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Low Phylogeographic Structure in a Wide Spread Endangered Australian Frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae)

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Abstract

The green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) has a widespread distribution along the south-east coast of Australia. The species range, however, is highly fragmented and remaining populations are predominately isolated and restricted to the coastline. Previously, the range extended further inland and the species was considered common. Here we report a study designed to identify the phylogeographic and conservation genetic parameters of L. aurea. Mitochondrial DNA sequences were examined from 263 individuals sampled from 26 locations using both phylogenetic and population analyses. Despite a general consensus that amphibians are highly structured we found no phylogeographic divisions within the species, however, there was significant structure amongst extant populations (F ST=0.385). Patterns of haplotype relatedness, high haplotypic diversity (mean h=0.547) relative to low nucleotide diversity (mean π=0.003) and mismatch distribution analysis supported a Pleistocene expansion hypothesis with continued restricted dispersal and gene flow. We conclude that the genetic structure of the species may permit ‘well managed’ intervention to mediate gene flow amongst isolated populations and provide some guidelines for the implementation of such conservation strategies.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Arthur White, Ross Wellington, Graham Pyke, Garry Daly, Andrew Hamer, Simon Lane, Mike Mahony, Rod Pietsch, Scott Filmer, Rebecca Rudd, Candice Webb, Dion Hobcroft, Kerry Darcovich, Glenn Muir and many field volunteers and property owners for aid in the collection of tissue samples. Financial support for this project was provided by University of New South Wales-URSP, Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales, Roads and Traffic Authority, ARC small grant, Mary Ethel Read research Grant, the Joyce W. Vickery Scientific Research Fund, and the W.V. Scott Foundation. The study was conducted under University of New South Wales Animal Care and Ethics Committee approval (ACEC 99/39), Zoological Parks Board of NSW approval (ACEC 3a/06/99), New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service scientific permits (A2608, B2022), State Forests of New South Wales special purpose permit (05449) and Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment scientific permit (10000851).

This study was conducted as part of the PhD research of Emma Burns on phylogeography and conservation genetics of green and golden bell frogs (Litoria aurea) in Australia. The authors are primarily interested in the application of genetics in conservation and ecology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Emma L. Burns & Bronwyn A. Houlden

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia

    Mark D. B. Eldridge

  3. Evolutionary Biology Unit, Australian Museum, 6 College St, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia

    Mark D. B. Eldridge

  4. National Herbarium of New South Wales, Botanic Gardens Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, 2000, Australia

    Darren M. Crayn

  5. Zoological Parks Board of NSW, 20, Mosman, 2088, Australia

    Bronwyn A. Houlden

  6. Park Avenue Suites, Apartment 606, Jl. RS. Aini. Karet Setiabudi, Jakarta, 12920, Indonesia

    Emma L. Burns

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  1. Emma L. Burns
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  2. Mark D. B. Eldridge
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  3. Darren M. Crayn
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  4. Bronwyn A. Houlden
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Correspondence to Emma L. Burns.

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Burns, E.L., Eldridge, M.D. ., Crayn, D.M. et al. Low Phylogeographic Structure in a Wide Spread Endangered Australian Frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae). Conserv Genet 8, 17–32 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-006-9143-8

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