Museomics reduces taxonomic inflation in the Dendropsophus araguaya complex (Hylinae: Dendropsophini) from the Cerrado

Author(s)

Nakamura, Daniel Y. M. ; Orrico, Victor G. D. ; DA Silva, Esdras M. G. ; Lyra, Mariana L. ; Grant, Taran

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY; v. 74, p. 18-pg., 2025-02-01.

Abstract

The systematics of the Dendropsophus araguaya complex requires a reassessment due to the unknown position of D. rhea, possible misidentifications of D. tritaeniatus, the polyphyly of D. araguaya and D. jimi recovered in a recent total evidence analysis, and intraspecifically variable characters used in diagnoses. We successfully assembled historical DNA from formalin-fixed paratopotype specimens of D. rhea and D. tritaeniatus collected in 1952 and 1963, respectively. Our results revealed that D. rhea is nested within a clade formed by D. cerradensis and D. jimi. Combining evidence from phylogeny, genetic distances, and morphology, we propose that D. jimi and D. rhea are junior synonyms of D. cerradensis. We corroborate the polyphyly of topotypic D. araguaya, with one clade nested within D. cerradensis sensu novo and another that includes a paratopotype of D. tritaeniatus; however, hDNA of the holotype of D. araguaya was not successfully assembled, so we consider D. araguaya to be incertae sedis. We update the name of the D. araguaya complex to the D. cerradensis complex. Furthermore, we also reveal that some specimens previously identified as D. tritaeniatus are D. cachimbo. Our study illustrates the ability of museomics to clarify the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic relationships of possibly extinct species and reduce taxonomic inflation in amphibian systematics. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/15425-0 - A multi-disciplinary approach to the study of amphibian diversification: phase 2
• Grantee: Taran Grant
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2
• FAPESP's process: 24/03494-9 - Methodological advances in museomics and dynamic homology: Integrating assembly of historical DNA reads and tree-alignment
• Grantee: Daniel Yudi Miyahara Nakamura
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 12/12500-5 - Polymorphism and cryptic species: understanding South American biodiversity through the genus Dendropsophus Fitzinger, 1843
• Grantee: Victor Goyannes Dill Orrico
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 22/02789-0 - Lost biodiversity in the genomic age: contributions from historical DNA to the systematics of rare and extinct frogs
• Grantee: Daniel Yudi Miyahara Nakamura
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 21/10639-5 - Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change
• Grantee: Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC