College of Forestry

Patterns of reproductive-mode evolution in Old World tree frogs (Anura, Rhacophoridae).-Zoologica Scripta, 00, 000-000. The Old World tree frogs (Anura: Rhacophoridae), with 387 species, display a remarkable diversity of reproductive modesaquatic breeding, terrestrial gel nesting, terrestrial foam nesting and terrestrial direct development. The evolution of these modes has until now remained poorly studied in the context of recent phylogenies for the clade. Here, we use newly obtained DNA sequences from three nuclear and two mitochondrial gene fragments, together with previously published sequence data, to generate a well-resolved phylogeny from which we determine major patterns of reproductive-mode evolution. We show that basal rhacophorids have fully aquatic eggs and larvae. Bayesian ancestral-state reconstructions suggest that terrestrial gel-encapsulated eggs, with early stages of larval development completed within the egg outside of water, are an intermediate stage in the evolution of terrestrial direct development and foam nesting. The ancestral forms of almost all currently recognized genera (except the fully aquatic basal forms) have a high likelihood of being terrestrial gel nesters. Direct development and foam nesting each appear to have evolved at least twice within Rhacophoridae, suggesting that reproductive modes are labile and may arise multiple times independently. Evolution from a fully aquatic reproductive mode to more terrestrial modes (direct development and foam nesting) occurs through intermediate gel nesting ancestral forms. This suggests that gel nesting is not only a possible transitional state for the evolution of terrestriality, but also that it is a versatile reproductive mode that may give rise to other terrestrial reproductive modes. Evolution of foam nesting may have enabled rhacophorids to lay a larger number of eggs in more open and drier habitats, where protection from desiccation is important. Terrestrial direct development allows frogs to lay eggs independent of bodies of water, in a diversity of humid habitats, and may represent a key innovation that facilitated the evolution of nearly half of all known rhacophorid species.

34| FrogLog Vol. 98| September 2011 of the mountain yellow-legged frog over the course of several seasons, with metapopulations being driven to extinction within months (Vredenburg et al. 2010). This does not appear to be the pattern in Asia where several years of sampling have not revealed population-level declines.

The new species were diagnosed by differences in morphology, ecology, bioacoustics, and/or genetics (5), and their novelty was established through comparison with all available Sri Lankan amphibian type material in museums worldwide. Phylogenetic analyses (5) of ...

The apparent biotic affinities between the mainland and the island in the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot have been interpreted as the result of frequent migrations during recent periods of low sea level. We show, using molecular phylogenies of two invertebrate and ...

Genetic data were used to identify Recent species of free-living bryozoans (Cupuladriidae) from both sides of the Isthmus of Panama, and to examine their phylogenetic relationships, species richness, and population structures. An approximately 480bp fragment of the 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene was sequenced from 182 individuals from Panama, the Gulf of Mexico, and El Salvador. Ten haplotype groups (Cupuladria 4,

Puntius cumingii, a Sri Lankan endemic, has long been known to be dichromatic. In one colour morph the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are yellow, while in the other these fins are red. We show that P. cumingii in fact comprises two species. Puntius reval, new species, is distinguished from all other Sri Lankan and south Indian congeners by having the last unbranched dorsal ray serrated; lateral line incomplete, perforating 4-9 scales; scale rows above lateral line arranged in a distinctive pattern; dorsal, anal and pelvic fins red (pale yellow in the Kalu River population); body colour pattern consisting of two black bars, one behind gill opening and one above posterior extremity of anal-fin base; and by lacking barbels. The new species is further distinguished from P. cumingii by having a maximum standard length of 33.6 mm (vs. 41.2 mm); a smaller eye diameter (9.

The species hitherto included in the genus Chela are shown to belong to two distinct genera, Chela (type species C. cachius) and Laubuca (type species L. laubuca). The Indian and Sri Lankan species of Laubuca (L. laubuca, L. fasciata, L. dadyburjori, L. lankensis and three new species, L. insularis, L. ruhuna and L. varuna) are distinguished from C. cachius, the type species of Chela (among other characters) by having 14 pre-caudal vertebrae (vs. 17 in C. cachius); 31-37 + 1-2 lateral-line scales (vs. 56-61 + 3-4); 7-11 scales in transverse line on body (vs. 17-19); and 14-20 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 21-23). Within Sri Lanka, the dry-zone species L. lankensis and L. insularis are distinguished from their wet-zone congeners L. varuna and L. ruhuna by having the skin over the dentary densely tuberculated (vs. tubercles minute, widely spaced). Laubuca lankensis is distinguished from L. insularis by its shorter pelvic fins (not reaching anal-fin origin, vs. reaching beyond base of third branched anal-fin ray in L. insularis); while L. ruhuna is distinguished from L. varuna by its deeper body (2.9-3.1 in SL, vs. 3.2-3.6 in L. varuna).

