The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" '' Triadobatrachus'' is ...

s. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family.

Evolution

A molecular phylogenetic study by van der Meijden, et al. (2007) has estimated the initial internal divergence of the family Microhylidae to have taken place about 66 million years ago, or immediately after the Cretaceous extinction event. The

most recent common ancestor In biology and genetic genealogy, the most recent common ancestor (MRCA), also known as the last common ancestor (LCA) or concestor, of a set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all the organisms of the set are descended. The ...

of the Microhylidae and their closest ranoid relatives is estimated to have lived 116 million years ago in

Gondwana Gondwana () was a large landmass, often referred to as a supercontinent, that formed during the late Neoproterozoic (about 550 million years ago) and began to break up during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago). The final st ...

Description

As suggested by their name, microhylids are mostly small frogs. Many species are below in length, although some species are as large as . They can be

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose num ...

or terrestrial, and some even live close to water. The ground-dwellers are often found under leaf litter within forests, occasionally venturing out at night to hunt. The two main shapes for the microhylids are wide bodies and narrow mouths and normal frog proportions. Those with narrow mouths generally eat

termite Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes ( eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blat ...

s and

ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,0 ...

s, and the others have diets typical of most frogs. Egg-laying habits are highly varied.

Reproduction

The microhylids of

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

and Australia completely bypass the

tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found ...

stage, with direct development from

egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...

to frog. The arboreal species can therefore lay the eggs within the trees, and never need venture to the ground. Where species do have tadpoles, these almost always lack the teeth or horny beaks typical of the tadpoles of other families.

Anatomy

The skull has paired

palatines Palatines (german: Pfälzer), also known as the Palatine Dutch, are the people and princes of Palatinates (Holy Roman principalities) of the Holy Roman Empire. The Palatine diaspora includes the Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Dutch. In 1709 ...

and frontoparietals. The facial nerve passes through the anterior acoustic foramen in the auditory capsule; the trigeminal and facial nerve ganglia are fused to form a prootic ganglion. The eight (or seven) presacral holochordal vertebrae are all procoelous except for a biconcave surface on last presacral. The pectoral girdle is firmisternal and some show reduced clavicle and procoracoids. The terminal phalanges are blunt, pointed, or T-shaped. The tadpole lacks keratinized mouth parts and has a large spiracular chamber emptied by a caudomedial spiracle.

Taxonomy

* subfamily Adelastinae Peloso, Frost, Richards, Rodrigues, Donnellan, Matsui, Raxworthy, Biju, Lemmon, Lemmon, & Wheeler, 2015 ** genus '' Adelastes'' Zweifel, 1986 * subfamily Asterophryinae Günther, 1858 ** genus ''

Aphantophryne ''Aphantophryne'' is a genus of microhylid frogs found in New Guinea and in Mindanao, the Philippines. Originally described by Fry in 1917, Richard G. Zweifel considered in 1956 ''Aphantophryne'' synonymous to '' Cophixalus''. The genus was re ...

'' Fry, 1917 ** genus '' Asterophrys'' Tschudi, 1838 ** genus '' Austrochaperina'' Fry, 1912 ** genus '' Barygenys'' Parker, 1936 ** genus '' Callulops'' Boulenger, 1888 ** genus '' Choerophryne'' Van Kampen, 1914 ** genus '' Cophixalus'' Boettger, 1892 ** genus '' Copiula'' Méhely, 1901 ** genus ''

Gastrophrynoides ''Gastrophrynoides'' is a small genus of microhylid frogs. There are two species known from the Malay Peninsula and Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. ...

'' Noble, 1926 ** genus '' Hylophorbus'' Macleay, 1878 ** genus '' Mantophryne'' Boulenger, 1897 ** genus '' Oninia'' Günther, Stelbrink & von Rintelen, 2010 ** genus ''

Oreophryne ''Oreophryne'', the cross frogs, is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Southern Philippine, Celebes and the Lesser Sunda Islands, and New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just ...

