Transcriptomic and macroevolutionary evidence for phenotypic uncoupling between frog life history phases

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15213
• Publication Date: 2017-05-15T10:20:28Z
• Authors: Katharina C. Woll...; Joan Garcia-Porta; Ariel Rodríguez; Mónica Arias; Abhijeet Shah; Roger Daniel Rand...; Jason L. Brown; Frank Glaw; Felix Amat; Sven Künzel; Dirk Metzler; Raphael D. Isokpehi; Miguel Vences
• Keywords: Tadpole (physics); Macroevolution; Life History Theory; Adaptive Radiation; Trait; Phenotypic trait

Abstract Anuran amphibians undergo major morphological transitions during development, but the contribution of their markedly different life-history phases to macroevolution has rarely been analysed. Here we generate testable predictions for coupling versus uncoupling phenotypic evolution tadpole and adult phases, underlying expression genes related feature formation. We test these by combining evidence from gene in two distantly frogs, Xenopus laevis Mantidactylus betsileanus , with patterns entire radiation Madagascan mantellid frogs. Genes linked structure formation are expressed a highly phase-specific pattern, suggesting across phases. This pattern agrees uncoupled rates trait among mantellids, which show have undergone an adaptive radiation. Our results validate prevalence phenotypes