Polymorphism in a Neotropical toad species: ontogenetic, populational and geographic approaches to chromatic variation in Proceratophrys cristiceps (Müller, 1883) (Amphibia, Anura, Odontophrynidae)

PeerJ

article

Kleber Silva Vieira¹  Erivanna Karlene Santos Oliveira¹  Washington Luiz Silva Vieira¹  Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves¹ 

[1] Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Animal do Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba;Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba;Programa de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Regional ,(FAPESQPB), Universidade Estadual da Paraíba

关键词: Amphibia;    Chromatism;    Polymorphism;    Populations;    Variation;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.12879

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Quantifying variability is important for understanding how evolution operates in polymorphic species such as those of the genus Proceratophrys Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920, which is widely distributed in South America. P. cristiceps distribution is limited to the Caatinga biome in Brazil. We examined its chromatic variation from a populational perspective, looking at different phenetic polymorphism levels and probable chromotypic association by applying statistical and GIS tools that could facilitate future taxonomic research regarding this and other species. We characterized P. cristiceps colour patterns and re-evaluated its geographic variation, highlighting potential consequences for the taxonomy of the genus. Our results revealed six principle chromotypes whose frequencies varied among sex and ontogenetic classes. Phenotypic expression appeared to respect defined proportions and evidenced selective value for the species. We conclude that individual variation, together with typological traditionalism may overestimate the polymorphic magnitude at the population level and cause taxonomic inflation. Our data support the usefulness of P. cristiceps as a model for microevolutionary studies.

【 授权许可】

CC BY