原指树蛙属的分类、系统进化与生物地理学研究

The genus Kurixalus (Anura, Rhacophoridae) is composed of ten species and distributes largely in Indochina, Himalayan front ranges,Southwest China and South China. Currently, taxonomic status of Kurixalus ananjevae, Kurixalus naso, Kurixalus verrucosus, and Kurixalus odontotarsus from Tibet is not very clear, and no study has been carried out to investigate the evolution and adaptation of vocal sac in Kurixalus and Kurixalus bisacculus, phylogeny, and speciation mechanisms among Kurixlus. Using means of morphology, acoustics, molecular systematics and population genetics, this project aims at clarifying taxonomic status of Kurixalus species, exploring the potential speciation that K. bisacculus are undergoing, constructing the phylogeny of Kurixalus, examining the evolution and adaptation of vocal sac and roles of vocal sac in evolution and speciation of frogs, estimating the divergence time of lineages, infering the ancestral range, and then investigating the evolutionary history of Kurixalus and the impact of geological and climatic events such as tectonic movement (extrusion of Indochina block and uplift of Himalaya) and isolation of island (Borneo and Taiwan)on it.

原指树蛙属（Kurixalus）包括10个物种，主要分布于中南半岛、喜马拉雅地区和我国西南、华南等地。当前，阿氏原指树蛙、锯腿原指树蛙西藏居群、吻原指树蛙以及多疣原指树蛙等物种的分类地位还不清楚，而对于原指树蛙属以及双声囊原指树蛙不同声囊类型的进化与适应机制、原指树蛙属的系统演化关系和物种形成机制还缺乏全面深入的研究。本项目的主要目的就是利用形态学、声学、分子系统学及群体遗传学等手段来澄清原指树蛙属部分物种的分类地位；分析双声囊原指树蛙可能正在经历的物种分化；准确还原原指树蛙属的系统演化关系，分析声囊的演化与适应机制，探讨声囊在无尾两栖类进化及物种形成过程中的作用与意义；估算谱系分化时间，推断原指树蛙属的祖先分布，全面深入地探讨原指树蛙属的进化历史及板块构造运动(喜马拉雅抬升、中南半岛侧向逃逸)和海岛隔离(婆罗洲、台湾)等历史地质气候事件在原指树蛙属的物种形成与演化过程中的作用和影响。