PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Genes and calls reveal 5-fold greater diversity of Amazon frog species

2014-01-15
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Dr. Santiago Ron
santiago.r.ron@gmail.com
Pensoft Publishers
Genes and calls reveal 5-fold greater diversity of Amazon frog species

Amazonian biodiversity has been studied for hundreds of years. Early explorers of Amazonian plants and animals included renowned naturalists of the stature of Alexander von Humboldt and A. R. Wallace. Despite this long history of exploration, new studies are resulting in the discovery of a large number of new species. The key of these discoveries lies in the use of advanced new tools for species detection.

The study, published in the open access journal ZooKeys, found up to 11 species among populations of what were previously considered two widespread treefrog species. Based on analyses of the genetic variation of dozens of Amazonian populations across six countries, the team lead by Marcel Caminer from the Museum of Zoology at Catholic University of Ecuador, found unequivocal evidence of the existence of a large amount of the so called "cryptic diversity". The genetic results were corroborated with detailed analyses of male calls and body shape and color. The study formally describes four of the new species identified.

'These findings could not be possible without large-scale genetic sampling' said Dr Santiago Ron, one of the authors of the study. 'The genetic data allows the discovery of species that have been hidden in museum shelves for decades. Genetic screening is opening a new age of scientific discovery in biodiversity studies in the Amazon region'

"Cryptic species" are two or more species mistakenly classified as a single one. Traditionally, taxonomists recognized species purely on morphological grounds and therefore failed to discriminate between species with similar appearance. The increasing use of DNA sequences for species recognition is demonstrating that current estimates vastly underestimate the true Amazonian species richness.

The discovery of cryptic diversity also has important implications for the conservation prospects of the species. 'What were considered two species with wide geographic distribution turned out to be eleven species with much smaller geographic ranges. This change implies that each species has a higher extinction probability' said Dr. Ron. 'If our results are typical of Amazonian amphibians, a large scale reassessment of their conservation status and geographic distribution will be required'.



INFORMATION:

Original Source:

Caminer MA, Ron SR (2014) Systematics of treefrogs of the Hypsiboas calcaratus and Hypsiboas fasciatus species complex (Anura, Hylidae) with the description of four new species. ZooKeys 370: 1. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.370.6291



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Multihormone reverses metabolic damage of high calorie diet

2014-01-15
Multihormone reverses metabolic damage of high calorie diet Importantly, the scientists found out that treatment of obese mice with this GLP-1/Glucagon co-agonist improves metabolism ...

An international study allows a better prediction of the risk of hereditary cancer

2014-01-15
An international study allows a better prediction of the risk of hereditary cancer An international study has developed a refined method to identify people at risk for certain inherited cancer as a result of Lynch syndrome. The study, published ...

Scientists warn: Conservation work in zoos is too random

2014-01-15
Scientists warn: Conservation work in zoos is too random The world's zoos work hard and spend enormous resources on the conservation of endangered species, but the resources are not always optimally spent. One big problem is international legislation and the need of more ...

Ramularia and the 4 Rs

2014-01-15
Ramularia and the 4 Rs Resistance gene causes susceptibility to second disease The gene that has provided spring barley with resistance to powdery mildew for over 30 years increases susceptibility to newly-important disease Ramularia leaf spot. Scientists ...

Women with a high economic status claim to have better sex

2014-01-15
Women with a high economic status claim to have better sex A higher socioeconomic status has been associated with a more satisfying sex life An analysis based on the first Spanish National Sexual Health Survey, carried out in 2009, ...

Study explores possible costs, benefits of making movies with 'Oscar appeal'

2014-01-15
Study explores possible costs, benefits of making movies with 'Oscar appeal' WASHINGTON, DC, January 15, 2014 — What do Hollywood moguls holding their breath this week for an Oscar nomination have in common with the influence peddlers on K Street in ...

UD-developed smart gels deliver medicine on demand

2014-01-15
UD-developed smart gels deliver medicine on demand Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed a "smart" hydrogel that can deliver medicine on demand, in response to mechanical force. Over the past few decades, smart hydrogels have been created ...

Low national funding for LGBT health research contributes to inequities, analysis finds

2014-01-15
Low national funding for LGBT health research contributes to inequities, analysis finds PITTSBURGH, Jan. 15, 2014 – Only one-half of 1 percent of studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) between 1989 and 2011 concerned ...

Some families would consider terminal sedation for kin in a permanent vegetative state

2014-01-15
Some families would consider terminal sedation for kin in a permanent vegetative state The families of some very severely brain injured patients believe that once all treatment options are exhausted, allowing their relatives to die with the help of terminal sedation would be a humane ...

Don't fear the dawn of the drones; someday 1 might save your life, thanks to UC research

2014-01-15
Don't fear the dawn of the drones; someday 1 might save your life, thanks to UC research University of Cincinnati engineering researchers are finding new and unique approaches to developing autopilots for unmanned aerial vehicles and getting them into the hands ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

ESMO 2025: VT3989 continues to show promising early results in patients with advanced mesothelioma

Study finds COVID-19 mRNA vaccine sparks immune response to fight cancer

ESMO 2025: mRNA-based COVID vaccines generate improved responses to immunotherapy

Drug combo cuts risk of death in advanced prostate cancer by 40%

ADC improves outcomes for patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer who are ineligible for immune checkpoint inhibitors

Novel treatment combination improves progression-free survival in metastatic, estrogen-receptor-positive HER-2-negative breast cancer

ESMO 2025: Trial results show belzutifan shrinks rare neuroendocrine tumors and improves symptoms in patients

ESMO 2025: Dual targeted therapy shows promise in previously treated advanced kidney cancer patients

New generation of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) shows unprecedented promise in early-stage disease

Sylvester Cancer Tip Sheet for October 2025

Three science and technology leaders elected to Hertz Foundation Board of Directors

Jump Trading CSO Kevin Bowers elected to Hertz Foundation Board of Directors

Former Inscripta CEO Sri Kosaraju elected to Hertz Foundation Board of Directors

Citadel’s Jordan Chetty elected to Hertz Foundation Board of Directors

McGill research flags Montreal snow dump, inactive landfills as major methane polluters

A lightweight and rapid bidirectional search algorithm

Eighty-five years of big tree history available in one place for the first time

MIT invents human brain model with six major cell types to enable personalized disease research, drug discovery

Health and economic air quality co-benefits of stringent climate policies

How immune cells deliver their deadly cargo

How the brain becomes a better listener: How focus enhances sound processing

Processed fats found in margarines unlikely to affect heart health

Scientists discover how leukemia cells evade treatment

Sandra Shi MD, MPH, named 2025 STAT Wunderkind

Treating liver disease with microscopic nanoparticles

Chemicals might be hitching a ride on nanoplastics to enter your skin

Pregnant patients with preexisting high cholesterol may have elevated CV risk

UC stroke experts discuss current and future use of AI tools in research and treatment

The Southern Ocean’s low-salinity water locked away CO2 for decades, but...

OHSU researchers develop functional eggs from human skin cells

[Press-News.org] Genes and calls reveal 5-fold greater diversity of Amazon frog species