The taxonomy of the Asian tree frogs of the Polypedates leucomystax complex, a group of widespread and morphologically similar species, is very controversial. To ascertain the taxonomic status of these species, we inv...The taxonomy of the Asian tree frogs of the Polypedates leucomystax complex, a group of widespread and morphologically similar species, is very controversial. To ascertain the taxonomic status of these species, we investi- gated the historical relationships among representative samples based on - 2 kb of nucleotide sequences from the mito- chondrial 12S rRNA, tRNAvalinc, and 16S rRNA genes. Our phylogeny resolved five well supported lineages （A, B, C, D and E） in the P leucomystax complex. Polypedates impresus from Yunnan, China, Polypedates cf. mutus and Polypedates cf. megacephalus from Guangxi and Yunnan, China, and Laos constructed Clade C, which is monophyletic. In order to recognize the unique position of this clade, we considered P impresus in Clade C as a valid species. Following our phy- logeny, Chinese Polypedates, corresponding to the other four clades, should include four species： P. mutus （Clade A）; P. braueri （Clade B）; P impresus （Clade C） and P. megacephalus （Clade D）. P Ieucomystax （Clade E） is mainly distributed in the Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.展开更多
Anuran calls are usually species-specific and therefore valued as a tool for species identification. Call characteristics are a potential honest signal in sexual selection because they often reflect male body size. Po...Anuran calls are usually species-specific and therefore valued as a tool for species identification. Call characteristics are a potential honest signal in sexual selection because they often reflect male body size. Polypedates megacephalus and P. mutus are two sympatric and morphologically similar tree frogs, but it remains unknown whether their calls are associated with body size. In this study, we compared call characteristics of these two species and investigated any potential relationships with body size. We found that P. megacephalus, males produced six call types which consisting of three distinct notes, while P. mutus males produced five types consisting of two types of notes. Dominant frequency, note duration, pulse duration, and call duration exhibited significant interspecific differences. In P. megacephalus, one note exhibited a dominant frequency that was negatively correlated with body mass, snout-vent length, head length, and head width. In P. mutus, the duration of one note type was positively correlated with body mass and head width. These differences in call characteristics may play an important role in interspecific recognition. Additionally, because interspecific acoustic variation reflects body size, calls may be relevant for sexual selection. Taken together, our results confirmed that calls are a valid tool for distinguishing between the two tree-frog species in the field.展开更多
Avermectins are a new class of macrocyclic lactones derived from mycelia of the soil actinomycete, and are used as effective agricultural pesticides and antiparasitic agents. However, run-off from crops treated with a...Avermectins are a new class of macrocyclic lactones derived from mycelia of the soil actinomycete, and are used as effective agricultural pesticides and antiparasitic agents. However, run-off from crops treated with avermectins may contaminate various bodies of water, and accumulated to certain concentrations to impact the development of aquatic animals. Here, we tested the genotoxicity of three avermectins （abamectin, ABM; ivermectin, IVM; and emamectin benzoate, EMB） on Polypedates megacephalus tadpoles by the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis assay. Tadpoles were treated for 48 h in the laboratory with different concentrations of these three agents, 0.006, 0.012, 0.018, 0.024, 0.030 mg/L for ABM, 0.003, 0.006, 0.009, 0.012, 0.015 mg/L for IVM and 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12 mg/L for EMB, and then measured their DNA damage by the Comet assay tail factor %. The concentrations of resulted in highly significant increases in DNA damage of the tadpoles were found above the concentration threshold of 0.012 mg/ L ABM, 0.003 mg/L IVM and 0.06 mg/L EMB and linear correlations between the intensity of DNA damage and the concentrations of these three avermectins. Our results showed clearly that avermectins caused dose dependent DNA damage on amphibian tadpoles, and there might be a control on the misuse of avermectins.展开更多
