Congo Research
Adolfus sp.
Adolfus vaureselli
Congo Basin
Bowl-shaped depression surrounding congo river
Congo river- 2nd longest
Region spans 6 countries
3 million km2 of tropical forest
6 major ecoregions
Poorly Explored Biodiversity
Okapi 1901
Bonobo 1928- south of the congo river
Congo peacock 1936:
125000 western lowland gorillas in 2008
Montane speciation vs. refuge hypotheses
Kingdon 1989: Congo Basin is an evolutionary whirpool
Both advocate allopatric diversification by climate induced range expansion and contraction
Lowland rainforest refugia vs. montane forest focus
Two olivaceus clades distinguished by differences in RAG1 codons and morphology.
Herp Endemicity in Congo Basin
Amietophrynus, Barej 2011
Hyperolius Schick 2010
Osteolaemus Eaton 2009
Lepidothyris 2009
Three known congo basin toads
Sclerophrys camerunesis
Schlerophrys gracilipes
Schlero Latifrons
Phylogenetic tree
schlerophrys monophyletic
Non-forest species at base of scherophrys clade
Thought: 3 species, but there was 17 specialist toads
A camerunensis
Can cross ecoregions, rivers, it can move around within a very short amount of time.
Found everywhere in the congo.
Cryptic toad diversity concentrated in fork between tshuapa and salonga rivers
Most toads don’t have the ability to swim rivers
Tree suggested a rapid radiation in the congo basin
congo basin toads node: ca. 7-14 mya
Species hide in cold weather, they get in “refugees” allopatric situation. They only stay in their area bc otherwise they can die.
Conclusions
Refugee hypothesis supported by data: congo basin is a center of speciation
Forest refugia and river barrier formation in the late Miocene likely processes to explain speciation pattern
Multiple cryptic taxa present, including many new species
Multiple areas of endemism:
Area when you have a species that occur there and nowhere else.
People thought there was 4 areas of endemism in Africa, WRONG!
There are MANY! Areas of endemism for toads in Africa
Even with snakes, you find very similar patterns.
Toads lack typical rugose, warty skin commonly associated with the members of the family buforidae
Adolfus sp.
Adolfus vaureselli
Congo Basin
Bowl-shaped depression surrounding congo river
Congo river- 2nd longest
Region spans 6 countries
3 million km2 of tropical forest
6 major ecoregions
Poorly Explored Biodiversity
Okapi 1901
Bonobo 1928- south of the congo river
Congo peacock 1936:
125000 western lowland gorillas in 2008
Montane speciation vs. refuge hypotheses
Kingdon 1989: Congo Basin is an evolutionary whirpool
Both advocate allopatric diversification by climate induced range expansion and contraction
Lowland rainforest refugia vs. montane forest focus
Two olivaceus clades distinguished by differences in RAG1 codons and morphology.
Herp Endemicity in Congo Basin
Amietophrynus, Barej 2011
Hyperolius Schick 2010
Osteolaemus Eaton 2009
Lepidothyris 2009
Three known congo basin toads
Sclerophrys camerunesis
Schlerophrys gracilipes
Schlero Latifrons
Phylogenetic tree
schlerophrys monophyletic
Non-forest species at base of scherophrys clade
Thought: 3 species, but there was 17 specialist toads
A camerunensis
Can cross ecoregions, rivers, it can move around within a very short amount of time.
Found everywhere in the congo.
Cryptic toad diversity concentrated in fork between tshuapa and salonga rivers
Most toads don’t have the ability to swim rivers
Tree suggested a rapid radiation in the congo basin
congo basin toads node: ca. 7-14 mya
Species hide in cold weather, they get in “refugees” allopatric situation. They only stay in their area bc otherwise they can die.
Conclusions
Refugee hypothesis supported by data: congo basin is a center of speciation
Forest refugia and river barrier formation in the late Miocene likely processes to explain speciation pattern
Multiple cryptic taxa present, including many new species
Multiple areas of endemism:
Area when you have a species that occur there and nowhere else.
People thought there was 4 areas of endemism in Africa, WRONG!
There are MANY! Areas of endemism for toads in Africa
Even with snakes, you find very similar patterns.
Toads lack typical rugose, warty skin commonly associated with the members of the family buforidae
