Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan

ABSTRACT In this study, we focused on interspecial interactions in Central Japan where three closely related pond frog species, Pelophylax nigromaculatus, Pelophylax porosus porosus, and Pelophylax porosus brevipodus (two species and two subspecies) are distributed and are in contact and/or overlap....

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Main Authors: Shonosuke Shigeta, Tomoya Suzuki, Shohei Komaki, Koji Tojo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71856
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author Shonosuke Shigeta
Tomoya Suzuki
Shohei Komaki
Koji Tojo
author_facet Shonosuke Shigeta
Tomoya Suzuki
Shohei Komaki
Koji Tojo
author_sort Shonosuke Shigeta
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT In this study, we focused on interspecial interactions in Central Japan where three closely related pond frog species, Pelophylax nigromaculatus, Pelophylax porosus porosus, and Pelophylax porosus brevipodus (two species and two subspecies) are distributed and are in contact and/or overlap. The presence or absence of hybridization between these species was evaluated by comparing the sequences of the mitochondrial DNA Cyt‐b (586‐bp) and the nuclear gene Tyrosinase (747‐bp) regions of each specimen collected. By comparing interspecific hybridization in the same area in both 2010 (119 specimens) and 2020 (152 specimens), we clarified population distributions and corresponding genetic dynamics over a 10‐year period; there was no major change in the degree of interspecific hybridization between P. nigromaculatus and P. p. brevipodus in the Ina Basin, but it was revealed that the proportion of “pure”‐bred Pelophylax p. brevipodus remained low. On the other hand, in the Matsumoto Basin, interspecific hybridization between P. nigromaculatus and P. p. porosus was evaluated to have progressed slightly. The proportion of “pure”‐bred Pelophylax p. porosus declined to less than half, while the proportion of hybrid individuals showed a tendency to increase. Moreover, the dispersal of P. nigromaculatus was confirmed in areas along the Sai‐gawa River, where only the pure‐bred P. p. porosus was previously known to inhabit. Since the three frogs targeted in this study are all “Red List” species that are endangered, continuous monitoring of population structures and genetic dynamics is required.
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spelling doaj-art-75b58ff533794cf0b85d1ca7c89567a92025-08-25T08:09:36ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-08-01158n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71856Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central JapanShonosuke Shigeta0Tomoya Suzuki1Shohei Komaki2Koji Tojo3Department of Biology, Faculty of Science Shinshu University Matsumoto JapanDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science Shinshu University Matsumoto JapanInstitute for Biomedical Sciences Iwate Medical University Iwate JapanDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science Shinshu University Matsumoto JapanABSTRACT In this study, we focused on interspecial interactions in Central Japan where three closely related pond frog species, Pelophylax nigromaculatus, Pelophylax porosus porosus, and Pelophylax porosus brevipodus (two species and two subspecies) are distributed and are in contact and/or overlap. The presence or absence of hybridization between these species was evaluated by comparing the sequences of the mitochondrial DNA Cyt‐b (586‐bp) and the nuclear gene Tyrosinase (747‐bp) regions of each specimen collected. By comparing interspecific hybridization in the same area in both 2010 (119 specimens) and 2020 (152 specimens), we clarified population distributions and corresponding genetic dynamics over a 10‐year period; there was no major change in the degree of interspecific hybridization between P. nigromaculatus and P. p. brevipodus in the Ina Basin, but it was revealed that the proportion of “pure”‐bred Pelophylax p. brevipodus remained low. On the other hand, in the Matsumoto Basin, interspecific hybridization between P. nigromaculatus and P. p. porosus was evaluated to have progressed slightly. The proportion of “pure”‐bred Pelophylax p. porosus declined to less than half, while the proportion of hybrid individuals showed a tendency to increase. Moreover, the dispersal of P. nigromaculatus was confirmed in areas along the Sai‐gawa River, where only the pure‐bred P. p. porosus was previously known to inhabit. Since the three frogs targeted in this study are all “Red List” species that are endangered, continuous monitoring of population structures and genetic dynamics is required.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71856amphibiaAnuraconservationmountain ecologyphylogeographywatershed
spellingShingle Shonosuke Shigeta
Tomoya Suzuki
Shohei Komaki
Koji Tojo
Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
Ecology and Evolution
amphibia
Anura
conservation
mountain ecology
phylogeography
watershed
title Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
title_full Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
title_fullStr Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
title_full_unstemmed Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
title_short Changes Over a 10‐Year Period in the Distribution Ranges and Genetic Hybridization of Three Pelophylax Pond Frogs in Central Japan
title_sort changes over a 10 year period in the distribution ranges and genetic hybridization of three pelophylax pond frogs in central japan
topic amphibia
Anura
conservation
mountain ecology
phylogeography
watershed
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71856
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