Alytidae Temporal range: | |
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Alytes obstetricans | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Suborder: | Archaeobatrachia |
Family: | Alytidae Fitzinger, 1843 |
Genera | |
Genus Alytes | |
Distribution of Discoglossidae (in black) | |
Synonyms | |
Discoglossidae Günther, 1859 |
The Alytidae are a family of primitive frogs. [2] [3] [4] [5] Their common name is painted frogs [2] or midwife toads. [4] Most are endemic to Europe, but three species occur in northwest Africa, and a species formerly thought to be extinct is found in Israel.
This family is also known as Discoglossidae, but the older name Alytidae has priority and is now recognized by major reference works. [2] [3] [4] [5] Some researchers, though, suggest that Alytes and Discoglossus are different enough to be treated as belonging to separate families, implying resurrection of the Discoglossidae. [2] The term "discoglossid" has also been used to refer to many primitive fossil frogs that share plesiomorphic (ancestral) similities to alytids, but that are probably not closely related. [6]
The family contains three extant genera, Alytes , Discoglossus , and Latonia . The first is somewhat toad-like and can often be found on land. The second is smoother and more frog-like, preferring the water. [7] The third genus was until recently considered extinct, and is represented by the recently rediscovered Hula painted frog. All of the species have pond-dwelling tadpoles.
The genera Bombina and Barbourula also used to be under this family, but have now been moved to the Bombinatoridae. [8]
Image | Genus | Species |
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Alytes Wagler, 1830 |
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Discoglossus Otth, 1837 |
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Latonia Meyer, 1843 |
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Family Alytidae
Bombinatoridae is a family of toads found in Eurasia. Species of the family have flattened bodies and some are highly toxic.
Archaeobatrachia is a suborder of the order Anura containing various primitive frogs and toads. As the name suggests, these are the most primitive frogs. Many of the species show certain physiological characteristics which are not present in other frogs and toads, thus giving rise to this group. They are largely found in Eurasia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Borneo, and are characteristically small. In addition, the family Ascaphidae is found in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains of the United States, and is only represented by two species. The taxon is considered paraphyletic.
The Mesobatrachia is a paraphyletic group of relatively primitive frogs. At the end of 2016, it contained 3 superfamilies, 6 families, 16 genera, and 244 species. Recognized as a group in 1993, the name is contrasted with the primitive Archaeobatrachia and the more diverse and advanced Neobatrachia.
The Ichthyophiidae are the family of Asiatic tailed caecilians or fish caecilians found in South and Southeast Asia as well as southernmost China.
Caeciliidae is the family of common caecilians. They are found in Central and South America. Like other caecilians, they superficially resemble worms or snakes.
The European spadefoot toads are a family of frogs, the Pelobatidae, with only one extant genus Pelobates, containing six species. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean, northwestern Africa, and western Asia.
Discoglossus is a genus of frogs in the family Alytidae found in southern Europe and northwestern Africa.
The Majorcan midwife toad is a frog in the family Alytidae. It is endemic to the Balearic Island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea. An example of Lazarus taxon, the species was first described from fossil remains in 1977, but living animals were discovered in 1979.
The Iberian midwife toad or brown midwife toad, in Portuguese sapo-parteiro-ibérico, is a species of frog in the family Alytidae found in Portugal and western Spain. It is typically found in open habitats such as meadows and open oak forests. Habitat loss is one of the threats to its survival.
The Betic midwife toad or Sapo Partero Bético is a species of frog in the family Alytidae. It is endemic to mountainous in south eastern Spain. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, pastureland, ponds, and aquaculture ponds. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Alytes maurus, commonly known as the Moroccan midwife toad, is a species of frog in the family Alytidae. It is endemic to Morocco. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, rocky areas, and rural gardens. Phenomena such as habitat fragmentation, water pollution, climate change, and the introduction of chytrid fungus into ecosystems all pose threats to the well-being of these organisms.
The common midwife toad is a species of midwife frog in the family Alytidae. It is found in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Like other members of its genus (Alytes), the male toad carries the eggs around entwined on his back and thighs until they are ready to hatch.
The Spanish painted frog, in Spanish sapillo pintojo meridional, is a species of frog in the family Alytidae. It is endemic to Spain.
Discoglossus scovazzi, the Moroccan painted frog, in French discoglosse peint or discoglosse à ventre blanc, is a species of frog in the family Alytidae. It is found in Morocco and the Spanish North African enclaves Ceuta and Melilla.
Discoglossus pictus, the Mediterranean painted frog or simply painted frog, is a species of frog in the family Alytidae.
The Brazilian gold frog, also known as Izecksohn's toad or flea-frog, is a very small species of frogs in the family Brachycephalidae. It is endemic to southeastern Brazil and is known from the central part of the state of Rio de Janeiro and from Serra das Torres in extreme southern Espírito Santo.
Latonia is a genus of frogs in the family Alytidae. It contains only one extant species, the Hula painted frog which is endemic to Israel and was originally classified in the genus Discoglossus, though several fossil species are known from the Paleogene and Neogene periods spanning across Europe.