No description available.

Platelets of divers undergo changes following exposure to high pressures and decompression. Since the latter is associated with formation of intravascular bubbles, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was treated to reproducible doses of bubbles of air, with and without enrichment by 5% Co2 (to maintain physiological pH). PRP was also subjected to stirring and a 'rocking' procedure. Bubbles caused significant aggregation, measured turbidimetrically, of human (but not bovine) platelets, particularly without pH control, whereas little occurred with stirring and rocking. Bubbling inhibited subsequent ADP-induced aggregation of human platelets, more markedly without pH control. Bovine cells were unaffected, thus apparently less sensitive to bubbles. Since rocking was shown to be equiconvective to bubbling, aggregation associated with bubbling is not due simply to exposure of the gas/liquid interface, shear stress exerted by bubbles possibly being culpable. The importance of pH control in in vitro work was also demonstrated. PRP was next separately equilibrated (by rocking) with 5 atmospheres absolute (ata) pN2O, with 101 ata pN2 (these being approximately narcotically equipotent) and with 100 ata pHe (extremely weakly narcotic). 5 ata pN2O caused least inhibition of ADP-induced aggregation, and hydrostatic pressure (applied independently, using He and a floating plastic barrier which reduced dissolving of gas) was shown to swamp narcotic effects. It was suggested that inhibition by high pressure was due to blocking of prostaglandin synthesis. Finally, the effect of hydrostatic pressures of up to 51 ata on platelet ATP release was examined using a luciferin-luciferase assay. ADP-induced secretion was either completely blocked or partially reduced by high pressure. These effects could be important to divers suffering haemorrhages at great depths. Furthermore, in vitro hyperbaric studies are of potential value in elucidating activation pathways in platelets and other excitatory cells.

DICTIONARY OF STORMS is a collection of poetry that explores the dynamics of one family through their son’s absence. Using recurring images of skin, water, dragonflies, and pearls, the poems examine distance and absence, wanderlust and filial obligation from different family members’ perspectives. Desires are sloughed off, replaced by new ones, re-cultivated as mythos. The architecture of many individual poems, and the collection as a whole, are structured by meditative lyricism reminiscent of Li-Young Lee. Robert Hass’s poems and translations serve as a model for articulating both the difficulty and beauty of longing. Personae such as “Admonishing Brother Returns as Chrysanthemum” and “Hungry Brother Returns as Octopus” are influenced by Ai and Louise Glück. In the spirit of Emily Dickinson and John Keats, DICTIONARY OF STORMS reflects upon longing, grief, and desire.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 1990. / Adviser: Martin Green. Submitted to the Dept. of English. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [263]-273). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

This thesis deals with the design of an underwater scooter, which is meant to be used by group of divers. That should be helped by a system of electromagnetic devices, through which could be smaller scooters and other equipment connected with a greater machine. The work is approached more as a design and ergonomics solution, while the construction is associated with conceptual level.

When scuba diving under a physical overhead such as a cave, a mine, a shipwreck, or under a virtual overhead due to decompression requirements, it makes it impossible to safely access the surface in the event of an emergency. Therefore, diving with overhead is often described as technical diving. In this research, I address how technical divers in Outaouais, Quebec, practice this risky sport with unforgiving consequences. Based on fieldwork in Outaouais, I focus on divers, including myself, who perform trimix dives deeper than 200 feet. I argue that the process of becoming a deep diver is a lifelong journey where a diver learns to adapt to a milieu hostile to human life. The basic skills are acquired during classes to ensure that a novice diver will survive in this limit-environment. As divers bend the rules and take more risks to go deeper for longer lengths of time, they will go through a series of limit-experiences and near misses that are essential to their development and found to be regenerative. In turn, those limit-experiences and near-miss events shared with teammates create mutual trust. It is this trust that becomes the foundation of the team and allows the team to improve upon existing techniques and increase the depth and difficulty of their dives.

Our alarming rate of resource exploitation and its consequences on the environment is fuelling an increase in sustainable energy production around the world. Wind power appears to be a particularly promising energy source relative to its environmental footprint, with the exception of potential negative effects of wind power on birds. Varying results from impact assessments around the world indicate that knowledge of both abiotic and biotic factors, as well as bird behavior and ecology, is required to assess the cumulative impact of any given wind farm on local bird communities. This study aims to assess the cumulative impact of a proposed wind farm on a threatened seabird, the red-throated diver (Gavia stellata), at one of its breeding "hotspots" in Sweden: the Holmöarna islands. Measurements of environmental variables in lakes on Holmöarna are combined with breeding surveys from 2012 to 2015 to assess which environmental variables may be associated with lakes that red-throated divers do or do not breed in, and which variables are correlated with breeding success. These results are combined with a literature review to assess the potential negative effects of the proposed wind farm on the breeding population on Holmöarna. The results show that average breeding success over the survey period was 0.35 fledged young per pair per year. No difference was found in environmental variables between lakes that divers had or had not bred in. Lake area/perimeter ratio and distance to the sea were significantly negatively correlated with breeding success, although distance to the sea was only significant for lakes with at least one successful breeding attempt during the survey period. Based on these correlations, 33 of a total 40 breeding lakes are shown to have relatively high area/perimeter ratios and long distances to the sea, which may pre-dispose divers breeding within them to low breeding success. These lakes are, therefore, identified as being at high-to-moderate risk of increased breeding failure if breeding success is further reduced as a result of external factors, including that of any negative impacts of the proposed wind farm. 31 of the 40 breeding lakes are also within 1 km of the proposed wind turbine sites, which may render red-throated divers breeding within them vulnerable to displacement as a result of wind farm-related disturbance. The literature review highlights the mechanisms that may determine the cumulative impact of the wind farm on red-throated divers in terms of collision mortality, habitat displacement, and barriers to movement. The strong sensitivity of red-throated divers to disturbance is considered to be the most likely driver of any negative effects of the wind farm. In this context, I thus argue the need for a precautionary approach to planning wind power developments in the vicinity of breeding red-throated diver populations.

O canto de anúncio dos anuros apresenta importância fundamental como mecanismo primário de isolamento reprodutivo. Em decorrência disto, estes cantos têm se mostrado altamente valiosos para a determinação da identidade das espécies, para assegurar uma diagnose confiável, e adicionalmente, têm contribuído para revelar espécies crípticas nos mais variados complexos de espécies. Apesar de alguns estudos na literatura terem investigado o padrão de evolução do canto com uma abordagem comparada incorporando a estrutura filogenética do grupo estudado, apenas na última década têm emergido os primeiros estudos utilizando uma abordagem filogenética para a investigação da evolução do canto em anuros. Pererecas do gênero Scinax Wagler, 1830 são um dos mais abundantes e conspícuos grupos de anuros dos Neotrópicos, sendo reconhecido atualmente como o segundo gênero mais especioso dentre os hilídeos (Hylidae), i.e. 111 spp. descritas. O monofiletismo, a ampla distribuição geográfica, riqueza de espécies, heterogeneidade de ambientes ocupados e a variação morfológica e acústica das espécies de Scinax faz deste um clado interessante para o estudo da evolução da comunicação acústica. No presente estudo os principais objetivos foram contribuir com a taxonomia e zoogeografia do gênero Scinax através da descrição detalhada dos caracteres do canto de anúncio de espécies dos clados S. ruber e S. catharinae, melhorando assim a caracterização biológica (diagnose) destas espécies, e identificar e caracterizar a variação acústica intra-específica para parte das espécies estudadas. Como consequência desta primeira etapa do trabalho, era esperada a produção de uma base de dados acústicos de alta qualidade, de maneira padronizada e detalhada para seu uso subsequente em estudos comparados utilizando uma abordagem comparada filogenética (i.e. segunda etapa do trabalho). Espécies/populações de Scinax foram acusticamente amostradas em 60 localidades (dados inéditos), concentrando-se principalmente nas regiões sudeste, central e sul do Brasil, dentro dos biomas Mata Atlântica e Cerrado. No total, foram analisados cerca de 3.500 cantos de anúncio, pertencentes a 387 indivíduos - 332 indivíduos do clado Scinax ruber e 55 indivíduos do clado S. catharinae (grupo S. catharinae), a maior parte consistindo de dados inéditos (aprox. 75% dos dados). A análise destes dados permitiu a caracterização acústica detalhada de 40 espécies nominais do clado Scinax (i.e. 32 spp. clado S. ruber; 8 spp. clado S. catharinae) - o que corresponde a 36% das espécies atualmente conhecidas do gênero. Diferenças inter-específicas reportadas nas características do canto de anúncio destas espécies forneceram suporte robusto para a diagnose acústica de quase todas as espécies estudadas. Adicionalmente, esta amostragem acústica intensiva para o gênero revelou elevados níveis de diversidade críptica em Scinax, i.e. 33 espécies não descritas. A maior parte dessa diversidade críptica encontrada está oculta sob os nomes S. squalirostris (7 espécies crípticas) e S. fuscomarginatus (4 espécies crípticas). Desta forma, a análise acurada e detalhada dos dados acústicos do canto de anúncio revelaram um profundo impacto sobre a taxonomia do grupo. A base de dados interespecíficos de alta qualidade produzidos e a disponibilidade de hipóteses filogenéticas para Scinax na literatura permitiram a investigação da evolução dos sinais acústicos no grupo, e.g. reconhecer e diferenciar a magnitude de fatores filogenéticos sobre a diversificação inter-específica do canto de anúncio, avaliar se caracteres acústicos associados a morfologia ou comportamento-fisiologia apresentam diferentes níveis de sinal filogenético e investigar o padrão evolutivo dos caracteres acústicos (canto de anúncio) e do CRC em Scinax através do procedimentos de otimização/mapeamento. Estas análises conduzidas revelaram altos níveis de sinal filogenético para a maioria dos caracteres do canto de anúncio investigados (i.e. 16 de 21 caracteres, com ? não diferindo de 1 nesses caracteres), sobre uma topologia de 31 spp. do gênero. A intensidade elevada de sinal filogenético encontrado foi similar aos níveis observados em caracteres morfológicos na literatura, não confirmando a hipótese de que caracteres comportamentais seriam mais lábeis em relação a caracteres morfológicos. As análises de mapeamento de caráter evidenciaram dois padrões principais de canto de anúncio em Scinax, cada padrão associado a um dos grandes clados do grupo, além fornecerem evidência robusta para o suporte de sinapomorfias acústicas para cada clado. / The advertisement call of frogs presents fundamental importance as a primary mechanism of reproductive isolation. As a result, these calls have proven to be highly valuable in determining the species identity, to ensure reliable diagnosis, and additionally, the advertisement calls has helped to reveal cryptic species in various species groups. Although some studies in the literature have investigated the pattern of evolution of the calls with a comparative approach incorporating information about the group phylogeny under study, only in the last decade studies using a phylogenetic approach to investigate the evolution of anurans calls have emerged. Treefrogs of the genus Scinax Wagler, 1830 is one of the most abundant and conspicuous groups of frogs in the Neotropics, actually being recognized as the second most specious genus among the hylids (Hylidae), i.e .111 spp described. The monophyletism, wide geographic distribution, richness of species, heterogeneity of environments occupied and the morphological and acoustic variation makes Scinax an interesting group to the investigation of the evolution of acoustic communication. The main aims of the present study were to contribute to the taxonomy and zoogeography knowledge of the genus Scinax through a detailed description of the characters of the advertisement calls of the species from the clades S. ruber and S. catharinae. Thus, it was possible make better the biological characterization (diagnosis) of these species and allowed to identify and characterize the intra-specific acoustic variation to part of the genus. As a consequence, the first part of this study permitted to produce a high-quality acoustic database, in a detailed and standardized manner to being used in a subsequent comparative phylogenetic approach (second part of the study). Species/populations of Scinax were acoustically sampled at 60 locatilies (original data), mainly concentrated in the southeastern, central, and southern of Brazil, in Atlantic Rain forest and Cerrado biomes. In total, about 3,500 advertisement calls were analyzed from 387 individuals (332 of Scinax ruber clade; and 55 of S. catharinae clade) - the most part consisting of new data (ca. 75%). Data analysis allowed the detailed acoustic characterization of 40 nominal species of the clade Scinax (i.e. 32 spp. of S. ruber clade; 8 spp. of S. catharinae clade), what correponds to 36% of currently known diversity of the genus. Inter-specific differences in the reported characteristics of the advertisement calls provided robust support to acoustic diagnosis for almost all species. Additionally, this intensive acoustic sampling to the genus revealed high levels of cryptic diversity in Scinax, i.e. 33 undescribed species. Most part of these cryptic diversity were under the nominal species S. squalirostris (7 cryptic species) and S. fuscomarginatus (4 cryptic species). Thus, accurate and detailed analysis of acoustic data of the advertisement call revealed a profound impact on the group taxonomy. The interspecific high-quality database here generated, and the availability of phylogenetic hypotheses for Scinax in the literature allowed the investigation of the evolution of acoustic signals in the genus, e.g. to recognize and differentiate the magnitude of phylogenetic factors on the inter-specific diversification of advertisement calls; to assess if acoustic characters related to morphology or behavior-physiology present different levels of phylogenetic signal; and to investigate the pattern of evolution of acoustic characters (advertisement call) and SVL in Scinax through optimization/mapping procedures. These analyses revealed high levels of phylogenetic signal for most of the characters of the advertisement call investigated (i.e. 16 of 21 characters with ?=1), based on a topology of 31 terminals species. The high intensity of phylogenetic signal found was similar to the levels observed for morphological characters in the literature, what is in disagree with the hypothesis that behavioral characters would be more labile than morphological characters. The character mapping analysis revealed two main patterns in Scinax, each one associated with one of the main clades of the genus, besides provide strong evidence to support acoustic synapomorphies for each clade.

