The evolution of the larynx in hylidae: a study of the diversity in Australo-Papuan Region, Central and North America, and Eurasia

• Grant number: 21/13669-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: June 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Grantee: Katyuscia de Araujo Vieira
• Supervisor: Rafe Brown
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Kansas, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 19/24979-2 - The evolution of the larynx in anurans: a study of the laryngeal structure in the most species-rich genus of Neotropical treefrogs (Hylidae: Scinax), BP.PD

Abstract

The larynx of anurans is a cartilaginous structure that houses the vocal cords. The sound is produced by vibration of the vocal cords and associated cartilages as the air accumulated in the lungs is expired and moves through the larynx into the buccal cavity. The larynx is of great importance during the reproductive period of anurans, because it is the organ that produces the calls required for successful courtship and mating in this group. Studies on of the larynx in anurans were basically restricted to individual species and small clades, or to few species of large groups. Furthermore, no comprehensive study on the morphological structure of larynx and its associated musculature across the diversity of Anura has been carried out considering a phylogenetic context. The family Hylidae is the most species-rich clade of arboreal anurans (1,031 species), with its diversity concentrated in the Australo-Papuan and Neotropical regions, with relatively smaller radiations in Central and North America, and Eurasia. Hylidae has a great morphological and structural diversity of the larynx, but it is poorly known considering the number of species and morphological diversity of the family. Therefore, this project aims to survey variation in the larynx and its associated musculature on hylids from Australo-Papuan region, Central and North America, and Eurasia. To accomplish this goal, I will carry out a detailed study of the laryngeal morphology of the subfamily Pelodryadinae and the tribe Hylini (Hylinae) to better understand the evolution of the laryngeal structure and its diversity in Hylidae, based on phylogenetic hypotheses proposed for this group. To complement this study, I will employ the method of micro-CT scanning to study the larynx cartilaginous structure and its associated musculature for selected species. (AU)