'' Boettger, 1895 ** genus '' Paedophryne'' Kraus, 2010 ** genus '' Siamophryne'' Suwannapoom, Sumontha, Tunprasert, Ruangsuwan, Pawangkhanant, Korost, and Poyarkov, 2018 ** genus ''

Sphenophryne ''Sphenophryne'' is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae from New Guinea. It reached its current composition in 2017 when Rivera and colleagues brought the genera ''Genyophryne'', ''Liophryne'', and ''Oxydactyla'' into synonymy of the the ...

'' Peters & Doria, 1878 ** genus '' Vietnamophryne'' Poyarkov, Suwannapoom, Pawangkhanant, Aksornneam, Duong, Korost and Che, 2018 ** genus '' Xenorhina'' Peters, 1863 * subfamily

Chaperininae ''Chaperina'' is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is the only genus in the subfamily Chaperininae. It is also itself monotypic, being represented by the single species, ''Chaperina fusca'', commonly known as the brown thorny frog, ...

Peloso, Frost, Richards, Rodrigues, Donnellan, Matsui, Raxworthy, Biju, Lemmon, Lemmon, & Wheeler, 2015 ** genus ''

Chaperina ''Chaperina'' is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is the only genus in the subfamily Chaperininae. It is also itself monotypic, being represented by the single species, ''Chaperina fusca'', commonly known as the brown thorny frog, ...

'' Mocquard, 1892 * subfamily Cophylinae Cope, 1889 ** genus '' Anilany'' Scherz, Vences, Rakotoarison, Andreone, Köhler, Glaw, and Crottini, 2016 ** genus '' Anodonthyla'' Müller, 1892 ** genus ''

Cophyla ''Cophyla'' is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. Species The following species are recognised in the genus ''Cophyla'': * '' Cophyla alticola'' (Guibé, 1974) * ''Cophyla ando'' (Scherz, Köhler, Vences, and Glaw, 2019) * ''Co ...

'' Boettger, 1880 ** genus '' Madecassophryne'' Guibé, 1974 ** genus ''

Mini The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...

'' Scherz, Hutter, Rakotoarison, Riemann, Rödel, Ndriantsoa, Glos, Roberts, Crottini, Vences & Glaw, 2019 ** genus ''

Plethodontohyla ''Plethodontohyla'' is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. Species There are at present 11 species: * '' Plethodontohyla alluaudi'' (Mocquard, 1901) * '' Plethodontohyla bipunctata'' (Guibé, 1974) * ''Plethodontohyla brevipes'' B ...

'' Boulenger, 1882 ** genus ''

Rhombophryne ''Rhombophryne'' is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It is currently estimated to include more than 23 species, but only 20 of these are currently described. The common name 'diamond frog' has been proposed and used for members ...

'' Boettger, 1880 ** genus ''

Stumpffia ''Stumpffia'' is a genus of microhylid frogs that are endemic to Madagascar. They are mostly brown frogs that typically live among leaf litter. ''S. contumelia'' has a snout–vent length of about , making it one of the world's smallest frogs ...

'' Botteger, 1881 * subfamily Dyscophinae Boulenger, 1882 ** genus '' Dyscophus'' Grandidier, 1872 * subfamily Gastrophryninae Fitzinger, 1843 ** genus '' Arcovomer'' Carvalho, 1954 ** genus '' Chiasmocleis'' Méhely, 1904 ** genus ''

Ctenophryne ''Ctenophryne'' is a genus of microhylid The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family (biology), family of frogs. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest num ...

'' Mocquard, 1904 ** genus ''

Dasypops ''Dasypops'' is a genus of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, the Rio Mutum frog (''Dasypops schirchi''). It is endemic to the coastal plain of Espírito Santo and Bahia states of eastern B ...

'' Miranda-Ribeiro, 1924 ** genus '' Dermatonotus'' Méhely, 1904 ** genus '' Elachistocleis'' Parker, 1927 ** genus ''

Gastrophryne ''Gastrophryne'', the narrowmouth toads (also American narrowmouth toads, North American narrow-mouthed toads), is a genus of microhylid frogs found in the Americas between Honduras and southern United States. Its name means ‘belly-toad’, re ...

