Multiple origins of invasive and "native" water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in Switzerland

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_547EC42349B0
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Multiple origins of invasive and "native" water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in Switzerland
Journal
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Author(s)
Dubey S., Leuenberger J., Perrin N.
ISSN
0024-4066
ISSN-L
1095-8312
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2014
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
112
Number
3
Pages
442-449
Language
english
Abstract
The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) has been introduced in many places of Central and Western Europe due to commercial trades with Eastern Europe, and is rapidly replacing the native pool frog (P. lessonae). A large number of Pelophylax species are distributed in Eastern Europe and the strong phenotypic similarity between these species is rendering their identification hazardous. Consequently, alien populations of Pelophylax might not strictly be composed of P. ridibundus as previously suspected. In the present study, we analyzed the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 genes of introduced and native Pelophylax from Switzerland (299 individuals), in order to properly identify the source populations of the invaders and the genetic status of the native species. Our study highlighted the occurrence of several genetic lineages of invasive frogs in western Switzerland. Unexpectedly, we also showed that several populations of the native pool frog (P. lessonae) cluster with the Italian pool frog P. bergeri from central Italy (considered by some authors as a subspecies of P. lessonae) Hence, these populations are probably also the result of introductions, meaning that the number of native P. lessonae populations is less important than expected in Switzerland. These findings have important implications concerning the conservation of the endemic pool frog populations, as the presence of multiple alien species could strongly affect their long-term subsistence.
Keywords
amphibians, conservation, cytochrome-b, invasive species, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3, Ranidae
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
10/02/2014 15:54
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:09
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