Eleutherodactylus

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Eleutherodactylus
Temporal range: Early Oligocene to present, 29–0  Ma
Eleutherodactylus mimus.jpg
Eleutherodactylus mimus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Eleutherodactylidae
Subfamily: Eleutherodactylinae
Genus: Eleutherodactylus
Duméril and Bibron, 1841
Species

Many, see text.

Synonyms
  • EuhyasFitzinger, 1843
  • EpirhexisCope, 1866 (Suppressed)
  • SyrrhophusCope, 1878
  • MalachylodesCope, 1879
  • SyrrhopusBoulenger, 1888 (Missp.)
  • SyrrhaphusGünther, 1900 (Missp.)
  • TomodactylusGünther, 1900
  • SminthillusBarbour & Noble, 1920
  • LadailadneDubois, 1987
  • PeloriusHedges, 1989
  • SchwartziusHedges, Duellman, & Heinicke, 2008 [1]
Cliff chirping frog (E. marnockii) Eleutherodactylus marnockii.jpg
Cliff chirping frog (E. marnockii)

Eleutherodactylus is a genus of frogs in the family Eleutherodactylidae. [2] Many of the 200 species of the genus are commonly known as "rain frogs" or "robber frogs", due to their sharp, high-pitched, insect-like calls. [3] They are found from the southern United States south to Central America, and reach their greatest diversity in the Caribbean.

Contents

Species endemic to Puerto Rico are often referred to as coquís, of which the best-known species is the common coquí (E. coqui), which is both a national symbol of Puerto Rico and a notorious invasive species in Hawaii. Two Eleutherodactylus species, E. limbatus and E. iberia , are among the smallest known frogs, measuring only 8.5 mm in length [4] (only slightly larger than Paedophryne amauensis , which measures around 7.7 mm). [5]

Etymology

The name "Eleutherodactylus" is derived from the Greek words for ‘free-toed’, composed of the Ancient Greek eleutheros ( ἐλεύθερος , ‘free, unbound’) and dactylos ( δάκτυλος , ‘finger, toe’). [6] Most species are small, slender, and cryptically colored, with three to five free toes. A few, such as the web-footed coquí (E. karlschmidti) of Puerto Rico, do have completely webbed feet.

Distribution and habitat

Species of Eleutherodactylus are found throughout the Neotropics, including the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Additionally, the common coquí (E. coqui) has been introduced to several islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, as well as elsewhere in the Pacific. [7]

They can be terrestrial, arboreal, or aquatic, typically living in forests or riparian areas, and feeding primarily upon arthropods. Many Eleutherodactylus species have highly restricted ranges and are found on only one island or in one or a few localities. Even some of these restricted species can occur at very high densities.

Reproduction and development

All species of Eleutherodactylus are characterized by direct development, in which eggs hatch directly into small frogs, completely bypassing the tadpole stage. This adaptation (shared by few other frog genera, e.g. Myobatrachus ) may be largely responsible for their ecological and evolutionary success. Most species are characterized by parental behaviors, such as egg-guarding by either the male or female parent. In some cases, even young froglets are attended by parents. Another extinct Puerto Rican species, the golden coquí (E. jasperi), gave birth to live young. Many species (for example, Cook's robber frog, E. cooki), also of Puerto Rico, exhibit sexual dimorphism in size and color.

Study on Eleutherodactylus and Lithobates amphibians shows that number of offsprings instead of body size may help to find which species require conservation from being extinct. [8]

Taxonomy

Fossil record

The oldest fossil of Eleutherodactylus is a partial humerus from the Early Oligocene-aged San Sebastián Limestone of Puerto Rico. [9] Late Oligocene-aged Eleutherodactylus fossils are also known from the Suwanee Limestone of Florida, USA, indicating that Eleutherodactylus were formerly native to Florida, and had likely dispersed out of the Caribbean to the North American mainland early on in their evolution. [10] Preserved frog remains referred to Eleutherodactylus have been reported from Miocene aged Dominican amber. [11]

Phylogenetics

The basis of forming this genus has been morphological, but sequence comparisons of protein-encoding DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and ribosomal RNA have shown geographic range is a much more consistent predictor of cladistics for this group of frogs. The climbing habits of many species have evolved independently. All true members of the genus have been clustered into subgenera, but many less-related species require more genetic data before they are to be officially classified elsewhere. The theory that the eleutherodactyline colonization of Central America and the Caribbean from their origins in South America occurred during the Cretaceous has fallen out of favor. The fossil record, combined with molecular clock analyses, indicate the subgenera were probably founded by small groups of individuals by flotsam dispersal during the Eocene or Oligocene epochs. Land bridges would have been limited to facilitating dispersal between West Indian islands, however, the Oligocene division of Hispaniola and Cuba resulted in further speciation. The distribution of the subgenus Syrrhopus is most likely due to a secondary dispersal to Central America from the Greater Antilles during the Miocene. The formation of the Panama Isthmus during the Pliocene has caused some intercontinental distribution among the clades, although only 20 "South American frogs" have ever made it northwards after the original colonization. [12] Sensu stricto , however, it should exclude clades with distributions south of the Panama Canal. [12]

Species

The common coqui (E. coqui) is likely the most well-known member of the genus. Eleutherodactylus coqui (10.3897-zookeys.1022.51422) Figure 2.jpg
The common coquí (E. coqui) is likely the most well-known member of the genus.

The following species are recognised in the genus Eleutherodactylus:

West Indian (subgenus Eleutherodactylus )

West Indian (subgenus Euhyas )

Hispaniolan (subgenus Pelorius )

North/Central American and Cuban (subgenus Syrrhophus)

Related Research Articles

<i>Sphaerodactylus</i> Genus of lizards

Sphaerodactylus is a genus of geckos from the Americas that are distinguished from other Gekkota by their small size, by their round, rather than vertical, eye pupils, and by each digit terminating in a single, round adhesive pad or scale, from which their name is derived. All species in this genus are rather small, but two species, S. ariasae and S. parthenopion, are tiny, and – with a snout-vent length of about 1.6 cm (0.63 in) – the smallest reptiles in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden coquí</span> Species of amphibian

The golden coquí is a rare, possibly extinct species of frog endemic to Puerto Rico.

<i>Gastrotheca</i> Genus of amphibians

Gastrotheca is a genus of frogs in the family Hemiphractidae. They are found in Central America south of Costa Rica and in South America. Most species occur in the American Cordillera from southern Costa Rica to north-western Argentina. This genus makes up the bulk of marsupial frog diversity; formerly it was placed in the "Leptodactylidae" assemblage.

<i>Ischnocnema</i> Genus of amphibians

Ischnocnema is a genus of frogs from eastern Brazil and north-eastern Argentina. They comprise the former Eleutherodactylus from this region, but they are closer to Brachycephalus than the "true" Eleutherodactylus. Consequently, they are now placed in their own genus Ischnocnema in the family Brachycephalidae.

<i>Phrynopus</i> Genus of amphibians

Phrynopus is a genus of frogs of the family Strabomantidae. Their common name is Andes frogs. They are endemic to Peru and inhabit the upper humid montane forest and supra-treeline grassland in the Cordillera Oriental, with one record from the Peruvian Cordillera Occidental.

Pristimantis altae, also known as mountain robber frog, is a species of rain frog in the family Strabomantidae with a bright coral-coloured groin. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.

Eleutherodactylus counouspeus, also known as Counou robber frog and yellow cave frog, is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to the Massif de la Hotte, southwestern Haiti. The specific name counouspeus refers to its type locality, Counou Bois Cave, with speus being Greek for "cave". Hedges and colleagues suggested in 2008 that it should be placed in its own monotypic subgenus, Schwartzius, reflecting its distinctiveness and honoring Albert Schwartz for "his contributions to the herpetology of the West Indies."

<i>Eleutherodactylus intermedius</i> Species of amphibian

Eleutherodactylus intermedius is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae endemic to eastern Cuba where it is known from the Sierra Maestra and Sierra del Cobre. Its common name is Pico Turquino robber frog, in reference to its type locality.

<i>Eleutherodactylus pinarensis</i> Species of amphibian

Eleutherodactylus pinarensis is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It endemic to Cuba and known from scattered localities in the western part of the island as well as from Isla de la Juventud. Common name Pinos robber frog has been coined for it.