Since tadpoles change their behavior when facing adverse environmental conditions, observing tadpoles in a tank can help detect problems in their ma intena nce. Detecting such a bnormal behavior early, an amphibian br...Since tadpoles change their behavior when facing adverse environmental conditions, observing tadpoles in a tank can help detect problems in their ma intena nce. Detecting such a bnormal behavior early, an amphibian breeder can react quickly, by changing the conditions. If quick and appropriate, such a reaction can save unnecessary deaths. The paper presents an experimental study on the behavior of tadpoles of Polypedates megacephalus in various adverse environmental conditions. In addition to a control 25-liter tank, 5-liter tanks with 10 tadpoles each were studied, each having various improper conditions. Observations included the degree of tank exploration by the tadpoles, their mortality, anomalies in swimming behavior, and eating behavior.展开更多
The patterns of isolation by distance(IBD)entailing increased genetic differentiation among populations have aroused extensive concerns for evolutionary biologists.Although the IBD may act on spatial processes contrib...The patterns of isolation by distance(IBD)entailing increased genetic differentiation among populations have aroused extensive concerns for evolutionary biologists.Although the IBD may act on spatial processes contribut-ing to the genetic differentiation among populations in anuran species,the factors shaping the IBD of frogs among populations in natural systems are largely unknown.Here,we studied the genetic differentiation among six popula-tions with 24 individuals of the spotted-leg treefrog along a latitudinal gradient(1860.31 km)based on 1020 single nucleotide polymorphisms from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing.The results showed that the genetic diversity differed significantly among populations and that the insular populations had higher genetic diversity than the mainland populations.Furthermore,we also found a significant genetic differentiation among populations(FST=0.277)and no sign of inbreeding(FUNI=-0.145).The IBD was detected for all populations,and a higher degree of the IBD was indicated when controlling for the effects of the isolation between Hainan and mainland populations caused by the Qiongzhou Strait.Ourfindings suggest that the form of the Qiongzhou Strait plays a key role in shaping the genetic diversity and population differentiation in treefrogs.展开更多
泛树蛙属Polypedates隶属于无尾目Anura树蛙科Rhacophoridae,广泛分布于印度东部、喜马拉雅山东段南翼、中国南方、中南半岛及东南亚岛屿地区,目前该属记录有25种(Frost,2025)。泛树蛙属内各物种间形态差异较小,导致其内部物种归属及系...泛树蛙属Polypedates隶属于无尾目Anura树蛙科Rhacophoridae,广泛分布于印度东部、喜马拉雅山东段南翼、中国南方、中南半岛及东南亚岛屿地区,目前该属记录有25种(Frost,2025)。泛树蛙属内各物种间形态差异较小,导致其内部物种归属及系统发生关系等问题一直存在争议(Brown et al.,2010;Kuraishi et al.,2013;Pan et al.,2013)。分布于东南亚地区的部分泛树蛙属物种被归类于P.leucomystax复合体,其中有4种分布在中国,分别为斑腿泛树蛙P.megacephalus、布氏泛树蛙P.braueri、无声囊泛树蛙P.mutus和凹顶泛树蛙P.impresus(Yu et al.,2024)。展开更多
Populations of the spot-legged treefrogs(Polypedates megacephalus) in China show significant morphological variation,but no has yet been conducted to investigate the correlation between morphological variation and gen...Populations of the spot-legged treefrogs(Polypedates megacephalus) in China show significant morphological variation,but no has yet been conducted to investigate the correlation between morphological variation and genetic/ecological divergence.In this study,mitochondrial DNA sequences from the 12S rRNA gene(374 bp) were amplified from 25 individual spot-legged treefrogs from southern Yunnan,China.The phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian Inference determined two haplotype clades,different from those detected by Richards and Moore(1998).Our results suggest that the phylogenetic lineages reconstructed in this study are not correlated with morphology,thus indicating that the populations in southern Yunnan may be P.leucomystax rather than P.megacephalus.展开更多
In anurans, body size and age of individuals generally affect male mating success. To test whether body size and age have effects on male mating success in the foam-nesting treefrog Polypedates megacephalus, a species...In anurans, body size and age of individuals generally affect male mating success. To test whether body size and age have effects on male mating success in the foam-nesting treefrog Polypedates megacephalus, a species widely distributed in China, we analyzed differences in body size and age between mated and unmated males for three populations using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model（GLMM）. The results showed that mated males did not exhibit larger body size and older age than unmated males, suggesting that large and/or old male individuals did not have greater mating success than small and/or young males. Moreover, we also found a non-significant size-assortative mating pattern for all populations. Our findings suggest that body size and age of the foam-nesting treefrog do not affect male mating success.展开更多
