The Great Lakes spiny reed frog (Afrixaluslacustris) was recently described from transitional (submontane) forests at mid-elevations of the Albertine Rift mountains in the eastern Congolian region. Previously, because of its similarity, it had been understood to represent eastern populations of the unrelated A.laevis, which is known mainly from Cameroon. Based on DNA barcoding, we document the westward extension of the known range of A.lacustris within lowland rainforests in the Northeastern and Central Congolian Lowland Forests. One sample was represented by a larva found in a clutch in a folded leaf, a typical oviposition type for most Afrixalus species, contrary to oviposition on an unfolded leaf surface in the similar A.laevis and closely related A.dorsimaculatus and A.uluguruensis. Comparison of the advertisement call of A.lacustris from Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo, indicates similarity to its sister species from montane areas of the Albertine Rift, the ghost spiny reed frog (A.phantasma). Phylogeographic analysis suggests that A.phantasma and A.lacustris speciated allopatrically during the Early Pleistocene, with the former having refugia in montane forests and the latter in transitional and also lowland forests. The lowland populations of A.lacustris represent distinct evolutionary lineages, which diversified probably in isolated forest refugia during the Middle Pleistocene.

• Klíčová slova
• Afrotropics, Central Africa, bioacoustics, distribution, frogs, leaf-folding frogs, phylogeography, reproduction, spiny reed frogs, tropical rainforests,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Recent molecular taxonomic advancements have expanded our understanding of crocodylian diversity, revealing the existence of previously overlooked species, including the Congo dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus osborni) in the central Congo Basin rainforests. This study explores the genomic divergence between O. osborni and its better-known relative, the true dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), shedding light on their evolutionary history. Field research conducted in the northwestern Republic of the Congo uncovered a locality where both species coexist in sympatry/syntopy. Genomic analysis of sympatric individuals reveals a level of divergence comparable to that between ecologically similar South American dwarf caimans (Paleosuchus palpebrosus and Paleosuchus trigonatus), suggesting parallel speciation in the Afrotropics and Neotropics during the Middle to Late Miocene, 10-12 Ma. Comparison of the sympatric and allopatric dwarf crocodiles indicates no gene flow between the analysed sympatric individuals of O. osborni and O. tetraspis. However, a larger sample will be required to answer the question of whether or to what extent these species hybridize. This study emphasizes the need for further research on the biology and conservation status of the Congo dwarf crocodile, highlighting its significance in the unique biodiversity of the Congolian rainforests and thus its potential as a flagship species.

• Klíčová slova
• Congo Basin, Crocodylia, overlooked biodiversity, phylogenomics, sympatry,
• MeSH
• aligátoři a krokodýli * genetika   anatomie a histologie   klasifikace   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• sympatrie MeSH
• vznik druhů (genetika) MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Jižní Amerika MeSH
• Kongo MeSH

The reed frog genus Hyperolius (Afrobatrachia, Hyperoliidae) is a speciose genus containing over 140 species of mostly small to medium-sized frogs distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. Its high level of colour polymorphism, together with in anurans relatively rare sexual dichromatism, make systematic studies more difficult. As a result, the knowledge of the diversity and taxonomy of this genus is still limited. Hyperolius robustus known only from a handful of localities in rain forests of the central Congo Basin is one of the least known species. Here, we have used molecular methods for the first time to study the phylogenetic position of this taxon, accompanied by an analysis of phenotype based on external (morphometric) and internal (osteological) morphological characters. Our phylogenetic results undoubtedly placed H. robustus out of Hyperolius into a common clade with sympatric Cryptothylax and West African Morerella. To prevent the uncovered paraphyly, we place H. robustus into a new genus, Congolius. The review of all available data suggests that the new genus is endemic to the central Congolian lowland rain forests. The analysis of phenotype underlined morphological similarity of the new genus to some Hyperolius species. This uniformity of body shape (including cranial shape) indicates that the two genera have either retained ancestral morphology or evolved through convergent evolution under similar ecological pressures in the African rain forests.

• MeSH
• deštný prales MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• fenotyp MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• molekulární evoluce * MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický MeSH
• Ranidae anatomie a histologie   klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Kongo MeSH