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.