Hidden species diversity in Sylvirana nigrovittata (Amphibia: Ranidae) highlights the importance of taxonomic revisions in biodiversity conservation

PLoS One. 2018 Mar 14;13(3):e0192766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192766. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Accurately delimiting species and their geographic ranges is imperative for conservation, especially in areas experiencing rapid habitat loss. Southeast Asia currently has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, is home to multiple biodiversity hotspots, and the majority of its countries have developing economies with limited resources for biodiversity conservation. Thus, accurately delimiting species and their ranges is particularly important in this region. We examined genetic and morphological variation in the widespread frog species Sylvirana nigrovittata (and its long-treated junior synonym S. mortenseni) with the goal of clarifying its taxonomic content and geographic range boundaries for conservation. We present evidence that the current concept of S. nigrovittata contains at least eight species, two of which are each known from only two localities, but that S. mortenseni is more geographically widespread than currently realized. Five of these species are described as new to science.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity*
  • Conservation of Natural Resources*
  • Ranidae / classification*
  • Ranidae / physiology*

Grants and funding

This research was supported by grants from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to the Field Museum of Natural History and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, from the U.S. National Science Foundation (DEB-1145922) to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and grant number R-607-265-207-121 from Yale-NUS College to JAS.