Countrywide screening supports model-based predictions of the distribution of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Ukraine.

The chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a widespread fungus causing amphibian declines across the globe. Although data on Bd occurrence in Eastern Europe are scarce, a recent species distribution model (SDM) for Bd reported that western and north-western parts of Ukraine are highly suitable to the pathogen. We verified the SDM-predicted range of Bd in Ukraine by sampling amphibians across the country and screening for Bd using qPCR.

Landscape genetics reveals contrasting patterns of connectivity in two newt species (Lissotriton montandoni and L. vulgaris).

Ecologically distinct species may respond to landscape changes in different ways. In addition to basic ecological data, the extent of the geographic range has been successfully used as an indicator of species sensitivity to anthropogenic landscapes, with widespread species usually found to be less sensitive compared to range-restricted species. In this study, we investigate connectivity patterns of two closely related but ecologically distinct newt species - the range-restricted, Lissotriton montandoni and the widespread, L.

Functional Protein Composition in Femoral Glands of Sand Lizards ().

Proteins are ubiquitous macromolecules that display a vast repertoire of chemical and enzymatic functions, making them suitable candidates for chemosignals, used in intraspecific communication. Proteins are present in the skin gland secretions of vertebrates but their identity, and especially, their functions, remain largely unknown. Many lizard species possess femoral glands, i.

Emerging infectious diseases of amphibians in Poland: distribution and environmental drivers.

Emerging infectious diseases are a threat to biodiversity and have taken a large toll on amphibian populations worldwide. The chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal), and the iridovirus Ranavirus (Rv), are of concern as all have contributed to amphibian declines.

Evolutionary history of mental glands in turtles reveals a single origin in an aquatic ancestor and recurrent losses independent of macrohabitat.

Despite the relevance of chemical communication in vertebrates, comparative examinations of macroevolutionary trends in chemical signaling systems are scarce. Many turtle and tortoise species are reliant on chemical signals to communicate in aquatic and terrestrial macrohabitats, and many of these species possess specialized integumentary organs, termed mental glands (MGs), involved in the production of chemosignals. We inferred the evolutionary history of MGs and tested the impact of macrohabitat on their evolution.

Phylogenetic revision of South American Teloschistaceae (lichenized Ascomycota, Teloschistales) reveals three new genera and species.

Members of the poorly investigated family Teloschistaceae in South America, mostly from Bolivia and Peru, were examined using molecular and morphological data here for the first time. In recent phylogenetic reclassifications of Teloschistaceae, South American representatives were poorly represented but shown to belong to subfamilies Teloschistoideae and Xanthorioideae. In this study, we expanded the sampling of South American taxa and investigated mainly the lobate, sublobate, and squamulose members of s.

The chemistry and histology of sexually dimorphic mental glands in the freshwater turtle, .

Despite evidence from anatomy, behavior and genomics indicating that the sense of smell in turtles is important, our understanding of chemical communication in this group is still rudimentary. Our aim was to describe the microanatomy of mental glands (MGs) in a freshwater turtle, (Geoemydidae), and to assess the chemical composition of their secretions with respect to variation among individuals and between sexes. MGs are paired sac-like organs on the gular region of the neck and are dimorphic in this species with males having fully functional holocrine glands while those of females appear non-secretory and vestigial.

Evolutionary principles guiding amphibian conservation.

The Anthropocene has witnessed catastrophic amphibian declines across the globe. A multitude of new, primarily human-induced drivers of decline may lead to extinction, but can also push species onto novel evolutionary trajectories. If these are recognized by amphibian biologists, they can be engaged in conservation actions.

Patterns, Mechanisms and Genetics of Speciation in Reptiles and Amphibians.

In this contribution, the aspects of reptile and amphibian speciation that emerged from research performed over the past decade are reviewed. First, this study assesses how patterns and processes of speciation depend on knowing the taxonomy of the group in question, and discuss how integrative taxonomy has contributed to speciation research in these groups. This study then reviews the research on different aspects of speciation in reptiles and amphibians, including biogeography and climatic niches, ecological speciation, the relationship between speciation rates and phenotypic traits, and genetics and genomics.

Isolation and gene flow in a speciation continuum in newts.

Because reproductive isolation often evolves gradually, differentiating lineages may retain the potential for genetic exchange for prolonged periods, providing an opportunity to quantify and to understand the fundamental role of gene flow during speciation. Here we delimit evolutionary lineages, reconstruct the phylogeny and infer gene flow in newts of the Lissotriton vulgaris species complex based on 74 nuclear markers sampled from 127 localities. We demonstrate that distinct lineages along the speciation continuum in newts exchange nontrivial amounts of genes, affecting their evolutionary trajectories.

Leapfrogging into new territory: How Mascarene ridged frogs diversified across Africa and Madagascar to maintain their ecological niche.