'' Fitzinger, 1843 ** genus '' Hamptophryne'' Carvalho, 1954 ** genus '' Hypopachus'' Keferstein, 1867 ** genus ''

Myersiella ''Myersiella'' is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, ''Myersiella microps''. It is Endemism, endemic to southeastern Brazil and occurs in Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro (state), ...

'' Carvalho, 1954 ** genus ''

Stereocyclops ''Stereocyclops'' (common name: Brazilian dumpy frogs) is a small genus of Microhylidae, microhylid frogs. It is endemic to the Atlantic forest of eastern Brazil. Molecular phylogeny suggests that it is sister taxon to the clade containing ''Dasy ...

'' Cope, 1870 * subfamily Hoplophryninae Noble, 1931 ** genus ''

Hoplophryne ''Hoplophryne'' is a genus of microhylid frogs. The genus is endemic to mountain forests of Tanzania. They are also known as three-fingered frogs or African banana frogs (not to be confused with '' Afrixalus'', another African genus known as "ban ...

'' Barbour & Loveridge, 1928 ** genus '' Parhoplophryne'' Barbour & Loveridge, 1928 * subfamily Kalophryninae Mivart, 1869 ** genus '' Kalophrynus'' Tschudi, 1838 * subfamily Melanobatrachinae Noble, 1931 ** genus '' Melanobatrachus'' Beddome, 1878 * subfamily Microhylinae Günther, 1858 ** genus ''

Glyphoglossus ''Glyphoglossus'' is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. The genus occurs in Southeastern Asia. Common name balloon frogs has been coined for it, whereas the common name squat frogs refers to the ''Calluella'' species that are now inclu ...

'' Gunther, 1869 "1868" ** genus '' Kaloula'' Gray, 1831 ** genus '' Metaphrynella'' Parker, 1934 ** genus '' Microhyla'' Tschudi, 1838 ** genus '' Micryletta'' Dubois, 1987 ** genus '' Mysticellus'' Sonali & Biju, 2019 **genus '' Nanohyla'' ** genus '' Phrynella'' Boulenger, 1887 ** genus '' Uperodon'' Duméril & Bibron, 1841 * subfamily Otophryninae Wassersug & Pyburn, 1987 ** genus '' Otophryne'' Boulenger, 1900 ** genus ''

Synapturanus ''Synapturanus'' is a genus of Microhylidae, microhylid frogs. They are found in northern South America. Common name disc frogs has been coined for the genus. Because of their fossorial life style, their natural history is poorly known. Ecology ...

'' Carvalho, 1954 * subfamily

Phrynomerinae ''Phrynomantis'' is a genus of frog in the family Microhylidae. They are also known as rubber frogs, red-marked frogs, red-marked short-headed frogs, and snake-necked frogs. The genus is found in Subsaharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is ...

Noble, 1931 ** genus '' Phrynomantis'' Peters, 1867 * subfamily Scaphiophryninae Laurent, 1946 ** genus '' Paradoxophyla'' Blommers-Schlösser & Blanc, 1991 ** genus '' Scaphiophryne'' Boulenger, 1882

Range

Frogs from the Microhylidae occur throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of North America, South America, Africa, eastern India,

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

, and Australia. Although most are found in tropical or subtropical regions, a few species can be found in arid or nontropical areas. They are the majority of frog species in New Guinea and

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. The ranges of each subfamily are:De Sá, R. O., Streicher, J. W., Sekonyela, R., Forlani, M. C., Loader, S. P., Greenbaum, E., … Haddad, C. F. B. (2012). Molecular phylogeny of microhylid frogs (Anura: Microhylidae) with emphasis on relationships among New World genera. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 12, 241. http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-12-241 * Hoplophryninae:

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

* Scaphiophryninae:

* Dyscophinae:

* Microhylinae:

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;; ...

* Asterophryinae: Australia,

* Kalophryninae:

* Otophyninae:

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

* Cophylinae:

* Gastrophryninae:

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

* Melanobatrachinae:

* Adelastinae:

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q56057 Extant Miocene first appearances Taxa named by Albert Günther Amphibian families