REVSYS: RUI: Diversity Beyond Morphology: A Revision of the Frog Genus Leptodactylus (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae).

我们的星球目前正在经历物种消失的惊人速度，通常被称为“生物多样性危机”。“科学家们观察到的问题之一是世界各地青蛙数量的减少，因此物种灭绝的可能性增加。 因此，生物学家面临的明确任务之一是回答：为什么会发生这种情况？ 为了正确回答这个问题，我们必须首先知道目前存在多少物种。 此外，我们必须评估它们之间的进化关系，如果我们要了解导致它们起源和目前分布的历史成分。 本研究的目的是对一个大型的南美和中美洲蛙类（Leptodactylus）的遗传多样性和进化关系进行解密。 这些青蛙表现出一系列不同的繁殖策略，毫无疑问，这些策略有助于它们在过去几百万年的成功和生存。 了解Leptodactylus物种之间的遗传多样性是了解它们的进化关系和确定保护优先事项的先决条件，无论是在群体还是地理区域方面，都是至关重要的。 一个主要的结果将是一个修订和总结，我们目前的知识，这种青蛙属的形式，最终的专著。 这些结果还将以光盘和网络形式分发和提供。 遗传数据将与以前可用的和新收集的形态数据相结合。 本科理科学生将有机会学习分子技术，形态学方法，统计模型和网络计算机设计在科学探究的参与性创造性过程。 这种科学训练（基于逻辑和理性）将伴随学生在未来的努力，无论是在基础生物学，环境问题，牙科，人类或兽医学，或实际上，任何职业道路的进一步研究。

Our planet is currently experiencing an alarming rate of species disappearance, commonly referred to as the 'Biodiversity Crisis.' Among the problems observed by scientists is the declining of frog populations around the world, and hence the increased possibility of species extinction. Consequently, one of the clear tasks that biologists are faced with is answering: why is this happening? In order to answer this question properly, we must first know how many species currently exist. Furthermore, we must assess the evolutionary relationships among them if we are to understand the historical components that resulted in their origin and current distributions. The goal of the present proposal is to decipher genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships in a large group of South and Central American frogs, the genus Leptodactylus. These frogs exhibit an array of different reproductive strategies that undoubtedly have contributed to their success and survival over the last several million years. Understanding the genetic diversity among the species of Leptodactylus is a prerequisite to understanding their evolutionary relationships and identifying conservation priorities, both in terms of groups and geographic areas that would be critical to protect. A major result will be a revision and summary of our current knowledge on this frog genus in the form of a final monograph. These results will also be distributed and available in CD and Web formats. The genetic data will be integrated with previously available and newly gathered morphological data. Undergraduate science students will have the opportunity to learn molecular techniques, morphological methodologies, statistical models, and web computer designs within a participatory creative process of scientific inquiry. This scientific training (based on logic and reason) will accompany students in future endeavors, whether those be further studies in basic biology, environmental issues, dentistry, human or veterinary medicine, or indeed, any career path.