Evolution and Phylogeny of Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae): Aposematism and Toxicity Blake Farrow and Nate Roundy Utah Valley University

Introduction Methods Conclusion

- Research methods involved 22 in-group and 4 outgroup taxa After observing our phylogenetic trees and doing The poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae) are terrestrial anuran amphibians - 2 genes (12S and 16S) were targeted for phylogenetic analysis. limited outside research we notice a gentle trend displaying a wide range of coloration and toxicity. These frogs generally have been - We used NCBI databases to obtain DNA sequences. Specifically using the between new species and new toxicity. In each considered to be aposematic (serving to warn or repel predators), but relatively Nucleotide, Protein, Taxonomy, and PopSet databases. new genus we see new coloration styles and we little research has been carried out to test the predictions of this hypothesis. There - Sequence alignment was carried out using the software provided in discovered slightly different toxins. The only are from four to seven genera in this family, containing around 200 species. www.phlogeny.fr under a variety of settings. exceptions were found were in the in the Hylidae Distribution is restricted to humid tropical America, from Nicaragua to Brazil, with genus who although exhibits colorful skin patterns the greatest diversity in northwestern South America. Dendrobatids are the most were not poisonous and the Colostethus genus brightly colored of any anuran group. Although the large genus Colostethus is more Results who is also a non-toxic genus. Further research brown colors and non-toxic, the derived aposematically colored dendrobatids have could further determine some of the mysteries skin toxins composed of lipophilic alkaloids, some of which can easily kill a human if AY263263.1_Nephelobates_molinarii_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial AY263269.1_Mannophryne_herminae_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial_s about the Dendrobatid family. However, as of ingested. AY819539.1_Aplastodiscus_albofrenatus_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_par DQ388763.1_Triprion_spatulata_voucher_MVZ_FC10229_16S_ribosomal right now, there does not seem to be a correlation JQ742109.1_Anomaloglossus_beebei_isolate_VUB3732_16S_ribosomal_R between the brightness of coloration and toxicity JN691121.1_Anomaloglossus_kaiei_voucher_1303PK_16S_ribosomal_RNA KU495128.1_Anomaloglossus_stepheni_voucher_CFBHT05705_16S_riboso among different populations. JN691125.1_Anomaloglossus_megacephalus_voucher_1305BPN_16S_ribos KM390781.1_Aplastodiscus_eugenioi_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial KY407886.1_Epipedobates_boulengeri_voucher_QCAZ_A_53641_16S_ribo AF124127.1_Epipedobates_tricolor_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial Future Research MH591035.1_Leucostethus_fraterdanieli_voucher_MHUAA10815_16S_rib MH591047.1_Leucostethus_jota_voucher_MHUAA10668_16S_ribosomal_RN FJ752290.1_Ameerega_bassleri_isolate_2_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_pa - Learning why poison dart frogs are immune FJ752309.1_Ameerega_pongoensis_isolate_2_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene to their own toxins Emerald Poison Frog Phantasmal Poison Frog FJ546422.1_Ameerega_sp._SL-2009_isolate_E81.5_16S_ribosomal_RNA (Ameerega smaragdina) (Epipedobates tricolor) FJ752299.1_Ameerega_smaragdina_isolate_5_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene - Toxins are found to be 200 times more FJ752307.1_Ameerega_petersi_isolate_9_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_par KJ130725.1_Rheobates_palmatus_voucher_AJC_3401_16S_ribosomal_RNA potent than morphine and could potentially AY191230.1_Mannophryne_olmonae_isolate_451_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gen be used in medicine. This study proposes to examine the Dendrobatidae family and test the hypothesis AY255841.1_Mannophryne_trinitatis_isolate_347_16S_ribosomal_RNA EU380815.1_Mannophryne_venezuelensis_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_part of aposematism, specifically that coloration will evolve together with toxicity. Or in AF124112.1_Colostethus_bocagei_16S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial_se other words, when new coloration occurs in one species so will a new toxicity. We 0.5 will do this using a dataset consisting of more than 25 taxa sequenced for 2 genes Figure 1. Phylogenetic tree based on 1000+ bp from mitochondrial 16s ribosomal RNA gene sequences, (12s rRNA and 16s rRNA) including representatives of the Dendrobatidae and of families and subfamilies.

JN690454.1_Anomaloglossus_megacephalus_voucher_1305BPN_12S_ribos JN690451.1_Anomaloglossus_beebei_voucher_933PK_12S_ribosomal_RNA JN690450.1_Anomaloglossus_kaiei_voucher_1303PK_12S_ribosomal_RNA JN690440.1_Anomaloglossus_stepheni_voucher_1063BPN_12S_ribosomal Objectives AF124097.1_Colostethus_bocagei_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial_se KY202768.1_Aplastodiscus_eugenioi_voucher_CFBH22373_12S_ribosoma DQ380346.1_Aplastodiscus_albofrenatus_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_par DQ838730.1_Triprion_spatulata_voucher_JAC23742_12S_ribosomal_RNA - Test and observe evolutionary AY263216.1_Nephelobates_molinarii_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial AY206716.1_Mannophryne_trinitatis_isolate_405_12S_ribosomal_RNA relationships within the DQ343210.1_Mannophryne_venezuelensis_isolate_555_12S_ribosomal_R AY206717.1_Mannophryne_olmonae_isolate_451_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gen Dendrobatidae family AY263219.1_Mannophryne_herminae_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial_s References - Create phylogenetic trees from EU517658.1_Ameerega_smaragdina_isolate_812_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gen AF128555.1_Epipedobates_boulengeri_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partia both genes for 26 taxa AF128549.1_Epipedobates_tricolor_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_partial FJ752370.1_Ameerega_sp._JLB-2009a_isolate_3_12S_ribosomal_RNA_ge Ford LS, et. al (1999) The Phylogenetic Position of Poison-Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae): - Seek patterns for tandem FJ752366.1_Ameerega_bassleri_isolate_1_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_pa Reassessment of the Neobatrachian Phylogeny with Commentary on Complex Character FJ752382.1_Ameerega_pongoensis_isolate_2_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene Systems. 64:78-84 evolution for coloration and toxicity FJ752380.1_Ameerega_petersi_isolate_9_12S_ribosomal_RNA_gene_par Noble GK, et. al (1931) The Biology of the Amphibia. McGraw-Hill, New York. 35: 223-243 MH591064.1_Leucostethus_fraterdanieli_voucher_MHUAA10815_12S_rib Clough MT, Summers KB (2000) The role of predator selection on polymorphic aposematic MH591078.1_Leucostethus_jota_voucher_MHUAA10668_12S_ribosomal_RN poison frogs. Biology Letters. 70:515-540. Toxic poison from dart frogs was used to https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/species/poison-dart-frog https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/poison-frog poison arrow heads or darts for hunting 0.1 http://kempspharmacy.com/fill-your-prescription Figure 2. Phylogenetic tree based on 1000+ bp from mitochondrial 12s ribosomal RNA gene sequences, including representatives of the Dendrobatidae and of families and subfamilies.