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Hylidae Temporal range: Cretaceous – recent | |
---|---|
European tree frog Hyla arborea | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Superfamily: | Hyloidea |
Family: | Hylidae Rafinesque, 1815 |
Subfamilies | |
Distribution of Hylidae (in black) |
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semiaquatic.
The earliest known fossils that can be assigned to this family are from the Cretaceous of India and the state of Wyoming in the United States. [1]
The common name of "tree frog" is a popular name for several species of the family Hylidae. However, the name "treefrog" is not unique to this family, also being used for many species in the family Rhacophoridae.
The following genera are recognised in the family Hylidae: [2] [3] [4] [5]
The subfamilies Pelodryadinae and Phyllomedusinae are sometimes classified as distinct families of their own due to their deep divergence and unique evolutionary history (with Pelodryadinae being the sister group to Phyllomedusinae and colonizing Australia during the Eocene via Antarctica, which at the time was not yet frozen over), but are presently retained in the Hylidae. [2] [6]
Most hylids show adaptations suitable for an arboreal lifestyle, including forward-facing eyes providing binocular vision, and adhesive pads on the fingers and toes. In the nonarboreal species, these features may be greatly reduced, or absent.
The European tree frog (Hyla arborea) is common in the middle and south of Europe, and its range extends into Asia and North Africa.
North America has many species of the family Hylidae, including the gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) and the American green tree frog (H. cinerea). The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is also widespread in the eastern United States and is commonly heard on spring and summer evenings.
Species of the genus Cyclorana are burrowing frogs that spend much of their lives underground. [7]
Hylids lay their eggs in a range of different locations, depending on species. Many use ponds, or puddles that collect in the holes of their trees, while others use bromeliads or other water-holding plants. Other species lay their eggs on the leaves of vegetation hanging over water, allowing the tadpoles to drop into the pond when they hatch. [7]
A few species use fast-flowing streams, attaching the eggs firmly to the substrate. The tadpoles of these species have suckers enabling them to hold on to rocks after they hatch. Another unusual adaptation is found in some South American hylids, which brood the eggs on the back of the female. The tadpoles of most hylid species have laterally placed eyes and broad tails with narrow, filamentous tips. [7]
Hylids mostly feed on insects and other invertebrates, but some larger species can feed on small vertebrates.
The Mexican burrowing tree frog (Smilisca), also known as the cross-banded tree frog, is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae found in Mexico, southern Texas and Arizona, Central America, and northwestern South America. In a recent revision of the Hylidae, the two species of the previous genus Pternohyla were included in this genus. Its name is from the Ancient Greek smiliskos, referring to the pointed frontoparietal processes.
Spikethumb frogs are a genus (Plectrohyla) of frogs in the family Hylidae found in Central America from southern Mexico through Guatemala and northern El Salvador to central and northern Honduras. A major revision of the Hylidae moved an additional 21 species to this genus from the genus Hyla. The additional species moved to Plectrohyla were identified as the Hyla bistincta group, also called the Plectrohyla bistincta group; a separate group from the initial Plectrohyla guatemalensis group. This phylogenetic classification was later revised by moving the Plectrohyla bistincta group from the genus Plectrohyla into a new genus called Sarcohyla. Meanwhile, the guatemalensis group remained in Plectrohyla. They are called spikethumb because of the spike on their thumbs, which is called a prepollex. The genus name comes from the Greek word plēktron ("spur") and hyla.
Osteocephalus is a genus of frogs, the slender-legged tree frogs, in the family Hylidae found in the Guianas, the Amazon Basin, Venezuela, Colombia, southeastern Brazil, and north-eastern Argentina. Males are warty, while females are smooth.
Charadrahyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to tropical southern Mexico. The generic name was derived from Greek charadra ("ravine") and Hyla, in reference to the habits of these frogs. Accordingly, common name ravine treefrogs has been coined for the genus.
Megastomatohyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. They are endemic to the cloud forests of central Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico. All are rare species with restricted distributions. The generic name is derived from Greek mega (="large") and stem of the genitive stomatos (="mouth"), referring to the enlarged oral disc of the tadpoles, juxtaposed with Hyla, the genus in which the four Megastomatohyla species were previously placed. Common name large-mouthed treefrogs has been coined for this genus.
Cruziohyla is a genus of frogs in the subfamily Phyllomedusinae. They occur from Honduras in Central America south to the Amazon Basin in South America. This genus was erected in 2005 following a major revision of the Hylidae and fully reviewed in 2018. Species in this genus were previously placed in the genera Agalychnis or Phyllomedusa.
Triprion spinosus, also known as the spiny-headed tree frog, spiny-headed treefrog, spinyhead treefrog, coronated treefrog, and crowned hyla, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It has a spotty distribution in Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and southern Mexico. Previously in its own monotypic genus Anotheca Smith, 1939, it was transferred to the genus Triprion in 2018.
Charadrahyla pinorum is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to the Pacific slopes of Sierra Madre del Sur between central Guerrero and southwestern and central Oaxaca, Mexico. Common names pine wood treefrog and Mexican pine woods treefrog have been proposed for it. Its closest relative is probably Charadrahyla juanitae.
The pine woods tree frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae, endemic to the southeastern United States.
A tree frog is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia suborder have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely related to each other.
Pelodryadinae, also known as Australian treefrogs, is a subfamily of frogs found in the region of Australia and New Guinea, and have also been introduced to New Caledonia, Guam, New Zealand, and Vanuatu.
Phyllomedusinae is a subfamily of hylid tree frogs found in the Neotropics commonly called leaf frogs. Formerly, they were often considered as their own family, Phyllomedusidae.
Hylinae is a large subfamily of "tree frogs", family Hylidae.
Dendropsophini is a tribe of small neotropical tree frogs in the subfamily Hylinae. They are distributed from southern Mexico, throughout Central America, and down South America to northern Argentina and Uruguay. Removed from the synonymy of Hylinae in 2016, this taxon was formerly considered its own subfamily before being reclassified as a tribe. As defined by Favovich et al. in 2005, the tribe Dendrosophini contains the members of three former subfamilies within the Hylidae prior to taxonomic rearrangement: Dendropsophinae, Pseudinae, and Scinaxinae.
Atlantihyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Central America, specifically to Honduras and Guatemala. The generic name refers to its distribution on the Atlantic side of the isthmus. The members of the genus are known as stream frogs.
Rheohyla is a genus of frogs in the family Hylidae. As currently recognized, it is monotypic, containing only Rheohyla miotympanum, also known as the small-eared hyla or small-eared treefrog. However, the nominal species likely is a complex of more than one species. It is endemic to eastern and central Mexico. The generic name refers to streams, the breeding habitat of this frog. The specific name is derived from Greek meion, a diminutive prefix, together with Greek tympanon (='drum') and refers to the small tympanum.
Julianus is a genus of tree frogs in the family Hylidae. Species of the genus are found in southeastern Brazil, Uruguay, and northeastern Argentina. This genus is considered poorly defined and is regarded by most to merely be a synonym of Scinax.
Cophomantini is a tribe of frogs in the subfamily Hylinae of the family Hylidae, the true treefrogs.
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Data related to Hylidae at Wikispecies