Evolutionary genetics of colour patterns in Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae)

• Grant number: 21/08799-4
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): December 13, 2021
• Effective date (End): August 12, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics
• Principal researcher: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Grantee: Juliane Petry de Carli Monteiro
• Supervisor abroad: Heike Prohl
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/09691-0 - Evolutionary history of the Brachycephalus pernix group (Anura: Brachycephalidae), BP.DR

Abstract

The study of the evolutionary processes that originate phenotypic diversity can offer insights into the process of adaptation in natural populations. Coloration patterns variation have intrigued scientists for centuries, and among vertebrates amphibians are one of the most interesting groups, exhibiting a vast variation in coloration, whose function has been mainly associated with UV protection, interspecies communication, and predator avoidance. Despite significant advances made on this topic, the genetic basis of coloration in amphibians is still surprisingly unknown. Herein we propose to deepen in genomic bases of coloration in the genus Brachycephalus, using the aposematic and polymorphic species B. actaeus as model. We are going to use transcriptomic data to identify genes, which are differentially expressed among colour morphs in this species.