Renaud Boistel

Bio: Renaud Boistel is an academic researcher from École pratique des hautes études. The author has contributed to research in topics: Atelopus & Atelopus tricolor. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 13 citations.

Tadpole of Atelopus franciscus from French Guyana, with Comments on Other Larvae of the Genus (Anura: Bufonidae)

Abstract: The tadpole of Atelopus franciscus from French Guyana is described. It resembles other larvae of the genus, especially those displaying a color pattern of symmetrical light marks. Among them, A. franciscus is most similar to those tadpoles having submarginal papillae (i.e., Atelopus balios, Atelopus flavescens, Atelopus nanay, Atelopus tricolor). The tadpole of A. franciscus shares several similarities with the larva of A. flavescens from French Guyana but differs from it by being smaller in size and in certain measurement. The phylogenetic relevance of tadpole characters in Atelopus is discussed, including body proportions, submarginal papillae, length of upper beak.

The importance of natural history and species-specific approaches in amphibian ex-situ conservation

Abstract: Due to the importance of ex-situ components of the response to the on-going amphibian extinction crisis, the numbers of captive amphibian species and populations is growing. However, ex-situ projects are currently often poorly supported by knowledge of the captive husbandry requirements of individual amphibian species, many of which are being taken into captivity for the first time. Natural history data and measurements of wild environmental parameters are critical in designing appropriate captive environments, but are absent for the majority of species held in captivity. This has resulted in the failure of some exsitu projects and is likely to affect many future initiatives. Publication biases away from natural history and amphibian-specific research, the inaccessibility of data in academic literature for conservation institutions and lack of time for preparative surveys before ‘rescue’ attempts are largely responsible for this data deficit. In many cases, conservation groups must collect their own data where existing information is insufficient. We suggest important parameters to record in the field and discuss the importance of considering the microclimates in which wild amphibians live when determining the methodology of recording parameters. Furthermore, we highlight the important role that public databases should fulfil to store and disseminate data. All in all, this perspective piece demonstrates the need for natural history data and outlines a road map for their efficient collection and for their practical integration into conservation programmes.

Assessing the molecular phylogeny of a near extinct group of vertebrates: the Neotropical harlequin frogs (Bufonidae; Atelopus)

Abstract: Neotropical harlequin frogs, Atelopus, are a species-rich bufonid group. Atelopus monophyly has been suggested but intergeneric, interspecific and intraspecific relationships are poorly understood. One reason is that morphological characters of harlequin frogs are often difficult to interpret, making species delimitations difficult. Molecular analyses (DNA barcoding, phylogeny) may be helpful but sampling is hampered as most of the more than 100 Atelopus species have undergone severe population declines and many are possibly extinct. We processed mitochondrial DNA (12S and 16S rRNA) of 28 available ingroup samples from a large portion of the genus’ geographic range (Bayesian Inference, Maximum Likelihood). Our samples constitute a monophyletic unit, which is sister to other bufonid genera studied including the Andean genus Osornophryne. In contrast to previous morphological studies, our results suggest that Osornophryne is neither sister to Atelopus nor nested within it. Within Atelopus, we note two major...

The fate of the harlequin toads – help through a synchronous multi‐disciplinary approach and the IUCN ‘Amphibian Conservation Action Plan’?

Abstract: This is a small synopsis of the current threat with extinction of an entire species-rich genus of neotropical toad. Nowadays, 62 of 77 described species in the genus Atelopus are allocated to the IUCN Red List category Critically Endangered. Three are extinct while a total of 30 species is considered as possibly extinct. Extinctions in Atelopus are ‘enigmatic’, happening over short time and generally for unknown reasons including remote areas. There is strong evidence that most extinctions undergo due to a combination of chytridiomycosis (an apparently emerging infectious disease caused through an epizootic fungus) and global warming. A synchronous multi-disciplinary approach – i.e. basically taxonomic, disease and other research plus monitoring, captive breeding and habitat protection – is suggested to amend survival chances of Atelopus species. Such an approach needs novel law, policy and conservation frameworks, as pointed out in the IUCN ‘Amphibian Conservation Action Plan’. The latter is still not entirely put into practice. The future will show if it will help to prevent at least some harlequin toads from extinction. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Living in fast-flowing water: morphology of the gastromyzophorous tadpole of the bufonid Rhinella quechua (R. veraguensis group).

Abstract: We describe the bufonid gastromyzophorous tadpoles of Rhinella quechua from montane forest streams in Bolivia. Specimens were cleared and stained, and the external morphology, buccopharyngeal structures, and the musculoskeletal system were studied. These tadpoles show a combination of some traits common in Rhinella larvae (e.g., emarginate oral disc with large ventral gap in the marginal papillae, labial tooth row formula 2/3, prenarial ridge, two infralabial papillae, quadratoorbital commissure present, larval otic process absent, mm. mandibulolabialis superior, interhyoideus posterior, and diaphragmatopraecordialis absent, m. subarcualis rectus I composed of three slips), some traits apparently exclusive for the described species of the R. veraguensis group (e.g., second anterior labial tooth row complete, lingual papillae absent, adrostral cartilages present), and some traits that are shared with other gastromyzophorous tadpoles (e.g., enlarged oral disc, short and wide articular process of the palatoquadrate, several muscles inserting on the abdominal sucker). In the context of the substantial taxonomic and nomenclatural changes that the former genus Bufo has undergone, and despite the conspicuous morphological differences related to the presence of an abdominal sucker, the larval morphology of R. quechua supports including it in the genus Rhinella and placing it close to species of the R. veraguensis assemblage. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a taxonomically unstable ranid from Sumatra, Indonesia, reveals a new genus with gastromyzophorous tadpoles and two new species

Abstract: The presence of an adhesive abdominal sucker (gastromyzophory) allows tadpoles of certain species of anurans to live in fast-flowing streams. Gastromyzophorous tadpoles are rare among anurans, known only in certain American bufonids and Asian ranids. To date, Huia sumatrana, which inhabits cascading streams, has been the only Sumatran ranid known to possess gastromyzophorous tadpoles. In the absence of thorough sampling and molecular barcoding of adults and larvae, it has remained to be confirmed whether other Sumatran ranid species living in similar habitats, i.e., Chalcorana crassiovis, possesses this larval type. Moreover, the taxonomic status of this species has long been uncertain and its taxonomic position within the Ranidae, previously based exclusively on morphological characters, has remained unresolved. To study the diversity and relationships of these frogs and to establish the identity of newly collected gastromyzophorous tadpoles from Sumatra, we compared genetic sequences of C. crassiovis-like taxa from a wide range of sites on Sumatra. We conducted bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses on a concatenated dataset of mitochondrial (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and tRNAval) and nuclear (RAG1 and TYR) gene fragments. Our analyses recovered C. crassiovis to be related to Clinotarsus, Huia, and Meristogenys. The DNA barcodes of the gastromyzophorous tadpoles matched adults from the same sites. Herein, we provide a re-description of adult C. crassiovis and propose “C. kampeni” as a synonym of this species. The molecular evidence, morphological features, and distribution suggest the presence of two related new species. The two new species and C. crassiovis together represent a distinct phylogenetic clade possessing unique molecular and morphological synapomorphies, thus warranting a new genus.