Dissertation Research: Evolution and Endocrinology of Accelerated Metamorphosis

PI：Hayes 9800886 PI研究考察了适应沙漠的两栖动物快速变态的进化及其激素控制。新大陆的叉脚蟾蜍生活在美国的沙漠中，在短暂的池塘中繁殖，在那里，它们在不到两周的时间内极快地变态，这对避免干燥很重要。欧洲、亚洲和北非的东半球叉足蟾蜍和欧芹蛙是与东半球叉足蟾蜍最接近的近亲，它们的变态速度并不是很快。PI将确定黑斑蛙快速变态的进化起源，并阐明允许其进化的荷尔蒙机制。这项研究首次研究了两栖动物沙漠生存的一个关键因素--快速变态的生理学。PI正在将自然历史、系统发育分析和实验生理学整合到进化的视角中。

PI: HAYES 9800886 The PIs study examines the evolution of rapid metamorphosis and its hormonal control in desert-adapted amphibians. New World spadefoot toads live in American deserts and breed in ephemeral pools where their extremely rapid metamorphosis in less than two weeks is important to avoid desiccation. The closest relatives to the New World spadefoot toads are the Old World spadefoot toads and parsley frogs of Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and are not known to have rapid metamorphosis. The PIs will determine the evolutionary origin of rapid metamorphosis in spadefoot toads and elucidate the hormonal mechanism that allowed for its evolution. This research is the first to examine the physiology of a key-adaptation for amphibian desert survival -- rapid metamorphosis. The PIs are integrating natural history, phylogenetic analysis, and experimental physiology into an evolutionary perspective.