Arthroleptidae
Encyclopedia
Arthroleptidae is a family
of frog
s found in Sub-Saharan Africa
. They are also known as squeakers because of their high-pitched call. They are small, less than 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in length, terrestrial frogs found mostly in leaf litter on the forest floor. They completely bypass any aquatic stage, and therefore do not have tadpole
s. They lay their eggs on the ground, in crevices or in leaf litter, and the offspring undergo direct development. Some species hatch already completely metamorphosed
into the adult form, while others still have tails when they hatch.
(Trichobatrachus robustus). Breeding male Hairy Frogs develop highly vascularised, hair-like projections on their thighs and flanks. They will sit on their eggs for long periods of time, and it is thought that the hairs assist in respiration
through the skin, while they cannot use their lungs in the water. The hairy frog is also notable in possessing retractable "claws" (though unlike true claws, they are made of bone, not keratin), which is may project through the skin, apparently by intentionally breaking the bones of the toe . In addition, the researchers found a small bony nodule nestled in the tissue just beyond the frog's fingertip. When sheathed, each claw is anchored to the nodule with tough strands of collagen, but when the frog is grabbed or attacked, the frog breaks the nodule connection and forces its sharpened bones through the skin.
Amphibian researcher and biologist David Wake of the University of California, Berkeley, says that this type of weaponry appears to be unique in the animal kingdom. But David Cannatella, a herpetologist at the University of Texas, Austin, questions whether the bony protrusions are meant for fighting. They could allow a frog's feet "to get a better grip on whatever rocky habitat they might be in," he says.
The two sub-families consist of the following genera:
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...
of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s found in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. They are also known as squeakers because of their high-pitched call. They are small, less than 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in length, terrestrial frogs found mostly in leaf litter on the forest floor. They completely bypass any aquatic stage, and therefore do not have 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. They lay their eggs on the ground, in crevices or in leaf litter, and the offspring undergo direct development. Some species hatch already completely metamorphosed
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
into the adult form, while others still have tails when they hatch.
Overview
This family contains a unique frog, the Hairy FrogHairy Frog
The Hairy Frog is a Central African species of frog in the Arthroleptidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Trichobatrachus. Its common name refers to the somewhat hair-like structures on the body and thighs of the breeding male.-Description:The species is about 11 cm long from snout...
(Trichobatrachus robustus). Breeding male Hairy Frogs develop highly vascularised, hair-like projections on their thighs and flanks. They will sit on their eggs for long periods of time, and it is thought that the hairs assist in respiration
Respiration (physiology)
'In physiology, respiration is defined as the transport of oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues, and the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction...
through the skin, while they cannot use their lungs in the water. The hairy frog is also notable in possessing retractable "claws" (though unlike true claws, they are made of bone, not keratin), which is may project through the skin, apparently by intentionally breaking the bones of the toe . In addition, the researchers found a small bony nodule nestled in the tissue just beyond the frog's fingertip. When sheathed, each claw is anchored to the nodule with tough strands of collagen, but when the frog is grabbed or attacked, the frog breaks the nodule connection and forces its sharpened bones through the skin.
Amphibian researcher and biologist David Wake of the University of California, Berkeley, says that this type of weaponry appears to be unique in the animal kingdom. But David Cannatella, a herpetologist at the University of Texas, Austin, questions whether the bony protrusions are meant for fighting. They could allow a frog's feet "to get a better grip on whatever rocky habitat they might be in," he says.
Taxonomy
Arthroleptidae is separated into two sub-families: Arthroleptinae and Leptopelinae. Some consider these to be separate families .The two sub-families consist of the following genera:
| Subfamilia | Spe- cies | Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthroleptinae |
|||
| 37 | Screeching Frogs | Arthroleptis Arthroleptis Arthroleptis is a genus of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae found in tropical Africa.-Species:- References :* Amphibian Species of the World 5.1 . Accessed on 28 Mar 2008.... |
|
| 11 | Night Frogs | Astylosternus Astylosternus Astylosternus also known as "Night Frogs" is a genus of frog in the Arthroleptidae family. It contains 11 species.- Species :- References :* Amphibian Species of the World 5.1, an Online Reference Accessed on 29 Mar 2008.... |
|
| 15 | Long-Fingered Frogs | Cardioglossa Cardioglossa Cardioglossa is a genus of frogs in the family Arthroleptidae found in western and central Africa. Their common name is Long-fingered Frogs.-Species:... |
|
| 15 | Egg Frogs | Leptodactylodon Leptodactylodon Leptodactylodon also known as "Egg Frogs" is a genus of frog in the Arthroleptidae family. It contains 15 species. Members of this genus can be found in eastern Nigeria and western and southwestern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.- Species :... |
|
| 1 | Southern Night Frog | Nyctibates | |
| 1 | Gaboon Forest Frog | Scotobleps | |
| 1 | Hairy Frog | Trichobatrachus | |
| Leptopelinae |
51 | Forest Treefrogs | Leptopelis Leptopelis Leptopelis genus of frogs found throughout Africa. They are medium-sized, semiarboreal frogs, with distinctively large eyes. They vary greatly in color and patterning, but as juveniles tend to be bright green in color, and as they age they turn to a brown. There are 49 species currently... |