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A cornerstone of my research is to identify species evolutionary relationships and describe new species to science. The outcome of these research will provide better understanding of species and phylogenetic diversity and help to develop conservation strategies to target extinction-prone species and geographic areas at risk.
A cornerstone of my research is to identify species evolutionary relationships and describe new species to science. The outcome of these research will provide better understanding of species and phylogenetic diversity and help to develop conservation strategies to target extinction-prone species and geographic areas at risk.
Research projects
Research projects
Squamate phylogeny
Chiasmocleis quilombola
1) Species discovery, phylogenetics, and systematics
1) Species discovery, phylogenetics, and systematics
In collaboration with a team of researchers including my Ph. D. advisor, Dr. R. Alexander Pyron, and Dr. Walter Jetz, we have built a phylogenetic tree containing 9,755 squamate species – corresponding to most described species of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenas. We identified that threatened species are concentrated in certain clades more often than non-threatened. These insights have been used to target what threatened species to prioritize for conservation.
In collaboration with a team of researchers including my Ph. D. advisor, Dr. R. Alexander Pyron, and Dr. Walter Jetz, we have built a phylogenetic tree containing 9,755 squamate species – corresponding to most described species of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenas. We identified that threatened species are concentrated in certain clades more often than non-threatened. These insights have been used to target what threatened species to prioritize for conservation.
In addition, I have described four new species of South American frogs, including this one pictured on the left. These new species were the results of a collaboration with Dr. Rafael de Sá. Our recent study on the phylogenetics and biogeography of the genus Chiasmocleis suggests that it may comprise many more new species. At the moment I am still collaborating with Drs. Pyron and de Sá in projects related to systematics, phylogenetics, and taxonomy with lots of opportunity to students go to fieldwork and develop lab and analytical skills.
In addition, I have described four new species of South American frogs, including this one pictured on the left. These new species were the results of a collaboration with Dr. Rafael de Sá. Our recent study on the phylogenetics and biogeography of the genus Chiasmocleis suggests that it may comprise many more new species. At the moment I am still collaborating with Drs. Pyron and de Sá in projects related to systematics, phylogenetics, and taxonomy with lots of opportunity to students go to fieldwork and develop lab and analytical skills.
Dendrophryniscus carvalhoi
Evolution of phytotelm-breeding in Neotropical frogs
2) Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of habitat specialization
2) Ecological and evolutionary dynamics of habitat specialization
Many of the animals associated to plants that accumulate rain-water, also known as phytotelmata, are found in no other habitat, suggesting that phytotelmata fauna is either physiologically or behaviorally specialized to these plants. Although phytotelmata could potentially have boosted adaptive radiations, in phytotelmata-specialized frogs this new habitat does not seem to promote species-rich clades. Instead, these specialized species have higher extinction risks given the extremely limited resource availability compared to generalists. Phytotelmata-specialized frogs are susceptible to changes in the environment or selection pressures associated with the specialized habit that increases extinction rates over evolutionary time scales of millions of years of plant evolution, limiting species to diversify and form species-rich clades. Currently, in collaboration with Dr. Naomi E. Pierce, we are trying to understand whether the association with bromeliads would impact species evolutionary dynamics and changes in the landscape. We are also testing whether fauna associated could affect bromeliads’ survivorship. Moreover, along with Dr. Rodrigo B. Ferreira and a great team of researchers in my home state Espírito Santo, we have developed research and citizen science activities in Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state, Brazil, where the biodiversity of phytotelmata, particularly bromeliads, and associated fauna is impressively high and important for conservation. For instance, this region is a biodiversity hotspot of bromeliads (107 species), humming birds (22 species), butterflies (769 species), frogs (92 species), and spiders (155 species). Under the umbrella of this project, students can work on field experiments on thermal ecology of bromeliads and associated fauna, bromeliad microbiome, and science outreach.
Many of the animals associated to plants that accumulate rain-water, also known as phytotelmata, are found in no other habitat, suggesting that phytotelmata fauna is either physiologically or behaviorally specialized to these plants. Although phytotelmata could potentially have boosted adaptive radiations, in phytotelmata-specialized frogs this new habitat does not seem to promote species-rich clades. Instead, these specialized species have higher extinction risks given the extremely limited resource availability compared to generalists. Phytotelmata-specialized frogs are susceptible to changes in the environment or selection pressures associated with the specialized habit that increases extinction rates over evolutionary time scales of millions of years of plant evolution, limiting species to diversify and form species-rich clades. Currently, in collaboration with Dr. Naomi E. Pierce, we are trying to understand whether the association with bromeliads would impact species evolutionary dynamics and changes in the landscape. We are also testing whether fauna associated could affect bromeliads’ survivorship. Moreover, along with Dr. Rodrigo B. Ferreira and a great team of researchers in my home state Espírito Santo, we have developed research and citizen science activities in Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo state, Brazil, where the biodiversity of phytotelmata, particularly bromeliads, and associated fauna is impressively high and important for conservation. For instance, this region is a biodiversity hotspot of bromeliads (107 species), humming birds (22 species), butterflies (769 species), frogs (92 species), and spiders (155 species). Under the umbrella of this project, students can work on field experiments on thermal ecology of bromeliads and associated fauna, bromeliad microbiome, and science outreach.
