Assessing species boundaries and evolutionary potential to environmental changes in a vulnerable and narrowly endemic anuran species

• Grant number: 24/03528-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 10, 2024
• End date: August 09, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Grantee: Marcus Thadeu Teixeira Santos
• Supervisor: Kelly Raquel Zamudio
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Texas at Austin (UT), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/06575-1 - Reducing the Linnean and Darwinian knowledge shortfalls in a group of anurans endemic to Brazil (Leptodactylidae: Paratelmatobiinae), BP.PD

Abstract

Alterations caused by humans, including climate change and habitat loss, are profoundly affecting the biosphere. Therefore, advancing knowledge in areas directly applicable to conservation biology is crucial, particularly for highly affected geographic regions, taxonomic groups, and species of conservation concern. Fundamental requirements include accurate taxonomic delineation and understanding species' evolutionary responses to threats, including their evolutionary potential (i.e., the capacity to persist through adaptation to shifting conditions). In this project, we will focus on the genus Rupirana, endemic to the endangered campo rupestre biome in the northern Espinhaço Mountain Range. Its only recognized species is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Using genomic-scale data, we aim to elucidate the taxonomic status of lineages within Rupirana, discerning intraspecific from interspecific divergences. To achieve this, we will employ species delimitation methods, verifying congruence with morphological and acoustic characters currently under analysis as part of the main project (FAPESP # 2021/06575-1). Additionally, we aim to forecast potential geographic range shifts in response to future climate and habitat changes for distinct populations of Rupirana. To accomplish this, we will integrate genotype-environment association analyses, species distribution modeling, and a dispersal model that considers barrier constraints. The project outcomes can offer valuable insights for extinction risk assessments and future conservation measures targeting Rupirana.