基金supported by the program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. Y1C3011, No.Y1B3011, KSCX2EW-J-22)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31101618)
文摘The taxonomy of the Asian tree frogs of the Polypedates leucomystax complex, a group of widespread and morphologically similar species, is very controversial. To ascertain the taxonomic status of these species, we investi- gated the historical relationships among representative samples based on - 2 kb of nucleotide sequences from the mito- chondrial 12S rRNA, tRNAvalinc, and 16S rRNA genes. Our phylogeny resolved five well supported lineages （A, B, C, D and E） in the P leucomystax complex. Polypedates impresus from Yunnan, China, Polypedates cf. mutus and Polypedates cf. megacephalus from Guangxi and Yunnan, China, and Laos constructed Clade C, which is monophyletic. In order to recognize the unique position of this clade, we considered P impresus in Clade C as a valid species. Following our phy- logeny, Chinese Polypedates, corresponding to the other four clades, should include four species： P. mutus （Clade A）; P. braueri （Clade B）; P impresus （Clade C） and P. megacephalus （Clade D）. P Ieucomystax （Clade E） is mainly distributed in the Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31260518 to JW)the Education Department of Hainan Province (00501023523)
文摘Anuran calls are usually species-specific and therefore valued as a tool for species identification. Call characteristics are a potential honest signal in sexual selection because they often reflect male body size. Polypedates megacephalus and P. mutus are two sympatric and morphologically similar tree frogs, but it remains unknown whether their calls are associated with body size. In this study, we compared call characteristics of these two species and investigated any potential relationships with body size. We found that P. megacephalus, males produced six call types which consisting of three distinct notes, while P. mutus males produced five types consisting of two types of notes. Dominant frequency, note duration, pulse duration, and call duration exhibited significant interspecific differences. In P. megacephalus, one note exhibited a dominant frequency that was negatively correlated with body mass, snout-vent length, head length, and head width. In P. mutus, the duration of one note type was positively correlated with body mass and head width. These differences in call characteristics may play an important role in interspecific recognition. Additionally, because interspecific acoustic variation reflects body size, calls may be relevant for sexual selection. Taken together, our results confirmed that calls are a valid tool for distinguishing between the two tree-frog species in the field.
基金granted by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian, China (2015J01124)
文摘Avermectins are a new class of macrocyclic lactones derived from mycelia of the soil actinomycete, and are used as effective agricultural pesticides and antiparasitic agents. However, run-off from crops treated with avermectins may contaminate various bodies of water, and accumulated to certain concentrations to impact the development of aquatic animals. Here, we tested the genotoxicity of three avermectins （abamectin, ABM; ivermectin, IVM; and emamectin benzoate, EMB） on Polypedates megacephalus tadpoles by the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis assay. Tadpoles were treated for 48 h in the laboratory with different concentrations of these three agents, 0.006, 0.012, 0.018, 0.024, 0.030 mg/L for ABM, 0.003, 0.006, 0.009, 0.012, 0.015 mg/L for IVM and 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12 mg/L for EMB, and then measured their DNA damage by the Comet assay tail factor %. The concentrations of resulted in highly significant increases in DNA damage of the tadpoles were found above the concentration threshold of 0.012 mg/ L ABM, 0.003 mg/L IVM and 0.06 mg/L EMB and linear correlations between the intensity of DNA damage and the concentrations of these three avermectins. Our results showed clearly that avermectins caused dose dependent DNA damage on amphibian tadpoles, and there might be a control on the misuse of avermectins.
