Molecular insights into the phylogenetic placement of the poorly known genus Niceforonia Goin and Cochran, 1963 (Anura: Brachycephaloidea)

Among New World direct-developing frogs belonging to the clade Brachycephaloidea (= Terraranae), there are several genera with uncertain phylogenetic placements. One notable example is the genus _Niceforonia_ Goin & Cochran 1963, which includes three species that are endemic to Colombia. Three specimens of the species _Niceforonia nana_ were collected and for the first time the genus is included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial (mtDNA; 12S and 16S) and nuclear (nucDNA; TYR and RAG1) markers. Molecular phylogenetic inference based on concatenated and separate mtDNA and nucDNA analyses recovered _Niceforonia nana_ nested within Hypodactylus Hedges et al. 2008, rendering the latter genus paraphyletic. Consequently, herein we place the genus _Hypodactylus_ in the synonymy of _Niceforonia_ to resolve the paraphyly and place _Niceforonia_ in the subfamily Hypodactylinae. Based on our revised concept of the genus _Niceforonia_ we conducted preliminary morphological comparisons using specimens and literature descriptions. _Niceforonia nana_ is quite divergent from other species of _Niceforonia_ (uncorrected genetic distances of ca. 10% 16S and 7% TYR) suggesting that further taxonomic revision may be warranted.