Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Leptodactylus (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Morphological analysis

PONSSA, M. L.

Río de Janeiro. Brasil.

Workshop; Iº Leptodactylus Workshop; 2004

Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro.

In this work I’m proposing to test the monophyly and to propose a phylogeny of the genus Leptodactylus. In the case of the morphological analysis, in particular, this lead at other accessories objectives. (1) To describe the common osteologycal pattern of the species of genus Leptodactylus; (2) To compare the morphology of the species of the genus with the species of the outgroup to establish the useful states to the cladistic analysis; (3) To add the morphological information at the produced information about larval morphology, advertisement call, molecular, to propose a phylogenetic hypothesis; (4) To integrate the new data with a matrix previously done to analyze the relationships of the species of the fuscus group; (5) To obtain polarizations that allow us to detect heterochronic pattern in particular characters. Trough the study of the fuscus group, I see heterochronic pattern in some characters. These characters show relationship with the size of the species. The species of the fuscus group are small and middle size, while in the pentadactylus group the species are big. So studying all or the most of the species will be possible to make more extensive generalizations about the heterochronic process that to determine the morphology of these species; (6) To define useful characters to detect the existence of more than one taxa in some species; (7) To test traditional hypothesis of evolution, specially in characters associated with a tendency for a more terrestrial mode of life and burrowing habits, on base of polarizations of these characters; (8) To define the affinities of the species not previously attributed at some of the traditional species groups.