Male-male competition and repeated evolution of terrestrial breeding in Atlantic Coastal Forest frogs

Author(s)

de Sa, Fabio P. ^{[1, 2]} ; Haddad, Celio F. B. ^{[1, 2]} ; Gray, Miranda M. ^[3] ; Verdade, Vanessa K. ^[4] ; Thome, Maria Tereza C. ^{[1, 2]} ; Rodrigues, Miguel T. ^[5] ; Zamudio, Kelly R. ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Inst Biociencias, UNESP, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Ctr Aquicultura CAUNESP, Inst Biociencias, UNESP, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP - Brazil

^[3] Cornell Univ, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Ithaca, NY 14853 - USA

^[4] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Ciencias Nat & Humanas, BR-09210580 Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Zool, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Evolution; v. 74, n. 2 NOV 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Terrestrial breeding is a derived condition in frogs, with multiple transitions from an aquatic ancestor. Shifts in reproductive mode often involve changes in habitat use, and these are typically associated with diversification in body plans, with repeated transitions imposing similar selective pressures. We examine the diversification of reproductive modes, male and female body sizes, and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in the Neotropical frog genera Cycloramphus and Zachaenus, both endemic to the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. Species in this clade either breed in rocky streams (saxicolous) or in terrestrial environments, allowing us to investigate reproductive habitat shifts. We constructed a multilocus molecular phylogeny and inferred evolutionary histories of reproductive habitats, body sizes, and SSD. The common ancestor was small, saxicolous, and had low SSD. Terrestrial breeding evolved independently three times and we found a significant association between reproductive habitat and SSD, with shifts to terrestrial breeding evolving in correlation with decreases in male body size, but not female body size. Terrestrial breeding increases the availability of breeding sites and results in concealment of amplexus, egg-laying, and parental care, therefore reducing male-male competition at all stages of reproduction. We conclude that correlated evolution of terrestrial reproduction and small males is due to release from intense male-male competition that is typical of exposed saxicolous breeding. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/50928-1 - Speciation of frogs in high-altitude environments
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/06876-3 - Genomic and phenotypic diversification in the genus Cycloramphus at multiple taxonomic scales (Anura, Cycloramphidae)
• Grantee: Fábio Perin de Sá
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 03/10335-8 - Systematics and evolution of the herpetological fauna from Neotropical areas
• Grantee: Miguel Trefaut Urbano Rodrigues
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/50342-8 - Amphibians of Lagamar Mosaic protected areas: diversity, conservation and perspectives
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• FAPESP's process: 18/17993-6 - Relatedness among adult neighbors and their saxicolous offspring in Cycloramphus boraceiensis (Anura, Cycloramphidae)
• Grantee: Fábio Perin de Sá
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 01/05470-8 - Phylogenetic relationships among species of the genus Cycloramphus Tschudi, 1838 and Zachaenus Cope, 1866 (Anura, Leptodactylidae)
• Grantee: Vanessa Kruth Verdade
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/50741-7 - Diversity and conservation of Brazilian amphibians
• Grantee: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/24972-4 - Evolutionary processes in Cycloramphus (Anura, Cycloramphidae): speciation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
• Grantee: Fábio Perin de Sá
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate