Ranoidea

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Ranoidea
Temporal range: Cretaceous–recent, 89.3–0  Ma [1]
RanaTemporaria.jpg
Common frog, Rana temporaria
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Suborder: Neobatrachia
Clade: Ranoidea
Families [2]

The Ranoidea are a superfamily of frogs in the order Anura. Members of this superfamily are characterised by having the pectoral girdle fused into a single complex unit, having no ribs, and using an axillary grip during amplexus. The larvae have a single spiracle on the left side and complex mouthparts, or in some species, undergo direct development. [3] The taxonomy of these families has been under heavy debate for many years. In recent[ when? ] studies, molecular data has been used to better identify the phylogentic relationships of these frogs, rearranging and introducing new subfamilies to better distinguish between large groups of frogs (Glaw, Vences, 2001).[ citation needed ]

The Rainodea superfamily is a large group of frogs from the anura order, with 17 subfamilies. Some of these subfamilies are made up of over 300+ species. Most of the frogs belonging to this group are listed under the least concern section of the IUCN red list. However, there is a significant percentage of these frogs listed as data deficient, endangered, or critically endangered. Like most other amphibians, the frogs listed in this group can be particularly vulnerable to environmental change. Some of the largest threats to the frogs in this group include housing and urban development, farming, illegal trade, mining, etc.

. [4] [5] (See figure 1).

Families

The families described in this section are based on Vitt & Caldwell (2014) [4] and van der Meijden (2006). [5]

Ranixalidae

The family of Ranixalidae (leaping frogs) has one genus containing 10 different species. They can be found in central and southern India. They typically reside in leaf litter and in tropical deciduous forests, near streams and can be found between 200 m and 1100 m in altitude.

Mantellidae

The family of Mantellidae (Malagasy poison frogs) has 3 different genera with 191 species total. They can be found in Madagascar and Mayotte Island. They are both terrestrial and arboreal frogs and can be found between 800 and 1000 m in altitude.

Rhacophoridae

The family of Rhacophoridae (Afroasian tree frogs) has two subfamilies, 14 genera, and a total of 321 species. They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, and South Asia. They are mainly tree frogs. They have intercalary cartilage [6] between their last two phalanges.

The phylogenetic tree of Ranoidea and other anurans. Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of ranoid frogs.png
The phylogenetic tree of Ranoidea and other anurans.

Pyxicephalidae

The family of Pyxicephalidae (African bullfrogs) has two subfamilies, 13 genera, and 68 total species. They are also found in Sub-Saharan Africa. The two subfamilies are completely different in that cacosternines are small and slender typically terrestrial or semiaquatic, whereas pyxicephalines are large bullfrog like frogs that have stocky bodies, with fang like projections on their lower jaw, used to smash their prey.

Petropedetidae

The family of Petropedetidae (African water frogs and Goliath frog) has two genera with a total of 18 different species. They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. This family contains the world's largest frog, Conraua goliath.

Ptychadenidae

The family of Ptychadenidae (grassland frogs) has 3 genera with a total of 53 different species. They are found in sub-Saharan Africa. They reside in grasslands and savannas. They tend to have slender bodies with long limbs.

Ceratobatrachidae

The family of Ceratobatrachidae (triangle frogs) has 5 genera with a total of 84 different species. They can be found in Malaysia, Philippines, Borneo, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Most have very angular bodies and are small to moderate in size. They live in the forests.

Brevicipitidae

The family of Brevicipitidae (rain frogs) has 5 genera with 34 total species. They can be found in Sub-Saharan African in the south east corner. This species has an average snout-vent length (SVL) of 30-55 mm. They are typically small with spherical shaped bodies, which become even more round when they are disturbed because they inflate themselves as a mode of defense. Males are typically smaller than females, known as sexual dimorphism, and this can prevent a typical amplexus. To solve this, the males have skin secretions that will help in 'gluing' the male to the female's back. Brevicipitidae participate in direct development, which means that there is no larval stage or metamorphosis. The eggs will be placed in subterranean nests, with clutches ranging from 20-50 large eggs.

Hemisotidae

The family of Hemisotidae (Shovel-Nosed Frogs) has one genus, with a total of nine species. They are located in Africa, just south of the Sahara. This species is largely located in Savannas, but they can also live in scrub and gallery forests. Hemisotidae can range from 22-52 mm in SVL, and they are referred to as headfirst burrowers. This means that they bury themselves into the ground using their snout by moving their head up and down. They will also use their forelimbs to throw soil to the rear, and use their hind limbs to push themselves further into the ground. They will typically scavenge for food both above and below the ground, usually feeding on soft-bodied arthropods and worms. For reproduction, these frogs will mate during the heavy rains of the wet season, or right before the rains arrive. A male and female will position themselves in inguinal amplexus, in which a male amphibian clasps a female around her waist (inguinal region) using his forelimbs. Hemisotidae will have clutches ranging from 100-250 eggs, and the female will dig a chamber near an ephemeral pool. The female will typically remain with the eggs until they hatch, in which she will then guide the tadpoles to the nearby pool.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amplexus</span> Type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species

Amplexus is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species in which a male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same time or with some time delay, he fertilizes the eggs, as they are released from the female's body. In amphibians, females may be grasped by the head, waist, or armpits, and the type of amplexus is characteristic of some taxonomic groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neobatrachia</span> Suborder of amphibians

The Neobatrachia are a suborder of the Anura, the order of frogs and toads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hylidae</span> Family of frogs

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.

