Data from: Contrasting nidification behaviors facilitate diversification and colonization of the Music frogs under a changing paleoclimate

In order to cope with the complexity and variability of the terrestrial environment, amphibians have developed a wide range of reproductive and parental behaviors. Nest building occurs in some anuran species as parental care. Species of the Music frog genus Nidirana are known for their unique courtship behavior and mud nesting in several congeners. However, the evolution of these frogs and their nidification behavior has yet to be studied. With phylogenomic and phylogeographic analyses based on a wide sampling of the genus, we find that Nidirana originated from central-southwestern China and the nidification behavior initially evolved at ca 19.3 Ma but subsequently lost in several descendants. Further population genomic analyses suggest that the nidification species have an older diversification and colonization history, while N. adenopleura complex congeners that do not exhibit nidification behavior have experienced a recent rapid radiation. The presence and loss of the nidification behavior in the Music frogs may be associated with paleoclimatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. This study highlights the nidification behavior as a key evolutionary innovation that has contributed to the diversification of an amphibian group under past climate changes.

为应对陆地环境的复杂性与多变性，两栖动物演化出了丰富多样的繁殖与亲代抚育行为。部分无尾目（Anura）物种会通过筑巢行为实现亲代抚育。音乐蛙属（Nidirana）物种以其独特的求偶行为以及多个近缘类群的泥巢筑造习性而闻名。然而，该类群的演化历程及其筑巢行为的演化机制迄今尚未得到研究。本研究通过对该属开展大范围采样，基于系统基因组学与系统地理学分析，发现音乐蛙属起源于中国中西南部地区，其筑巢行为最初演化于约19.3 Ma，随后在多个后裔类群中发生了丢失。进一步的群体基因组学分析显示，具备筑巢行为的物种拥有更为古老的分化与定居历史，而不表现出筑巢行为的弹琴蛙（Nidirana adenopleura）复合群近缘类群则经历了近期的快速辐射演化。音乐蛙属筑巢行为的出现与丢失，可能与温度、降水等古气候因素相关。本研究强调，筑巢行为作为一项关键的演化创新，助力了两栖动物类群在过去气候变化背景下的物种分化。