Meeting Abstract

65.6  Sunday, Jan. 6  The evolutionary history of little squeakers with big fingers: a frog perspective on diversity and evolution across sub-Saharan Africa BLACKBURN, D.C.; Harvard University dblackb@fas.harvard.edu

Patterns of and the historical processes underlying biological diversity in sub-Saharan Africa are still both poorly documented and understudied. This study focuses on squeakers and long-fingered frogs, which comprise a lineage that has an ecological, altitudinal, and geographic range spanning much of that available to frogs in sub-Saharan Africa. Using phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences, I estimated the phylogenetic relationships among species of Arthroleptis (including species formerly assigned to Schoutedenella) and Cardioglossa. Support was also determined for alternative phylogenetic hypotheses proposed in the literature. Using this estimate of phylogeny, I then reconstructed the biogeographic history and evolution of body size and life history in this lineage. Possible correlations between biogeography, body size, and life history are discussed.