Submitted by Marlene Aparecida de Souza Cardozo (mcardozo@pucsp.br) on 2016-12-20T10:54:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila Lopes Garcia.pdf: 60395552 bytes, checksum: 07d82adc6bb5018e4fe7272cdd73b2d7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-20T10:54:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Camila Lopes Garcia.pdf: 60395552 bytes, checksum: 07d82adc6bb5018e4fe7272cdd73b2d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Because of the technology transition from analogue to digital, domestic photographies lost their shape and were immersed in the virtual environment (D. Kamper), or more specifically, on smartphones and social networks. That was what triggered the need of a new line of thought, either philosophical or anthropology of the fundaments of a "nodimensional technical image" (V. Flusser) or "post-photographic" (J. Fontcuberta). Thus, this research has as scope to investigate how to feature the memoralistic narrative in photographies, and seek a greater understanding of the "healing" process (W. Benjamin) and regeneration of affective bonds present in the autobiographical oral narratives. The question that motivated the research is: in the network culture, who is the narrator, or the speaker, of the personal stories? The initial hypothesis focuses on the idea that this communicational environment based on the concepts of "acceleration, global space and continuous time", developed by Lucrécia Ferrara, what commands the narrative memoirs is the program or simply "the machine". As an unfold, was also presented the "diver", a metaphorical image that attempts to translate the violence generated by the conditions imposed by an environment that favors the sense of distance, vision, subduing the body senses of proximity. The theoretical research used in this paper as a conceptual foundation are the tools proposed by Norval Baitello Jr. about "communication environments", "sedation" and "human extremophile". Malena Contrera contributes to the concept with "hypnogenic consciousness" and the powerful metaphor of "zombie" to represent individuals in the media society. Flusser contributes with his "general theory of gestures" and Walter Benjamin, a guide to the thesis, is assisting with the concepts of "experience", "rememoration" and "authentic narrator." / Em virtude da migração tecnológica do analógico para o digital, as fotografias domésticas perderam sua fisicalidade e passaram a flutuar no virtual (D. Kamper), ou, mais especificamente, nos smartphones e nas redes sociais digitais online. Isto foi o que desencadeou a necessidade de um novo pensar, tanto filosófico quanto antropológico acerca dos fundamentos da “imagem técnica nulodimensional” (V. Flusser) ou “pósfotográfica” (J. Fontcuberta). Deste modo, a presente pesquisa tem por escopo investigar como se configuram as narrativas memorialísticas que envolvem estas fotografias, além de buscar um maior entendimento sobre os processos de "cura" (W. Benjamin) e de regeneração dos vínculos afetivos presentes nas narrativas orais autobiográficas. A pergunta que motivou a pesquisa foi: Na cultura das redes, quem é o narrador, ou o enunciador, das histórias pessoais? A hipótese inicial concentra-se na ideia de que neste ambiente comunicacional, fundamentado nos conceitos de “aceleração, espaço global e tempo contínuo”, pensados por Lucrécia Ferrara, quem assume o leme da narrativa memorialística é o programa ou, simplesmente, "a máquina". Como desdobramento, apresentou-se a figura de um novo narrador, o "escafandrista”, uma imagem metafórica que tenta traduzir a violência gerada pelas condições impostas por um ambiente que privilegia o sentido de distância, a visão, subjugando os sentidos corporais de proximidade. O referencial teórico da pesquisa utiliza como alicerce conceitual as ferramentas propostas por Norval Baitello Jr. acerca dos "ambientes comunicacionais", "sedação" e "extremófilo humano". Malena Contrera contribui com o conceito de “consciência hipnógena” e a potente metáfora do “zumbi” a fim de representar os indivíduos na sociedade midiática. Vilém Flusser aporta com sua “teoria geral dos gestos” e Walter Benjamin, eixo norteador da tese, vem auxiliar com os conceitos de "experiência", "rememoração" e "narrador autêntico"

O canto de anúncio dos anuros apresenta importância fundamental como mecanismo primário de isolamento reprodutivo. Em decorrência disto, estes cantos têm se mostrado altamente valiosos para a determinação da identidade das espécies, para assegurar uma diagnose confiável, e adicionalmente, têm contribuído para revelar espécies crípticas nos mais variados complexos de espécies. Apesar de alguns estudos na literatura terem investigado o padrão de evolução do canto com uma abordagem comparada incorporando a estrutura filogenética do grupo estudado, apenas na última década têm emergido os primeiros estudos utilizando uma abordagem filogenética para a investigação da evolução do canto em anuros. Pererecas do gênero Scinax Wagler, 1830 são um dos mais abundantes e conspícuos grupos de anuros dos Neotrópicos, sendo reconhecido atualmente como o segundo gênero mais especioso dentre os hilídeos (Hylidae), i.e. 111 spp. descritas. O monofiletismo, a ampla distribuição geográfica, riqueza de espécies, heterogeneidade de ambientes ocupados e a variação morfológica e acústica das espécies de Scinax faz deste um clado interessante para o estudo da evolução da comunicação acústica. No presente estudo os principais objetivos foram contribuir com a taxonomia e zoogeografia do gênero Scinax através da descrição detalhada dos caracteres do canto de anúncio de espécies dos clados S. ruber e S. catharinae, melhorando assim a caracterização biológica (diagnose) destas espécies, e identificar e caracterizar a variação acústica intra-específica para parte das espécies estudadas. Como consequência desta primeira etapa do trabalho, era esperada a produção de uma base de dados acústicos de alta qualidade, de maneira padronizada e detalhada para seu uso subsequente em estudos comparados utilizando uma abordagem comparada filogenética (i.e. segunda etapa do trabalho). Espécies/populações de Scinax foram acusticamente amostradas em 60 localidades (dados inéditos), concentrando-se principalmente nas regiões sudeste, central e sul do Brasil, dentro dos biomas Mata Atlântica e Cerrado. No total, foram analisados cerca de 3.500 cantos de anúncio, pertencentes a 387 indivíduos - 332 indivíduos do clado Scinax ruber e 55 indivíduos do clado S. catharinae (grupo S. catharinae), a maior parte consistindo de dados inéditos (aprox. 75% dos dados). A análise destes dados permitiu a caracterização acústica detalhada de 40 espécies nominais do clado Scinax (i.e. 32 spp. clado S. ruber; 8 spp. clado S. catharinae) - o que corresponde a 36% das espécies atualmente conhecidas do gênero. Diferenças inter-específicas reportadas nas características do canto de anúncio destas espécies forneceram suporte robusto para a diagnose acústica de quase todas as espécies estudadas. Adicionalmente, esta amostragem acústica intensiva para o gênero revelou elevados níveis de diversidade críptica em Scinax, i.e. 33 espécies não descritas. A maior parte dessa diversidade críptica encontrada está oculta sob os nomes S. squalirostris (7 espécies crípticas) e S. fuscomarginatus (4 espécies crípticas). Desta forma, a análise acurada e detalhada dos dados acústicos do canto de anúncio revelaram um profundo impacto sobre a taxonomia do grupo. A base de dados interespecíficos de alta qualidade produzidos e a disponibilidade de hipóteses filogenéticas para Scinax na literatura permitiram a investigação da evolução dos sinais acústicos no grupo, e.g. reconhecer e diferenciar a magnitude de fatores filogenéticos sobre a diversificação inter-específica do canto de anúncio, avaliar se caracteres acústicos associados a morfologia ou comportamento-fisiologia apresentam diferentes níveis de sinal filogenético e investigar o padrão evolutivo dos caracteres acústicos (canto de anúncio) e do CRC em Scinax através do procedimentos de otimização/mapeamento. Estas análises conduzidas revelaram altos níveis de sinal filogenético para a maioria dos caracteres do canto de anúncio investigados (i.e. 16 de 21 caracteres, com ? não diferindo de 1 nesses caracteres), sobre uma topologia de 31 spp. do gênero. A intensidade elevada de sinal filogenético encontrado foi similar aos níveis observados em caracteres morfológicos na literatura, não confirmando a hipótese de que caracteres comportamentais seriam mais lábeis em relação a caracteres morfológicos. As análises de mapeamento de caráter evidenciaram dois padrões principais de canto de anúncio em Scinax, cada padrão associado a um dos grandes clados do grupo, além