Journal article
Molecular, morphological and osteological differentiation of a new species of microhylid frog of the genus Stumpffia from northwestern Madagascar
Johannes Klages, Frank Glaw, Joern Koehler, Johannes Mueller, Christy A Hipsley, Miguel Vences
ZOOTAXA | MAGNOLIA PRESS | Published : 2013
Abstract
We describe a new small-sized microhylid frog of the genus Stumpffia and provide a preliminary survey of Stumpffia diversity in northern and northwestern Madagascar based on molecular and morphological data. Analysis of 68 previously published and 142 newly generated DNA sequences of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene revealed a large genetic diversity within Stumpffia, with numerous strongly differentiated lineages occurring across Madagascar. The anal. ysis confirmed a clade formed exclusively by Stumpffia species occurring in north/northwestern Madagascar and contain. ing almost all species from this area. Based on DNA sequences of the RAG1 gene, we further assess that most of ..
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Funding Acknowledgements
We are grateful to numerous friends and colleagues during fieldwork for collecting the large number of samples included in the molecular analysis, among others P. Bora, N. D'Cruze, H. Enting, M. Franzen, S. Megson, Z. Nagy, J. and C. Patton, E. Rajeriarison, T. Rajoafiarison, A. Rakotoarison, R. D. Randrianiaina, F. Ratsoavina, and D. R. Vieites. A. Rakotoarison helped with the Malagasy etymology of the scientific name of the species. For help during labwork we are indebted to G. Keunecke and M. Kondermann. This study was carried out in the framework of collaboration agreements with the Departement de Biologie Animale, Universite d'Antananarivo. We are grateful to the Malagasy authorities for research and export permits. Funding was provided by the Volkswagen Foundation, the German Science Foundation (DFG), and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). D. Blackburn, J. Rowley and one anonymous reviewer helped improving a previous version of this manuscript.