A new species of leopard frog (Anura: Ranidae) from the urban northeastern US

作者：Newman Catherine E^*; Feinberg Jeremy A; Rissler Leslie J; Burger Joanna; Shaffer H Bradley

来源：Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2012, 63(2): 445-455.

DOI：10.1016/j.ympev.2012.01.021

• Rana pipiens
• Rana sphenocephala
• Lithobates
• Urban ecology
• Amphibian decline
• Species delimitation

Past confusion about leopard frog (genus Rana) species composition in the Tri-State area of the US that includes New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), and Connecticut (CT) has hindered conservation and management efforts, especially where populations are declining or imperiled. We use nuclear and mitochondrial genetic data to clarify the identification and distribution of leopard frog species in this region. We focus on four problematic frog populations of uncertain species affiliation in northern NJ, southeastern mainland NY, and Staten Island to test the following hypotheses: (1) they are conspecific with Rana sphenocephala or R. pipiens, (2) they are hybrids between R. sphenocephala and R. pipiens, or (3) they represent one or more previously undescribed cryptic taxa. Bayesian phylogenetic and cluster analyses revealed that the four unknown populations collectively form a novel genetic lineage, which represents a previously undescribed cryptic leopard frog species, Rana sp. nov. Statistical support for R. sp. nov. was strong in both the Bayesian (pp = 1.0) and maximum-likelihood (bootstrap = 99) phylogenetic analyses as well as the Structure cluster analyses. While our data support recognition of R. sp. nov. as a novel species, we recommend further study including fine-scaled sampling and ecological, behavioral, call, and morphological analyses before it is formally described.

• 出版日期2012-5