Frogs, Fossils, and Phylogeny: Model System for Paleontological and Neontological Systematists

这项研究涉及解决化石和最近几个基系青蛙的关系。此外，最近还发现了一些未被描述的古蛙化石。这些化石很可能会对基础青蛙关系和生物地理历史等更广泛的问题提供见解。最近试图用活的分类群来解决青蛙的系统分类问题的尝试并不令人满意，而且由于描述不佳以及新生生物学家和古生物学家之间缺乏协调的合作，从化石记录中纳入数据的努力受到了阻碍。这个项目将解决这个问题，并涉及PI，一个南美合作者和三个学生的合作研究努力。研究青蛙的基础谱系的意义在于，它将为揭示后来分化的青蛙之间的关系提供必要的框架，并使人们对青蛙的分类学、关系和生物地理学有更全面的了解。* * *

9521691 Trueb This research involves resolution of relationships of fossil and Recent frogs in several basal lineages. In addition, there are several ancient frog fossils that have been discovered recently and that are undescribed. It is probable that these fossils will provide insights on the broader problem of basal frog relationships and biogeographic history. Recent attempts to resolve frog systematics using living taxa have been unsatisfactory and inclusion of data from the fossil record has been thwarted by poor descriptions and lack of coordinated collaborative efforts between neontologists and paleontologists. This project will address this problem and involve the collaborative research efforts of the PI, a South American collaborator and three students. %%% The significance of the research on basal frog lineages is that it will provide the framework necessary for unraveling relationships among later diverging frogs and allow a more comprehensive understanding of frog taxonomy, relationships and biogeography. ***