Data from: Specialized breeding in plants affects diversification trajectories in Neotropical frogs

Many animals breed exclusively in plants that accumulate rainwater (phytotelma; e.g., bromeliad, bamboo, fruit husk, and tree hole), to which they are either physiologically or behaviorally specialized for this microhabitat. Of the numerous life-history modes observed in frogs, few are as striking or potentially consequential as the transition from pond- or stream-breeding to the deposition of eggs or larvae in phytotelmata. Such specialization can increase offspring survivorship due to reduced competition and predation, representing potential ecological opportunity for adaptive radiation, yet few lineages of phytotelma-breeding frogs appear to have diversified extensively after such a transition, at least in the New World. We use a phylogeny of Neotropical frogs and data on breeding microhabitat to understand the evolutionary transitions involved with specialized phytotelma-breeding. First, we find that phytotelma-breeding is present in at least 168 species in 10 families of frogs. Across the phylogeny, we estimate 14 origins of phytotelma-breeding and 115 reversals, showing that phytotelma-breeding is a highly labile character. Second, phytotelma-breeding lineages overall have higher net diversification than non-phytotelma-breeding ones. This specialization represents an ecological opportunity resulting in increased diversification in most families with phytotelma-breeding lineages, whereas phytotelma-breeding toads have restricted diversification histories.

诸多动物仅在积存雨水的植物（phytotelma，例如凤梨科植物、竹茎、果实外壳以及树穴）中繁殖，这类动物已在生理或行为上特化以适配该类微生境。在已被记录的蛙类众多生活史模式中，从池塘或溪流繁殖转向在植物积水容器中产卵或抚育幼体的策略，堪称最引人瞩目且可能具备深远影响的模式之一。这类特化可通过降低种间竞争与捕食压力提升后代存活率，为适应性辐射提供了潜在的生态机遇；然而至少在新大陆区域，经历该转型的蛙类支系中，极少有类群发生大规模分化辐射。本研究基于新热带区蛙类的系统发育树与繁殖微生境数据，解析与专性植物积水容器繁殖相关的演化转型过程。其一，研究发现10个蛙类科的至少168个物种具备植物积水容器繁殖的特性；基于系统发育树估算，该繁殖策略先后独立起源14次、反向逆转115次，表明植物积水容器繁殖是一个高度易变的性状。其二，具备植物积水容器繁殖特性的支系，其整体净分化速率高于非该类繁殖模式的支系；该特化策略为多数拥有此类支系的蛙科带来了分化速率提升的生态机遇，但具备该繁殖特性的蟾蜍类群，其分化历史却相对受限。