Meeting Abstract

116.6  Tuesday, Jan. 7 11:30  Molecular Phylogenetics and Morphological Evolution of Papuan Microhylid Frogs RIVERA, J. A.*; BUTLER, M. A.; KRAUS, F. ; Univ. of Hawaii, Manoa; Univ. of Hawaii, Manoa; Univ. of Michigan julior@hawaii.edu

The third largest amphibian family in the world, the Microhylidae, have a global distribution with 523 know species of which over half (271) are found in Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. The Australo-Papuan microhylids demonstrate classic characteristics of an adaptive radiation but have been largely understudied. This group comprises a myriad of ecologies and morphologies not commonly seen in a single frog clade. Here, we propose that the group is comprised of six ecomorphs: arboreal species (~15mm SVL), scansorial species (~20mm SVL), terrestrial species (~30mm SVL), semi-fossorial species (~50mm SVL), fossorial species (~30mm SVL) and semi-aquatic species (~31mm SVL). We take a phylogenetic approach to study the evolution of morphology, specifically how they are distributed across the phylogeny, whether they have independently evolved, how many times they have evolved and how conserved they are within independent lineages. We also present the most complete and robust phylogeny for the group, which has been notoriously difficult to resolve. Lastly, we would like to use these data in concert with performance data to study whether morphological diversity evolves as an adaptation to the environment.