<i>Eleutherodactylus portoricensis</i> Species of amphibian

Eleutherodactylus portoricensis is a frog native to Puerto Rico that belongs to the family Eleutherodactylidae. Its vernacular English names are forest coquí,upland coquí, mountain coquí, and Puerto Rican robber frog. The species’ range spans the Luquillo Mountains of northeastern Puerto Rico and the Cordillera Central, which forms the highland “backbone” of Puerto Rico and includes an eastern extension beginning at the city of Cayey. However, the species is likely extirpated from the western Cordillera Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarf coquí</span> Species of amphibian

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strabomantidae</span> Family of amphibians

The Strabomantidae, sometimes called cloud forest landfrogs, are a family of frogs native to South America. These frogs lack a free-living larval stage and hatch directly into miniature "froglets". This family includes Pristimantis, the most speciose genus of any vertebrate. Based on molecular dating, the Holoadeninae in particular appears to have originated in the Eocene. The Oligocene-Miocene transition was also found to be important to their biogeographical history. However, the lack of Holoadeninae fossils and limited nucleotide data ambiguates the results, by the authors' admission.

<i>Diasporus</i> Genus of frogs

Diasporus is a genus of frogs in the family Eleutherodactylidae. The genus was first described in 2008. They are found in Central and northern South America. They are sometimes referred to as dink frogs, in reference to the "tink" sound that males make during the mating season.

<i>Noblella</i> Genus of amphibians

Noblella is a genus of frogs in the family Strabomantidae. They are found on the eastern slopes of the Andes and in the Amazon Basin in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil. The name refers to Gladwyn K. Noble, who described the first species.

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<i>Sarcohyla</i> Genus of amphibians

Sarcohyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Mexico and is found in the montane parts of the country between Durango in the north and Guerrero in the south. These frogs typically occur in pristine habitats along streams in pine-oak woodland at elevations between 1,500 and 3,100 m above sea level. The generic name is derived from the Greek sarkodes meaning "fleshy" in combination with Hylas and refers to the thick, glandular skin characteristic of most of the species in the genus.

Eleutherodactylus jamesdixoni is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to western Mexico and known from specimens collected in Jalisco, Nayarit, and Sinaloa.

Eleutherodactylus humboldti is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to central Mexico and known from specimens collected in the State of Mexico.

References

  1. "Eleutherodactylus Duméril and Bibron, 1841 | Amphibian Species of the World".
  2. Hedges, S. B., W. E. Duellman, and M. P. Heinicke . 2008. New World direct-developing frogs (Anura: Terrarana): molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography, and conservation. Zootaxa 1737: 1-182.
  3. "Amphibian Species of the World" . Retrieved 2011-11-23.
  4. The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Research: Interesting Facts About Amphibians Archived 2007-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Rittmeyer, E. N.; Allison, A.; Gründler, M. C.; Thompson, D. K.; Austin, C. C. (2012). "Ecological guild evolution and the discovery of the world's smallest vertebrate". PLOS ONE. 7 (1): e29797. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...729797R. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029797 . PMC   3256195 . PMID   22253785.
  6. Dodd, C. Kenneth (2013). Frogs of the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 20. ISBN   978-1-4214-0633-6.
  7. "Eleutherodactylus coqui (amphibian) at the Global Invasive Species Database" . Retrieved 2007-06-06.
  8. "The survivability of animal species depends on the number of offspring". phys.org. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  9. Blackburn, David C.; Keeffe, Rachel M.; Vallejo-Pareja, María C.; Vélez-Juarbe, Jorge (April 2020). "The earliest record of Caribbean frogs: a fossil coquí from Puerto Rico". Biology Letters. 16 (4): 20190947. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2019.0947. ISSN   1744-9561. PMC   7211465 . PMID   32264782.
  10. Vallejo-Pareja, Maria Camila; Stanley, Edward L.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Blackburn, David C. (2024). "Fossil frogs (Eleutherodactylidae: Eleutherodactylus) from Florida suggest overwater dispersal from the Caribbean by the Late Oligocene". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 201 (2): 431–446. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad130 . Retrieved 2024-11-16.
  11. Poinar, George O.; Poinar, Roberta (1999). The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World. Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0-691-05728-6.
  12. 1 2 Heinicke, M.P.; W.E. Duellman & S.B. Hedges (2007). "Major Caribbean and Central American frog faunas originated by ancient oceanic dispersal". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 104 (24): 10092–7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0611051104 . PMC   1891260 . PMID   17548823.