A new species of frog in the genus Microhyla is described from Sumatra, Indonesia based on molecular and morphological characters. This new species was previously confused with M. achatina, a Javan endemic. This new species is diagnosable from its congeners by possessing a medium size (SVL in adult males 18.20-21.32 mm, in adult females 20.37-25.51 mm), a stout body, a nostrileyelid length being about half of the snout length, having a single outer palmar tubercle, a tibiotarsal articulation reaching the center of the eye (when the hindlimbs are stretched and adpressed to the body), having finger and toe tips dilated, having the dorsum with medial longitudinal grooves, and excibiting a very thin and short dark stripe on the temporal region above a wider cream stripe, extending from the postorbital area to insertion of forelimb. Additionally, the new species is characterized by possessing relatively little foot webbing. Uncorrected 16S rRNA sequence divergences between the new taxon and sequences for other congeneric species available ranged from 4.8 to 15.0%.

1. The relationship between species richness and ecosystem function, as measured by productivity or biomass, is of long-standing theoretical and practical interest in ecology. This is especially true for forests, which represent a majority of global biomass, productivity and biodiversity. 2. Here, we conduct an analysis of relationships between tree species richness, biomass and productivity in 25 forest plots of area 8-50 ha from across the world. The data were collected using standardized protocols, obviating the need to correct for methodological differences that plague many studies on this topic. 3. We found that at very small spatial grains (0.04 ha) species richness was generally positively related to productivity and biomass within plots, with a doubling of species richness corresponding to an average 48% increase in productivity and 53% increase in biomass. At larger spatial grains (0.25 ha, 1 ha), results were mixed, with negative relationships becoming more common. The results were qualitatively similar but much weaker when we controlled for stem density: at the 0.04 ha spatial grain, a doubling of species richness corresponded to a 5% increase in productivity and 7% increase in biomass. Productivity and biomass were themselves almost always positively related at all spatial grains. 4. Synthesis. This is the first cross-site study of the effect of tree species richness on forest biomass and productivity that systematically varies spatial grain within a controlled methodology. The scale-dependent results are consistent with theoretical models in which sampling effects and niche complementarity dominate at small scales, while environmental gradients drive patterns at large scales. Our study shows that the relationship of tree species richness with biomass and productivity changes qualitatively when moving from scales typical of forest surveys (0.04 ha) to slightly larger scales (0.25 and 1 ha). This needs to be recognized in forest conservation policy and management.

Chapter 1. An Introduction to the Amphibians Chapter 2. Why Save Amphibians? Chapter 3. The Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA): History, Objectives and Methodology Chapter 4. The State of the World's Amphibians Chapter 5. Amphibians of the Afrotropical Realm Chapter 6. Amphibians of the Australasian Realm Chapter 7. Amphibians of the Indomalayan Realm Chapter 8. Amphibians of the Nearctic Realm Chapter 9. Amphibians of the Neotropical Realm Chapter 10. Amphibians of the Palaearctic Realm Chapter 11. Amphibian Conservation-Responding to the Global Decline of Amphibians

of follow up in engaging governments and NGOs to incorporate the plans into their directives. Continued pressure on governments and NGOs is needed to use species assessments as the metric for determining the status of the environment, and amphibian conservation plans as one of the roadmaps for how funding should be allocated to maintain and improve the health of natural ecosystems.

Phylogenetic relationships among foam-nesting clades of Old World tree frogs are analyzed using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA data, with particular focus on Sri Lankan members of the genus Polypedates. A distinctive, highly supported endemic Sri Lankan clade is identified, and recognized as a new genus, Taruga. This clade, which had previously been assigned to the genus Polypedates, includes P. eques, P. fastigo and P. longinasus. A combination of characters distinguishes adult Taruga from Polypedates: Taruga possess a dorsolateral glandular fold that extends from the posterior margin of the upper eyelid to the mid-flank (vs. a supratympanic fold that curves over the dorsal margin of the tympanic membrane in Polypedates); a prominent calcar at the distal end of the tibia (absent in most Polypedates); a more acutely pointed snout; and 6-10 prominent conical tubercles surrounding the cloaca (absent in Polypedates). Tadpoles of Taruga eques and Polypedates cruciger are distinguished by several characters, including features of the buccal cavity and the form of the vent tube. Taruga is the sister group of the remaining Polypedates sensu stricto.

Puntius cumingii, a Sri Lankan endemic, has long been known to be dichromatic. In one colour morph the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are yellow, while in the other these fins are red. We show that P. cumingii in fact comprises two species. Puntius reval, new species, is distinguished from all other Sri Lankan and south Indian congeners by having the last unbranched dorsal ray serrated; lateral line incomplete, perforating 4-9 scales; scale rows above lateral line arranged in a distinctive pattern; dorsal, anal and pelvic fins red (pale yellow in the Kalu River population); body colour pattern consisting of two black bars, one behind gill opening and one above posterior extremity of anal-fin base; and by lacking barbels. The new species is further distinguished from P. cumingii by having a maximum standard length of 33.6 mm (vs. 41.2 mm); a smaller eye diameter (9.