPHAEL C. L.; LEITE, FELIPE S. F.. A new cryptic species of the Aplastodiscus albosignatus group (Anura: Hylidae). SALAMANDRA, v. 57, n. 1, p. 27-43, FEB 15 2021. (18/18473-6, 13/50741-7, 13/18807-8, 19/25061-9, 17/26162-8)

FAIVOVICH, JULIAN; PINHEIRO, PAULO D. P.; LYRA, MARIANA L.; PEREYRA, MARTIN O.; BALDO, DIEGO; MUNOZ, ARTURO; REICHLE, STEFFEN; BRANDAO, REUBER A.; GIARETTA, ARIOVALDO A.; THOME, MARIA TEREZA C.; et al. Phylogenetic relationships of the Boana pulchella Group (Anura: Hylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 155, FEB 2021. (18/18473-6, 19/25061-9, 13/50741-7, 18/15425-0, 17/26162-8)

LURIA-MANZANO, RICARDO; PINHEIRO, PAULO D. P.; KOHLSDORF, TIANA; HADDAD, CELIO F. B.; MARTINS, MARCIO. Evolution of territoriality in Hylinae treefrogs: Ecological and morphological correlates and lineage diversification. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, v. 36, n. 8, p. 12-pg., 2023-06-15. (20/12658-4, 18/18473-6, 20/10189-7, 21/13764-5)