Hyperossification in Miniaturized Toadlets of the genus Brachycephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Brachycephalidae): Microscopic Structure and Macroscopic Patterns of Variation

Autor(es)

Clemente-Carvalho, Rute B. G. ^[1] ; Antoniazzi, Marta M. ^[2] ; Jared, Carlos ^[2] ; Haddad, Celio F. B. ^[3] ; Alves, Ana C. R. ^[3] ; Rocha, Henrique S. ^[4] ; Pereira, Gabriela R. ^[4] ; Oliveira, Davi F. ^[4] ; Lopes, Ricardo T. ^[4] ; dos Reis, Sergio F. ^[5]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Programa Posgrad Genet & Biol Mol, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Inst Butantan, Lab Biol Celular, BR-05503900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, BR-13506900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Lab Instrumentacao Nucl, BR-21945970 Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Parasitol, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Journal of Morphology; v. 270, n. 11, p. 1285-1295, NOV 2009.
• Citações Web of Science: 23

Resumo

Species of the genus Brachycephalus, have a snout-vent length of less than 18 mm and are believed to have evolved through miniaturization. Brachycephalus ephippium, is particularly interesting; because its entire skull is hyperossified, and the presacral vertebrae and transverse processes are covered by a dorsal shield. We demonstrate in this paper that, at the macroscopic level, a completely hyperossified skull and dorsal shield occur only in B. ephippium, but not in B. ferruginus, B. izechsohni, B. pernix, B. pombali, B. brunneus, B. didactylus, and B. hermogenesi. An intermediate condition, in which the skull is hyperossified but a dorsal shield is absent, occurs in B. vertebralis, B. nodoterga, B. pitanga, and B. alipioi. The microscopic structure of hyperossification was examined in skulls of B. ephippium and B. pitanga, revealing a complex organization involving the presence of Sharpey fibers, which in humans are characteristic of periodontal connections. J. Morphol. 270:1285-1295, 2009. (C) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 05/55449-6 - Taxonomia, sistemática e evolução do gênero Brachycephalus (Amphibia: Brachycephalidae): perspectivas morfológicas e moleculares
• Beneficiário: Sérgio Furtado dos Reis
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 03/12396-4 - Taxonomia, sistemática e evolução de Brachycephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Brachycephalidae)
• Beneficiário: Ana Claudia Reis Alves
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 08/50928-1 - Especiação de anfíbios anuros em ambientes de altitude
• Beneficiário: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático