Amolops
Encyclopedia
Amolops is a quite large genus
of true frog
s (family
Ranidae) native mainly to eastern
and southeastern
Asia
. These frogs are quite closely related to such genera as Huia
, Meristogenys
, Odorrana
, Pelohylax and Rana
, but still form a distinct lineage among the core radiation
of true frogs. They are commonly known as "torrent frog
s" after their favorite habitat
- small rapid-flowing mountain and hill streams -, but this name is used for many similar-looking frogs regardless of whether they are loosely related. Cascade frogs is a less ambiguous name.
Several species
are highly convergent
with other Ranidae "torrent frogs". A. archotaphus and its relatives for example very much resemble Odorrana livida
. In another incidence of convergent evolution yielding adaptation
to habitat, the tadpole
s of Amolops, Huia, Meristogenys as well as Rana sauteri
have a raised and usually well-developed sucker on their belly. This is useful in keeping in place in rocky torrents, where these frogs grow up. But as Odorrana and Staurois
from comparable habitat
prove, this sucker is by no means a necessity and other means of adaptation to torrent habitat exist.
believed to belong elsewhere. Due to the degree of convergent evolution
, DNA sequence
studies are very helpful in assigning species to the genera, though the possibility of past hybridization cannot be discounted in Ranidae.
New species are described on a regular basis. At least one undescribed species is known to exist, a very distinct form from Phetchaburi
in Thailand
that is possibly closer to A. marmoratus
than to most others.
A. mengyangensis is a junior synonym of Odorrana nasica, the Long-snout Torrent Frog
. The Concave-eared Torrent Frog, formerly A. tormotus, is now Odorrana tormota.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of true frog
True frog
The true frogs, family Ranidae, have the widest distribution of any frog family. They are abundant throughout most of the world, occurring on most continents except Antarctica...
s (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Ranidae) native mainly to eastern
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and southeastern
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. These frogs are quite closely related to such genera as Huia
Huia (genus)
Huia is a group of true frogs found in Southeast Asia. Many are commonly known as "torrent frogs" after their favorite habitat - small rapid-flowing mountain and hill streams -, but this name is used for many similar-looking frogs regardless of whether they are closely related...
, Meristogenys
Meristogenys
Meristogenys is a genus of true frogs from Borneo. Its tadpoles are easily recognizable by their divided upper lip with ribs on the outside....
, Odorrana
Odorrana
Odorrana is a genus of true frogs from East Asia and surrounding regions. Many of these frogs inhabit fast-flowing mountain streams, and they typically have a remarkably pointed snout, as evidenced by common names like "long-snout" or "tip-nosed frog" and scientific names like nasica or nasutus...
, Pelohylax and Rana
Rana (genus)
Rana is a genus of frogs. Species include such archetypal pond frogs as the common frog of Europe, brown frogs, and the New and Old World true frogs, including the various species of leopard frogs and the American bullfrog. Members of this genus are found through much of Eurasia, North America,...
, but still form a distinct lineage among the core radiation
Evolutionary radiation
An evolutionary radiation is an increase in taxonomic diversity or morphological disparity, due to adaptive change or the opening of ecospace. Radiations may affect one clade or many, and be rapid or gradual; where they are rapid, and driven by a single lineage's adaptation to their environment,...
of true frogs. They are commonly known as "torrent frog
Torrent frog
Torrent frogs are a number of unrelated frogs that prefer to inhabit small rapid-flowing mountain or hill streams with a lot of torrents. They are generally smallish neobatrachians with a greyish-brown and usually darkly mottled back, giving them excellent camouflage among wet rocks overgrown with...
s" after their favorite habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
- small rapid-flowing mountain and hill streams -, but this name is used for many similar-looking frogs regardless of whether they are loosely related. Cascade frogs is a less ambiguous name.
Several species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are highly convergent
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
with other Ranidae "torrent frogs". A. archotaphus and its relatives for example very much resemble Odorrana livida
Odorrana livida
The green mountain frog, or Odorrana livida, is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is endemic to Burma and Thailand.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. Its status is insufficiently known.-Source:...
. In another incidence of convergent evolution yielding adaptation
Adaptation
An adaptation in biology is a trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. An adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation....
to habitat, the tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s of Amolops, Huia, Meristogenys as well as Rana sauteri
Rana sauteri
Rana sauteri is a species of frog in the genus Rana from Taiwan.-Taxonomy:Rana sauteri was first described in 1909 by George Albert Boulenger on the basis of specimens collected on Taiwan by one H. Sauter...
have a raised and usually well-developed sucker on their belly. This is useful in keeping in place in rocky torrents, where these frogs grow up. But as Odorrana and Staurois
Staurois
Staurois is a small genus of true frogs. They occur from Borneo via Palawan to the Philippines.This genus is a quite ancient member of the true frog family, Ranidae.-Selected species:The Staurois natator complex is in need of revision....
from comparable habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
prove, this sucker is by no means a necessity and other means of adaptation to torrent habitat exist.
Selected species
The delimitation of this genus has proven complicated, with many speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
believed to belong elsewhere. Due to the degree of convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
, DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
studies are very helpful in assigning species to the genera, though the possibility of past hybridization cannot be discounted in Ranidae.
New species are described on a regular basis. At least one undescribed species is known to exist, a very distinct form from Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi , also known as Phetburi, is a town in central Thailand, capital of the Phetchaburi Province. In Thai, Phetchaburi means city of diamonds . It is approximately 160km south of Bangkok, at the northern end of the Thai Peninsula...
in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
that is possibly closer to A. marmoratus
Amolops marmoratus
Amolops marmoratus is a species of frog found in Asia. It has small open holes on its back, when threatened small drops of poison are secreted from them to ward off predators...
than to most others.
A. mengyangensis is a junior synonym of Odorrana nasica, the Long-snout Torrent Frog
Long-snout Torrent Frog
The Long-snout Torrent Frog is a species of frog in the Ranidae family.It is found in China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and possibly Myanmar....
. The Concave-eared Torrent Frog, formerly A. tormotus, is now Odorrana tormota.