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

Sooglossidae, the Seychelles frogs or Seychelles Island frogs, are a family of frogs found on the Seychelles Islands. Until recently, this family was believed to include the genera Sechellophryne, Nesomantis and Sooglossus, but following a major revision of amphibians in 2006, the genus Nesomantis was named a junior synonym of Sooglossus. Their closest relatives are the purple frogs (Nasikabatrachidae) of India.

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

The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family of frogs. The 683 species are in 57 genera and 11 subfamilies.

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

The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs that occur in tropical sub-Saharan Africa, South India and Sri Lanka, Japan, northeastern India to eastern China and Taiwan, south through the Philippines and Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as "moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frogs". Among the most spectacular members of this family are numerous "flying frogs".

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

The Mantellidae are an amphibian family of the order Anura, and are endemic to the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mayotte. At first glance, the diminutive, brightly-coloured mantellas appear visually similar to the Latin American poison dart frogs, such as Dendrobates, Oophaga and Phyllobates, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shovelnose frog</span> Genus of amphibians

The shovelnose frogs are the species of frogs in the genus, Hemisus, the only genus in the family Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa. The shovelnose frogs are moderate-sized frogs, reaching a length of 8 cm (3.1 in). They are round-bodied, with short legs. Their heads are small and narrow, with hard, upturned noses.

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

The Arthroleptidae are a family of frogs found in sub-Saharan Africa. This group includes African treefrogs in the genus Leptopelis along with the terrestrial breeding squeakers Arthroleptis, and several genera restricted to the Guinean forests of central and west Africa, such as the hairy frog (Trichobatrachus).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green and golden bell frog</span> Species of amphibian

The green and golden bell frog, also named the green bell frog, green and golden swamp frog and green frog, is a species of ground-dwelling tree frog native to eastern Australia. Despite its classification and climbing abilities, it does not live in trees and spends almost all of its time close to ground level. It can reach up to 11 cm (4.5 in) in length, making it one of Australia's largest frogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knife-footed frog</span> Species of amphibian

The knife-footed frog is a species of burrowing frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Australia, where it is found over a wide area in the north of the continent.

<i>Ranoidea wilcoxii</i> Species of amphibian

Ranoidea wilcoxii, also known as the stony-creek frog, eastern stony creek frog, and Wilcox's frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is endemic to Australia, being found solely on the eastern coast between Ingham, QLD, and Sydney, NSW, and as far west as Atherton, QLD. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, and pastureland.

<i>Breviceps adspersus</i> Species of amphibian

Breviceps adspersus, also known as common rain frog, bushveld rain frog, and many other vernacular names, is a species of frog in the family Brevicipitidae. It is found in Southern Africa, in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini, and Mozambique.

<i>Breviceps fuscus</i> Species of amphibian endemic to South Africa

Breviceps fuscus, also known as black rain frog, plain rain frog, brown short-headed frog, and Tsitsikamma rainfrog, is a species of frogs in the family Brevicipitidae. It is endemic to the southern coast of South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape rain frog</span> Species of amphibian

The cape rain frog or giant rain frog is a species of frog in the family Brevicipitidae. Adults grow up to 45 mm in length. It was the first African frog species to be scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, under the name Rana gibbosa. It is the most common and largest of rain frogs. The name "rain frog" that is applied to the genus refers to a belief that these frogs bring rain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelobatoidea</span> Superfamily of amphibians

The Pelobatoidea are a superfamily of frogs. They typically combine a toad-like body shape with a frog-like, pointed face. Phylogenetically they stand between primitive frogs on the one side and higher frogs on the other and are therefore – among other things by characteristics of bone construction – in the suborder Mesobatrachia.

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

Brevicipitidae or rain frogs is a small family of frogs found in eastern and southern Africa. As of 2020 contains 37 species in 5 genera. Formerly included as subfamily in Microhylidae, phylogenetic research has indicated the brevicipitine frogs should be considered as a family with Hemisotidae as the most closely related sister taxon.

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

The Hemiphractidae are a family of frogs from South and Central America. Previously, this group had been classified as a subfamily (Hemiphractinae) under family Hylidae. More recent research classifies these genera into their own family, or sometimes into three separate families: Amphignathodontidae, Cryptobatrachidae, and Hemiphractidae. An active question still exists as to which of these groupings is more accurate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afrobatrachia</span> Clade of frogs

Afrobatrachia is clade of frogs in the suborder Neobatrachia, all of which are restricted to Africa, including some species in Madagascar and the Seychelles. It is the sister group to the clade Natatanura, which contains all other members of Ranoidea aside from Microhylidae

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Femoral gland</span> Type of gland found in some amphibians

The femoral gland is a specialised gland found in some male frogs that plays a role in chemical communication and reproductive signalling. Particularly prominent within the frog family Mantellidae, these glands are located on the underside of the hindlimbs, usually on the inner thighs or shanks. Femoral glands can be identified by their swollen appearance and distinct colouration, which differ from the surrounding skin. Femoral glands are classified into four distinct morphological types, varying from minute granular structures to conspicuous patches characterised by large granules and prominent central indentations.

References

  1. "Superfamily Ranoidea Rafinesque 1814 (frog)". Paleobiology Database. Fossilworks. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. Cannatella, David; Ford, Linda; Bockstanz, Lori (1995). "Neobatrachia". Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. Duellman, William E.; Zug, George R. "Anura: Critical appraisal". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 Vitt, Laurie J. & Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. ISBN   9780123869197. OCLC   839312807.
  5. 1 2 3 van der Meijden, Arie (March 2006). Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of ranoid frogs (PDF) (Doctoral dissertation). University of Konstanz.
  6. Ducey, Peter, Dr. (n.d.). Cramer, Craig (ed.). "Glossary". Biology SUNY Cortland. Cortland Herpetology Connection. Cortland, NY: State University of New York.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)