fornecerem evidência robusta para o suporte de sinapomorfias acústicas para cada clado. / The advertisement call of frogs presents fundamental importance as a primary mechanism of reproductive isolation. As a result, these calls have proven to be highly valuable in determining the species identity, to ensure reliable diagnosis, and additionally, the advertisement calls has helped to reveal cryptic species in various species groups. Although some studies in the literature have investigated the pattern of evolution of the calls with a comparative approach incorporating information about the group phylogeny under study, only in the last decade studies using a phylogenetic approach to investigate the evolution of anurans calls have emerged. Treefrogs of the genus Scinax Wagler, 1830 is one of the most abundant and conspicuous groups of frogs in the Neotropics, actually being recognized as the second most specious genus among the hylids (Hylidae), i.e .111 spp described. The monophyletism, wide geographic distribution, richness of species, heterogeneity of environments occupied and the morphological and acoustic variation makes Scinax an interesting group to the investigation of the evolution of acoustic communication. The main aims of the present study were to contribute to the taxonomy and zoogeography knowledge of the genus Scinax through a detailed description of the characters of the advertisement calls of the species from the clades S. ruber and S. catharinae. Thus, it was possible make better the biological characterization (diagnosis) of these species and allowed to identify and characterize the intra-specific acoustic variation to part of the genus. As a consequence, the first part of this study permitted to produce a high-quality acoustic database, in a detailed and standardized manner to being used in a subsequent comparative phylogenetic approach (second part of the study). Species/populations of Scinax were acoustically sampled at 60 locatilies (original data), mainly concentrated in the southeastern, central, and southern of Brazil, in Atlantic Rain forest and Cerrado biomes. In total, about 3,500 advertisement calls were analyzed from 387 individuals (332 of Scinax ruber clade; and 55 of S. catharinae clade) - the most part consisting of new data (ca. 75%). Data analysis allowed the detailed acoustic characterization of 40 nominal species of the clade Scinax (i.e. 32 spp. of S. ruber clade; 8 spp. of S. catharinae clade), what correponds to 36% of currently known diversity of the genus. Inter-specific differences in the reported characteristics of the advertisement calls provided robust support to acoustic diagnosis for almost all species. Additionally, this intensive acoustic sampling to the genus revealed high levels of cryptic diversity in Scinax, i.e. 33 undescribed species. Most part of these cryptic diversity were under the nominal species S. squalirostris (7 cryptic species) and S. fuscomarginatus (4 cryptic species). Thus, accurate and detailed analysis of acoustic data of the advertisement call revealed a profound impact on the group taxonomy. The interspecific high-quality database here generated, and the availability of phylogenetic hypotheses for Scinax in the literature allowed the investigation of the evolution of acoustic signals in the genus, e.g. to recognize and differentiate the magnitude of phylogenetic factors on the inter-specific diversification of advertisement calls; to assess if acoustic characters related to morphology or behavior-physiology present different levels of phylogenetic signal; and to investigate the pattern of evolution of acoustic characters (advertisement call) and SVL in Scinax through optimization/mapping procedures. These analyses revealed high levels of phylogenetic signal for most of the characters of the advertisement call investigated (i.e. 16 of 21 characters with ?=1), based on a topology of 31 terminals species. The high intensity of phylogenetic signal found was similar to the levels observed for morphological characters in the literature, what is in disagree with the hypothesis that behavioral characters would be more labile than morphological characters. The character mapping analysis revealed two main patterns in Scinax, each one associated with one of the main clades of the genus, besides provide strong evidence to support acoustic synapomorphies for each clade.