Phylogenetic relationships between telmatobiinids (Anura, Ceratophryidae, Telmatobiinae) of central Andes based on morphology of larval and adult stages

• Main Authors: César Aguilar, Niels Valencia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos 2011-07-01
• Series: Revista Peruana de Biología
• Subjects: Batrachophrynus; Telmatobius; Morfología; Filogenia; Andes centrales.
• Online Access: http://revistasinvestigacion.unmsm.edu.pe/index.php/rpb/article/view/174
• ISSN: 1561-0837; 1727-9933

<em>Batrachophrynus </em>and <em>Telmatobius </em>are the two genus of Telmatobiinae from the central Andes. Both genera have species with adaptations for life at high altitude in the Andes, with aquatic or semi-aquatic habits in creeks, lagoons and lakes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between <em>Batrachophrynus </em>and 13 species of <em>Telmatobius </em>from the central Andes using larval and adult morphology including diagnostic characters for <em>Batrachophrynus </em>and <em>Telmatobius</em>, and putative sinapomorphies for <em>Telmatobius</em>. The phylogenetic analysis showed 20 parsimonious trees with 56 steps length. The results of this study hypothesize that the species assigned to <em>Batrachophrynus</em> form a monophyletic group nested within <em>Telmatobius</em>. In this study, most of the synapomorphies that support <em>Telmatobius</em> (including <em>Batrachophrynus</em>) come from larval morphology and these sinapomorphies will probably support the whole genus.