The Hyperoliidae, or sedge frogs and bush frogs, are a large family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

s which contain more than 250

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

in 19

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

genus ''

Tachycnemis The Seychelle Islands treefrog or Seychelles treefrog (''Tachycnemis seychellensis'') is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is endemic to Seychelles. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, rivers, s ...

'' occurs on the

Seychelles Islands Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria ...

, and the genus ''

Heterixalus Heterixalus is a genus of frogs within the family Hyperoliidae, endemic to Madagascar. It is the sister taxon to the genus '' Tachycnemis''. These frogs are commonly referred to as Madagascar reed frogs. ''Heterixalus'' species are colorful, sma ...

'' (currently 10 species) is endemic to

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

. Hyperoliids range from in body length. Many species have smooth, brightly patterned skin that almost looks enameled. Most hyperoliids are arboreal, but some are terrestrial, including several ''

Kassina ''Kassina'' is a genus of hyperoliidae, hyperoliid frogs, commonly referred to as running frogs or kassinas. They are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa. They are characterized by preferring a distinctive "walking" with the back legs instead of ...

'' species that move by walking or running rather than hopping. Diets vary widely, with examples including '' Paracassina'', which specializes in snails, and ''

Afrixalus fornasini ''Afrixalus fornasini'' is a species of frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , litera ...

'', the only terrestrial frog known to prey on

eggs An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop. Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to: Biology * Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms Food * Eggs as food Places * Egg, Austria * Egg, Switzerland ...

of other species of anurans. Breeding in this family begins at the start of the rainy season, when hyperoliids congregate at breeding sites. Most hyperoliids lay their eggs in water, although foam nesting, tree-hole breeding, and laying eggs in vegetation above water are all known behaviors. ''

Afrixalus ''Afrixalus'', commonly known as the banana frogs, spiny reed frogs, cat's eye reed frogs, or leaf-folding frogs, is a genus of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. They occur in the Subsaharan Africa. They lay their eggs in vegetation above water, ...

'' builds leaf nests for its eggs, by folding and gluing the edges of the leaves.

Tadpole A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the Larva, larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully Aquatic animal, aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial animal, ...

s are pond type larvae with large dorsal fins on their tails. No fossil hyperoliids are known.

Classification

As of mid-2022, there are 17 genera with 224 species, more than half of them in the very species-rich ''Hyperolius'': The genera are divided between three subfamilies, with three genera unplaced. * Subfamily

Acanthixalinae ''Acanthixalus'', commonly known as African wart frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. They occur in the rainforests of Western and Central Africa, from Ivory Coast to Congo. Species The genus ''Acanthixalus'' contains two speci ...

Dubois, Ohler & Pyron, 2021 (2 species) ** ''

Acanthixalus ''Acanthixalus'', commonly known as African wart frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. They occur in the rainforests of Western and Central Africa, from Ivory Coast to Congo. Species The genus ''Acanthixalus'' contains two speci ...

'' - African wart frogs (2 species) * Subfamily

Hyperoliinae The Hyperoliidae, or sedge frogs and bush frogs, are a large family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored frogs which contain more than 250 species in 19 genera. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the monotypic g ...

Laurent, 1943 (196 species) ** ''

'' - banana frogs (35 species) ** '' Congolius'' - Congo frog (1 species) ** ''

Cryptothylax ''Cryptothylax'' is a small genus of hyperoliid frogs found in the Congo Basin The Congo Basin () is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River. The Congo Basin is located in Central Africa, in a region known as west equatorial Africa. The Cong ...

'' - wax frogs (2 species) ** ''

'' - Madagascan reed frogs (11 species) ** ''

Hyperolius ''Hyperolius'' (commonly known as the African reed frogs or reed frogs) is a large genus of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae from Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus is known to exhibit Sexual dichromatism, a trait that is otherwise rare in frogs. Spe ...

'' - African reed frogs (143 species) ** ''

Kassinula ''Kassinula'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, ''Kassinula wittei''. It is found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and possibly Angola. Its natural habitats are m ...

'' - clicking frog (1 species) ** '' Morerella'' - blue-eyed frog (1 species) ** ''

Opisthothylax ''Opisthothylax'' is a monotypic frog genus in the family Hyperoliidae. The sole species is ''Opisthothylax immaculatus'', also known as the gray-eyed frog . It is found in southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, western Republic of ...

'' - grey-eyed frog (1 species) ** ''

'' - Seychelles Islands frog (1 species) * Subfamily Kassininae Laurent, 1972 (23 sp.) ** '' Hylambates'' - African striped frogs (5 species; formerly '' Phlyctimantis) ** ''

'' - running frogs (15 species) ** '' Paracassina'' - common striped frogs (2 species) ** '' Semnodactylus'' - Weal's frog (1 species) * Subfamily ''incertae sedis'' ** ''

Arlequinus ''Arlequinus'' is a genus of frogs in the family Hyperoliidae Endemism, endemic to the Western High Plateau and Mount Cameroon, Cameroon. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species ''Arlequinus krebsi'', commonly known as the Mebebq ...

'' - Mebebque frog (1 species) ** '' Callixalus'' - African painted frog (1 species) ** '' Chrysobatrachus'' - Itombwe golden frog (1 species)

References

External links

African Tree Frogs Herpetology (images)
{{Authority control Amphibian families Taxa named by Raymond Laurent Fauna of the Afrotropical realm

Classification

References

Further reading

External links