Collaborative Research: Phylogeny and Classification of Ranid Frogs (Anura, Natanura): Synthesis of Morphology and Molecules

占青蛙物种23%的蛙类在全球范围内正在减少，它们的进化关系仍然知之甚少。该项目将通过汇编250个物种的11个基因和400个形态特征的DNA序列数据集，代表所有主要谱系，来解决以前蛙类系统发育研究中的冲突。互补形态学和分子数据集的系统发育分析将解决当代分析挑战（DNA序列比对，算法选择，优化标准），同时用新生成的数据重新评估遗留数据。该分析将提供一个严格的，独立的评估最近的分子假说，产生一个修订的分类蛙科和属，并测试假设的性格进化，生活史，生态，行为和anteriography有关蛙。一名研究生，九名本科生和六名高中生将接受指导。将举办国际研讨会。实地工作将在非洲和亚洲进行。一个项目网站将提供研究产品，包括书目、插图、照片、说明、识别码、地图集和术语表。数据将在开放的网络资料库中存档。这些资源将促进未来对蛙类的研究，并帮助生物学家，外行和保护主义者识别它们。

Ranid frogs, comprising 23% of frog species, are declining globally, and their evolutionary relationships remain poorly understood. This project will address conflicts in previous phylogenetic studies of ranid frogs by compiling a dataset of DNA sequences for eleven genes and 400 morphological characters, for 250 species, representing all major lineages. Phylogenetic analysis of complementary morphological and molecular datasets will address contemporary analytical challenges (DNA sequence alignment, algorithm choice, optimization criteria), while re-evaluating legacy data with newly generated data. The analysis will provide a rigorous, independent assessment of recent molecular hypotheses, produce a revised classification of ranid frog families and genera, and test hypotheses of character evolution, life history, ecology, behavior and biogeography concerning ranid frogs.A postdoctoral researcher will lead the project and collaborate with colleagues at four participating institutions. One graduate, nine undergraduate, and six high school students will be mentored. An international workshop will be held. Fieldwork will be conducted in Africa and Asia. A project website will host research products, including bibliography, illustrations, photographs, descriptions, identification keys, atlas and glossary of terminology. Data will be archived in open web repositories. These resources will facilitate future studies on ranid frogs and assist biologists, laymen and conservationists to identify them.