Phylogeny and classification of poison frogs (Amphibia : Dendrobatidae), based on mitochondrial 16S and 12S ribosomal RNA gene sequences

An analysis of partial sequences of the 16S ribosomal rRNA gene (582 bp) of 20 poison frog species (Dendrobatidae) confirmed their phylogenetic relati onships to bufonid and leptodactylid frogs. Representatives of the ranoid f amilies and subfamilies Raninae, Mantellinae, Petropedetinae, Cacosterninae , Arthroleptidae, Astylosternidae, and Microhylidae did not cluster as sist er group of the Dendrobatidae. Similar results were obtained in an analysis using a partial sequence of the 12S gene (350 bp) in a reduced set of taxa and in a combined analysis. Within the Dendrobatidae, our data supported m onophyly of the genus Phyllobates but indicated paraphyly of Epipedobates a nd Colostethus. Minyobates clustered within Dendrobates, contradicting its previously assumed phylogenetic position. Phobobates species clustered as a monophyletic unit within Epipedobates. Allobates was positioned in a group containing two Cobostethus species, indicating that lack of amplexus, pres ence of skin alkaloids, and aposematic coloration evolved independently in Allobates and the remaining aposematic dendrobatids, (C) 2000 Academic Pres s.