This research paper investigates the taxonomic status of the Boana cymbalum frog, considered extinct since the 1960s, by utilizing historical DNA (hDNA) extracted from a preserved museum specimen. Through advanced sequencing techniques, the study successfully places B. cymbalum within the B. pulchella group phylogenetically, confirming its distinctiveness from closely related species like B. prasina and B. pulchella. Beyond genetics, the paper also provides detailed morphological descriptions, analyzes historical audio recordings to characterize its vocalizations, and discusses its conservation status, highlighting the potential for using environmental DNA (eDNA) for possible rediscovery efforts in areas near its last known location. Overall, this work showcases the power of museomics in resolving taxonomic questions for species with limited or no living representatives.

Nakamura D.Y.M., Pinheiro P.D.P., Lyra M.L., Faivovich N., Grant T. 2025. Historical DNA places an apparently extinct gladiator frog in the phylogeny of the Boana pulchella group (Anura: Hylidae). Herpetologica.

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