The Mascarene ridged frog, Ptychadena mascareniensis, is a species complex that includes numerous lineages occurring mostly in humid savannas and open forests of mainland Africa, Madagascar, the Seychelles, and the Mascarene Islands. Sampling across this broad distribution presents an opportunity to examine the genetic differentiation within this complex and to investigate how the evolution of bioclimatic niches may have shaped current biogeographic patterns. Using model-based phylogenetic methods and molecular-clock dating, we constructed a time-calibrated molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for the group based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b (cytb) genes and the nuclear RAG1 gene from 173 individuals.

Integrative taxonomic revision of mantellid frogs of the genus Aglyptodactylus (Anura: Mantellidae).

Molecular genetic studies have in recent years revealed the presence of hidden species diversity in Madagascar's amphibians, and numerous genera contain candidate species awaiting description. We here revise the taxonomy of one such genus within the endemic Malagasy-Comorian family Mantellidae. The target taxon, Aglyptodactylus, is classified in the subfamily Laliostominae and to date contained three recognized nominal species.

Phylogeography of the arid-adapted Malagasy bullfrog, Laliostoma labrosum, influenced by past connectivity and habitat stability.

The rainforest biome of eastern Madagascar is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity and restricted distribution ranges of many species, whereas the arid western region of the island is relatively species poor. We provide insight into the biogeography of western Madagascar by analyzing a multilocus phylogeographic dataset assembled for an amphibian, the widespread Malagasy bullfrog, Laliostoma labrosum. We find no cryptic species in L.

Phylogenetic relationships among four new complete mitogenome sequences of Pelophylax (Amphibia: Anura) from the Balkans and Cyprus.

We present the full-length mitogenome sequences of four European water frog species: Pelophylax cypriensis, P. epeiroticus, P. kurtmuelleri and P.

Constraint and adaptation in newt toll-like receptor genes.

Acute die-offs of amphibian populations worldwide have been linked to the emergence of viral and fungal diseases. Inter and intraspecific immunogenetic differences may influence the outcome of infection. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an essential component of innate immunity and also prime acquired defenses.

Data concatenation, Bayesian concordance and coalescent-based analyses of the species tree for the rapid radiation of Triturus newts.

The phylogenetic relationships for rapid species radiations are difficult to disentangle. Here we study one such case, namely the genus Triturus, which is composed of the marbled and crested newts. We analyze data for 38 genetic markers, positioned in 3-prime untranslated regions of protein-coding genes, obtained with 454 sequencing.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Greek marsh frog Pelophylax cretensis (Anura, Ranidae).

We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of the Greek marsh frog Pelophylax cretensis, a water frog species endemic to the island of Crete. The genome sequence was 17,829 bp in size, and the gene order and contents were identical to those of previously reported mitochondrial genomes of other water frog species. This is the first complete mitogenome (i.

Radically different phylogeographies and patterns of genetic variation in two European brown frogs, genus Rana.

We reconstruct range-wide phylogeographies of two widespread and largely co-occurring Western Palearctic frogs, Rana temporaria and R. dalmatina. Based on tissue or saliva samples of over 1000 individuals, we compare a variety of genetic marker systems, including mitochondrial DNA, single-copy protein-coding nuclear genes, microsatellite loci, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of transcriptomes of both species.

Small body size increases the regional differentiation of populations of tropical mantellid frogs (Anura: Mantellidae).

The processes affecting species diversification may also exert an influence on patterns of genetic variability within species. We evaluated the contributions of five variables potentially influencing clade diversification (body size, reproductive mode, range size, microhabitat and skin texture) on mtDNA divergence and polymorphism among populations of 40 species of frogs (Mantellidae) from two rainforest communities in Madagascar. We report an inverse association between body size and nucleotide divergence between populations but find no influence of other variables on genetic variation.

The influence of riverine barriers on phylogeographic patterns of Malagasy reed frogs (Heterixalus).

We analyzed the influence of large rivers on the phylogeography of endemic widespread amphibians along Madagascar's east coast, using as models various species and species complexes of Malagasy reed frogs (Heterixalus spp.) that are specialized to either highland or lowland habitats. We assembled a dense sampling across the full species ranges and used mitochondrial (cob) as well as nuclear (Rag-1) DNA sequences to assess their phylogeographies.

A multigene species tree for Western Mediterranean painted frogs (Discoglossus).

Painted frogs (Discoglossus) are an anuran clade that originated in the Upper Miocene. Extant species are morphologically similar and have a circum-Mediterranean distribution. We assembled a multilocus dataset from seven nuclear and four mitochondrial genes for several individuals of all but one of the extant species and reconstructed a robust phylogeny by applying a coalescent-based species-tree method and a concatenation approach, both of which gave congruent results.

Mitochondrial genome organization and divergence in hybridizing central European waterfrogs of the Pelophylax esculentus complex (Anura, Ranidae).

Natural transfer of mitochondrial DNA has occurred between three western Palaearctic waterfrog taxa: Pelophylax lessonae, Pelophylax ridibundus and their hybridogenetic hybrid, Pelophylax kl. esculentus. The transfer is asymmetric with most P.

Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes in Bombina (Anura; Bombinatoridae).

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two basal anurans, Bombina bombina and B. variegata (Anura; Bombinatoridae), were sequenced. The gene order of their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is identical to that of canonical vertebrate mtDNA.