Acoustic allometry shifts across frogs
3) Evolution of phenotypes in the light of natural and sexual selection
3) Evolution of phenotypes in the light of natural and sexual selection
In most species that uses vocal sounds for communication the frequency of those sounds is constraint by body size – larger body size result in lower frequency. For instance, think about the sound of large and small saxophones (I am a music aficionado, and this is one of the best ways to relate the general public to this research). For the same tune, the larger one has a much deeper sound - or lower frequency - than the smaller one, which have a much higher frequency. I have identified group of frog species that have completely decoupled their calls from the physical constraint imposed by body size. These instances represent unique evolutionary changes driven by natural selection such as environmental noise and sexual selection such as female preference to disrupt a constraint that originates from physical laws. Frog calls to attract females are innate and female tympanum is tuned to recognized species-specific mating sounds. Thus, there is, yet unexplored, genetic and morphological component related to these evolutionary shifts in call frequency. In this project, I am collaborating with a team of Brazilian and north American researchers to understand morphological and genetic mechanisms driving these unique changes in frog calls. Students involved in this project will acquire skills on imaging specimens, performing geometric morphometrics analysis, sequencing genomes and transcriptomes, and looking for genetic associations of shifts in call frequencies.
In most species that uses vocal sounds for communication the frequency of those sounds is constraint by body size – larger body size result in lower frequency. For instance, think about the sound of large and small saxophones (I am a music aficionado, and this is one of the best ways to relate the general public to this research). For the same tune, the larger one has a much deeper sound - or lower frequency - than the smaller one, which have a much higher frequency. I have identified group of frog species that have completely decoupled their calls from the physical constraint imposed by body size. These instances represent unique evolutionary changes driven by natural selection such as environmental noise and sexual selection such as female preference to disrupt a constraint that originates from physical laws. Frog calls to attract females are innate and female tympanum is tuned to recognized species-specific mating sounds. Thus, there is, yet unexplored, genetic and morphological component related to these evolutionary shifts in call frequency. In this project, I am collaborating with a team of Brazilian and north American researchers to understand morphological and genetic mechanisms driving these unique changes in frog calls. Students involved in this project will acquire skills on imaging specimens, performing geometric morphometrics analysis, sequencing genomes and transcriptomes, and looking for genetic associations of shifts in call frequencies.
Community phylogenetics of Netropical frogs
4) Evolutionary community ecology
4) Evolutionary community ecology
Trait variation within communities and species abundances might be driven by deterministic variation of ecological processes such as habitat filtering for certain traits, competition, and facilitation, and/or evolutionary processes such as speciation, local extinction and colonization. My research on Neotropical communities of frogs have shown that most communities assembled according to stochastic variation of evolutionary processes. Although habitat filtering happens at the regional scale of biomes and several species are restricted to a specific one, local assemblages are a random sample of the regional pool. However, most methods available to study evolution of communities are agnostic spatial differences within the regional pools - not spatially explicit. Furthermore, macroevolutionary and population genetic models can be used to generate better null models to test instances of deterministic signal of evolutionary or ecological process, such as signature of the climatic history of the biome affecting community assembly. We are developing spatially explicit evolutionary models of community assembly to better account for nuances in the regional pool and macroevolutionary processes. In addition, my goal is to gather functional traits, particularly vertebrates but not restricted, to test the relative effect of species interaction on trait evolution while reconstructing the potential historical pool of interacting species that could affect trait variation.
Trait variation within communities and species abundances might be driven by deterministic variation of ecological processes such as habitat filtering for certain traits, competition, and facilitation, and/or evolutionary processes such as speciation, local extinction and colonization. My research on Neotropical communities of frogs have shown that most communities assembled according to stochastic variation of evolutionary processes. Although habitat filtering happens at the regional scale of biomes and several species are restricted to a specific one, local assemblages are a random sample of the regional pool. However, most methods available to study evolution of communities are agnostic spatial differences within the regional pools - not spatially explicit. Furthermore, macroevolutionary and population genetic models can be used to generate better null models to test instances of deterministic signal of evolutionary or ecological process, such as signature of the climatic history of the biome affecting community assembly. We are developing spatially explicit evolutionary models of community assembly to better account for nuances in the regional pool and macroevolutionary processes. In addition, my goal is to gather functional traits, particularly vertebrates but not restricted, to test the relative effect of species interaction on trait evolution while reconstructing the potential historical pool of interacting species that could affect trait variation.
Phylogenetic endemism of birds in the Dry Diagonal of South America
5) Phylogenetics applied to species conservation
5) Phylogenetics applied to species conservation
Species conservation is a priority to maintain functioning ecosystem services. However, conservation funds are limited and the number of threatened species continue to increase over the years. In collaboration with Drs. Scott V. Edwards, Naomi E. Pierce, and Cristina Myiaki, we are estimating species distribution models and phylogenies to building a phylogenetically informed map of extinction-prone species that have narrow geographic range and represent unique evolutionary history. These maps will help us to visualize regions of high, medium and low conservation concern. The prioritization will use quantitative indices integrating information about the range of each species, combined with a measure of its evolutionary uniqueness. The result will be an informed sensitivity map of potential range shifts driven by climate change for the biodiversity of the Dry Diagonal in South America - including the biomes of Chaco, Cerrado, and Caatinga. These maps will inform species’ threat assessment organized by international agencies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Brazilian regional red lists.
Species conservation is a priority to maintain functioning ecosystem services. However, conservation funds are limited and the number of threatened species continue to increase over the years. In collaboration with Drs. Scott V. Edwards, Naomi E. Pierce, and Cristina Myiaki, we are estimating species distribution models and phylogenies to building a phylogenetically informed map of extinction-prone species that have narrow geographic range and represent unique evolutionary history. These maps will help us to visualize regions of high, medium and low conservation concern. The prioritization will use quantitative indices integrating information about the range of each species, combined with a measure of its evolutionary uniqueness. The result will be an informed sensitivity map of potential range shifts driven by climate change for the biodiversity of the Dry Diagonal in South America - including the biomes of Chaco, Cerrado, and Caatinga. These maps will inform species’ threat assessment organized by international agencies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Brazilian regional red lists.
Supporting institutions
Supporting institutions
Funding agencies
Funding agencies
João F. R. Tonini
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