文摘Since tadpoles change their behavior when facing adverse environmental conditions, observing tadpoles in a tank can help detect problems in their ma intena nce. Detecting such a bnormal behavior early, an amphibian breeder can react quickly, by changing the conditions. If quick and appropriate, such a reaction can save unnecessary deaths. The paper presents an experimental study on the behavior of tadpoles of Polypedates megacephalus in various adverse environmental conditions. In addition to a control 25-liter tank, 5-liter tanks with 10 tadpoles each were studied, each having various improper conditions. Observations included the degree of tank exploration by the tadpoles, their mortality, anomalies in swimming behavior, and eating behavior.
基金the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(31970393)the Key Project of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(22NSFSC0011)the Project of Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation(Ministry of Education),China West Normal University(XNYB19-04)for providing financial support.
文摘The patterns of isolation by distance(IBD)entailing increased genetic differentiation among populations have aroused extensive concerns for evolutionary biologists.Although the IBD may act on spatial processes contribut-ing to the genetic differentiation among populations in anuran species,the factors shaping the IBD of frogs among populations in natural systems are largely unknown.Here,we studied the genetic differentiation among six popula-tions with 24 individuals of the spotted-leg treefrog along a latitudinal gradient(1860.31 km)based on 1020 single nucleotide polymorphisms from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing.The results showed that the genetic diversity differed significantly among populations and that the insular populations had higher genetic diversity than the mainland populations.Furthermore,we also found a significant genetic differentiation among populations(FST=0.277)and no sign of inbreeding(FUNI=-0.145).The IBD was detected for all populations,and a higher degree of the IBD was indicated when controlling for the effects of the isolation between Hainan and mainland populations caused by the Qiongzhou Strait.Ourfindings suggest that the form of the Qiongzhou Strait plays a key role in shaping the genetic diversity and population differentiation in treefrogs.
文摘泛树蛙属Polypedates隶属于无尾目Anura树蛙科Rhacophoridae,广泛分布于印度东部、喜马拉雅山东段南翼、中国南方、中南半岛及东南亚岛屿地区,目前该属记录有25种(Frost,2025)。泛树蛙属内各物种间形态差异较小,导致其内部物种归属及系统发生关系等问题一直存在争议(Brown et al.,2010;Kuraishi et al.,2013;Pan et al.,2013)。分布于东南亚地区的部分泛树蛙属物种被归类于P.leucomystax复合体,其中有4种分布在中国,分别为斑腿泛树蛙P.megacephalus、布氏泛树蛙P.braueri、无声囊泛树蛙P.mutus和凹顶泛树蛙P.impresus(Yu et al.,2024)。
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSF30870281)
文摘Populations of the spot-legged treefrogs(Polypedates megacephalus) in China show significant morphological variation,but no has yet been conducted to investigate the correlation between morphological variation and genetic/ecological divergence.In this study,mitochondrial DNA sequences from the 12S rRNA gene(374 bp) were amplified from 25 individual spot-legged treefrogs from southern Yunnan,China.The phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian Inference determined two haplotype clades,different from those detected by Richards and Moore(1998).Our results suggest that the phylogenetic lineages reconstructed in this study are not correlated with morphology,thus indicating that the populations in southern Yunnan may be P.leucomystax rather than P.megacephalus.
基金the Sichuan Province Outstanding Youth Academic Technology Leaders Program(2013JQ0016)the Students Science and Technology Innovation Fund of China(201510638016)+1 种基金Sichuan Province Department of Education Innovation Team Project(14TD001515TD0019) for providing for financial support
文摘In anurans, body size and age of individuals generally affect male mating success. To test whether body size and age have effects on male mating success in the foam-nesting treefrog Polypedates megacephalus, a species widely distributed in China, we analyzed differences in body size and age between mated and unmated males for three populations using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model（GLMM）. The results showed that mated males did not exhibit larger body size and older age than unmated males, suggesting that large and/or old male individuals did not have greater mating success than small and/or young males. Moreover, we also found a non-significant size-assortative mating pattern for all populations. Our findings suggest that body size and age of the foam-nesting treefrog do not affect male mating success.
