Geometric Morphometric and Finite Element Analysis of Skull and Ilion Variation in Rhinella (Fitzinger, 1826): Taxonomic Implications

• Grant number: 25/04373-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: February 26, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Max Cardoso Langer
• Grantee: Julian Sebastian Ramirez Moreno
• Supervisor: Philip Graham Cox
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University College London (UCL), England
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/08123-6 - The Rhinella fossil record for South America: description of unpublished specimens, taxonomic review and phylogenetic position, BP.DR

Abstract

Toads of the genus Rhinella are small to medium-sized bufonids widely distributed across the neotropics, exhibiting significant morphological and biological diversity. The genus is recognized as monophyletic and is divided into two major clades: R. marina and R. margaritifera. Traditionally, osteological characters have been used to study the taxonomy and evolutionary relations of the group, but conventional techniques have limitations in capturing morphological variation in both extant and fossil specimens, making their classification challenging. To address this issue, this project aims to use micro-computed tomography (CT scanning) to create a comprehensive osteological atlas of Rhinella, which will allow for the assessment of intraspecific variability in osteological traits through geometric morphometrics (GMM) and the investigation of functional adaptations in the skeletal structures of Rhinella using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), a method that has been rarely applied to amphibians. This multifaceted approach will provide valuable insights into their evolution and functional morphology.