The Leiuperinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

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 in the family

Leptodactylidae The southern frogs form the Leptodactylidae, a name that comes from Greek meaning a bird or other animal having slender toes. They are a diverse family of frogs that most likely diverged from other hyloids during the Cretaceous. The family has u ...

. Over 90 species are in five genera. The distribution of this subfamily is from southern Mexico to the Central America and much of South America.

Taxonomy

Recognition of the Leiuperinae as it is known today is relatively recent. Frost ''et al.'' (2006) treated the Leiuperina as a part of the Leptodactylidae, whereas Grant ''et al.'' (2006) recognized them as a family, the view adopted by some sources. However, the

Amphibian Species of the World ''Amphibian Species of the World 6.2: An Online Reference'' (ASW) is a herpetology database. It lists the names of frogs, salamanders and other amphibians, which scientists first described each species and what year, and the animal's known range ...

follows Pyron and Wiens (2011) in recognizing this taxon as a subfamily. However, AmphibiaWeb includes leiuperinid genera in the Leptodactylidae, without recognizing them as a subfamily.

Genera

The five genera are: *'' Edalorhina'' Jiménez de la Espada, 1870 *''

Engystomops ''Engystomops'' is a genus of frogs in the family Leptodactylidae. They are commonly known as foam frogs or túngara frogs, though the latter name most commonly refers to ''Tungara frog, Engystomops pustulosus''. They are native to the Americas f ...

'' Jiménez de la Espada, 1872 *''

Physalaemus ''Physalaemus'' is a large genus of Leptodactylidae, leptodactylid frogs. These frogs, sometimes known as dwarf frogs or foam frogs, are found in South America. It is very similar to ''Leptodactylus'', a close relative, and indeed the recently ...

'' Fitzinger, 1826 *''

Pleurodema ''Pleurodema'' is a genus of frogs in the family Leptodactylidae. The genus is endemic to South America. Species in the genus ''Pleurodema'' are sometimes known under the common name four-eyed frogs, although this common name can also refer to a ...

'' Tschudi, 1838 *''

Pseudopaludicola ''Pseudopaludicola'' is a genus of leptodactylid frogs from lowland northern and central South America. They are known under the common name dwarf swamp frogs or swamp frogs. Systematics ''Pseudopaludicola'' are small frogs, growing maximally ...

'' Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926

Defensive Mechanisms

Leiuperinae display several anti-predator mechanisms, including eyespots, hidden bright colours, macroglands in a inguinal/lumbar position, defensive behaviours, and/or chemical defence. A 2021 study showed the most recent ancestor of '' Edalorhina'', ''

'', ''

'', and ''

'' evolved a particular type of

serous gland Serous glands secrete serous fluid. They contain serous acini, a grouping of serous cells that secrete serous fluid, isotonic with blood plasma, that contains enzymes such as alpha-amylase. Serous glands are most common in the parotid gland a ...

(the main component of macroglands) in the lumbar skin along with the absence of the Eberth-Katschenko layer. Leiuperines with macroglands exhibit a defensive behaviour which includes four displays ('crouching down', rear elevation, body inflation, and eye protection) all of which are present in this same common ancestor. Several species independently evolved the two elements associated with

aposematism Aposematism is the Advertising in biology, advertising by an animal, whether terrestrial or marine, to potential predation, predators that it is not worth attacking or eating. This unprofitability may consist of any defenses which make the pr ...

(hidden bright colours and eyespots). Overall, the study provided phylogenetic evidence for the startle-first hypothesis, i.e. behavioural displays arise as sudden movements in camouflaged individuals to avoid predatory attacks, prior to the origin of bright coloration.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13560507 Leptodactylidae Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte Amphibian subfamilies