Evolution and diversity of the tadpoles of Ololygon Fitzinger, 1843 (Anura, Hylidae)

• Grant number: 24/11232-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Tiago Leite Pezzuti
• Grantee: Gustavo Fernandes Telles Moreira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The genus Ololygon comprises 52 species distributed from northeastern, southeastern, and central-western Brazil to eastern Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Progress in the systematic and taxonomic understanding of this group has been significant in recent years, yet important gaps persist in knowledge regarding the morphology and morphological evolution of their larval stage. Currently, only a fraction of the genus's tadpoles have descriptions of internal morphology, with no comprehensive studies exploring the evolution of different character systems. Characterizing larval structures could provide crucial morphological diagnoses to elucidate species complexes. Additionally, studies on morphological evolution have the potential to enhance understanding of species' natural history, providing valuable insights for conservation initiatives. This study aims to understand the morphological evolution of Ololygon tadpoles, additionally describing external morphology, buccopharyngeal cavity, and musculoskeletal systems not previously documented for tadpoles of this genus. To achieve this, characters of different types (i.e., discrete, continuous, 2D anatomical landmarks) and morphological systems will be investigated and proposed based on homology criteria, across as many species and clades of the genus as possible. The evolutionary history of proposed larval characters will be analyzed through optimizations on the most recent phylogenetic hypothesis. Through an integrative approach between morphological evolution and natural history characteristics (e.g., habitat use), it will be possible to evaluate phylogenetic signal and the influence of habitat use on morphological diversity within the genus. Finally, hypotheses regarding the diversification of different species groups within the genus will be discussed.