| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5920417 | Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | 2012 | 6 Pages |
The genus Gephyromantis is a clade within the Malagasy–Comoroan family Mantellidae composed of rainforest frogs that live and breed to varying degrees independently from water. Based on DNA sequences of five mitochondrial and five nuclear genes we inferred the phylogeny of these frogs with full taxon coverage at the species level. Our preferred consensus tree from a partitioned Bayesian analysis of 5843 base pairs of 51 nominal and candidate species supports various major clades within the genus although the basal relationships among these remain unresolved. The data provide strong evidence for the monophyly of the subgenera Gephyromantis (after exclusion of Gephyromantis klemmeri), Laurentomantis, Vatomantis, and Phylacomantis. Species assigned to the subgenus Duboimantis belong to two strongly supported clades of uncertain relationships. G. klemmeri, previously in the subgenus Gephyromantis, was placed with high support sister to the Laurentomantis clade, and the Laurentomantis + G. klemmeri clade was sister to Vatomantis. A reconstruction of ancestral distribution areas indicates a diversification of several subgenera in the northern biogeographic regions of Madagascar and the dispersal out of northern Madagascar for several clades.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► A phylogeny based on 10 mitochondrial and nuclear genes supports subgenera of Gephyromantis as monophyletic units. ► Gephyromantis klemmeri does not belong to the subgenus Gephyromantis but is sister to the subgenus Laurentomantis. ► Major clades coincide with known reproductive modes. ► The north of Madagascar may have served as a center of diversification for several major subclades.
